by Chris Bolgiano
The Rescue Squad had already received three calls, and the ground-breaking ceremony for the Emergency Response Station hadn’t even begun.
At 9 a.m. on August 26, Fulks Run Ruritan Club members and volunteers, County officials, and Fire and Rescue Squad members gathered at the Fulks Run Ruritan Park to break ground for Emergency Response Station #12. Ruritan officer Bob Blosser began by pointing out Bill Miller in the audience, who at 102 years old is the last surviving member of the group that founded the Fulks Run Ruritan Club in 1958. Mr. Miller was president of the club in 1987 and signed the note to purchase the park’s 55 acres from Neff Lumber Mills. Mr. Blosser also gave a shout-out to Todd Gilbert, the General Assembly delegate, and Pablo Cuevas, who for many years was the District 1 Supervisor. He also emphasized that while the deed to the one and a half acres for the station will say the land is from the Ruritan Club, many volunteers from the community over many years have donated time, hard work, and money to make the club a successful community service organization.
Dewey Ritchie, current District 1 Supervisor, spoke next. “The Ruritans saw a need in the community, and that what Ruritans are all about,” he said. He complimented the many County staff members who through careful planning and management have made the station a reality without incurring debt for the County.
Jeremy Holloway, Chief of the County Fire and Rescue Department, listed the following expenses: the building will cost approximately $3.6 million, the fire engine $1.2 million, the tanker truck $637,000, and the ambulance $300,000. “That’s not counting the staff,” he said, “and there will be five people here 24/7.” There isn’t a food court, but “we can get ham sandwiches pretty easily,” referring to the Turner Ham Store within sight. He pointed to the large County map on a stand and explained how the Department looks for station sites that will reduce response time. “Ten minutes for someone having a heart attack can make the difference between life and death,” he said. He described the future building and made the point that “any building we have is a community building, and there will be a heated community meeting room here.”
A few pieces of equipment are on order, but Mr. Holloway felt sure that by May of 2025, the project would be complete and ready to respond to emergencies in the surrounding area. “We will be ready before the July Lawn Party,” he promised, to loud applause.
