New Northfield Center fire station open and operational

by Laura Bednar

Macedonia Fire Department Northfield Division Station No. 3 at 8484 Olde 8 Rd. in Northfield Center Township officially opened this summer with a ribbon cutting and open house on Aug. 12.

The station includes large bays to accommodate fire and EMS equipment, space for firefighter turnout gear, washing machines, storage, a weight room and sleeping quarters that accommodate three firefighters.

Macedonia Fire Chief Brian Ripley said while there are spaces for three firefighter/paramedics, there are currently only two at the station per shift.

A portion of the building is also being used for four Northfield Center Township government offices and a meeting space. A small area in the back houses a remote police station.

Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills contracted with Macedonia for fire and EMS services in 2016. Ripley said fire and EMS resources are shared among all three communities.

With the emergence of the new building, Ripley said the fire departments are reworking the response district, which determines which station responds to what area. The closest station to an emergency will respond regardless of geographical location, according to Ripley.

The new station is closer to the city of Macedonia and to the residential developments within Northfield Center. “It helps firefighters to get to people quicker than the old station,” said Ripley.

The previous station on state Route 82 needed a lot of repairs. When Macedonia took over the fire services, Ripley recalled a cabinet of electronics and radios that was full of snow from a drift in the middle of the building. Firefighters also placed a towel at the bottom of a door to prevent snow from coming inside the firefighter living space. Ripley added that there were 7 electrical panels and someone had added dry wall over an A/C unit in the wall.

“The new building is much safer and should last many years to come,” said Ripley. ∞

Photo: Firefighters (l-r) Colon Watson, Noah Strindere and Jack Pitzen attended the fire station open house in August.
Photo: The new fire station has sleeping quarters to accommodate three firefighter/paramedics.

Photo (above/main): An aerial view of the new fire station on Olde 8 Road. Photos by Michael Rankin.