GREENFIELD — As Greenfield’s population continues to grow, so does the demand for emergency services. Now there's a push to get a third fire station amid more concerns about response times and available resources within the Greenfield Fire Territory.
The department told WRTV they do the best that they can with what they can but they can no ignore the fact that more resources are needed.
Fire crews responded to more than 5,500 calls last year, a 25% increase compared with five years ago, according to Fire Territory Chief Jason Horning.
“That's mostly just due to the rapid growth in our area,” Horning said.
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During WRTV's interview with the chief, three emergency calls came in just 30 minutes.
“If another emergency happens [right now], and this happens a lot in town, and we're rolling the dice… Our resources are depleted… So if something else happens, we're waiting on help from, you know,10 to 15 miles away,” Horning said.
The Greenfield Fire Territory currently operates two stations and just added a third ambulance last year. They cover 52 square miles in Greenfield and Center Township.
Horning told WRTV that making sure they can fully cover the area is the biggest reason why he has been advocating for a third fire station for years.
“It will also add more resources so that we're able to cover our runs more efficiently. There are many days where we have 34 runs at a time we run out of resources,” Horning said.
Horning said he has been working with local and state lawmakers on a plan to expand services, but funding remains the biggest challenge.
Staffing a new station would require hiring 15 additional full-time employees.
Right now GTF has 60-full time employees and 12 part-time.
“We have basically people in line, waiting to be hired for these jobs…but the city is confined by the constraints of the state as far as what they're allowed to do when it comes to funding,” Horning said.
The chief said as they wait for the impacts of Senate Bill One, another possible outcome could be higher taxes for residents to get another running — an idea some had mixed reactions to.
Deb Johnson, a 50-year Greenfield resident who cares for her 95-year-old mother supports the move.
She said faster response times are critical.
“My mother lives with us, and she’s had several medical emergencies in the last few years,” Johnson said.
“It's important because if they are too far away or there is not enough firefighters to handle the calls, it could cause great damage,” she said.
Horning said the goal is to prevent delays that could delay lifesaving care.
“We don't want any citizens having to wait on help. So we wanna be able to answer those calls from our firehouses and our resources from within the city,” he said.
The fire territory is reviewing studies to identify hot spots for emergency calls, which will help determine the location of a potential third station.
They are eyeing the west side of town near County Road 200 West and the coming I-70 interchange.
Horning said officials hope to have a plan in place by the end of this year.
Representative Ethan Lawson, who represents Hancock County, shared this statement with WRTV:
I’ve met with Chief Horning recently and throughout the past year. Supporting public safety and our fire departments is a priority for me. Many of the legislative bills are being published this week, so it’s early to say what all the options will be. I’ll continue to work closely with Chief Horning, our local fire leaders, and elected officials to ensure they can succeed in keeping our community safe.
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Naja Woods started her journalism career in 2019 after graduating from Knox College in Illinois. She’s always looking forward to making a difference by empowering the diverse communities throughout the area and helping share their unique perspectives through storytelling. Share your story ideas and important issues with Naja by emailing news@wrtv.com.
