Vernon Township Breaks Ground on New Fire Station in Fortville

FORTVILLE, IN – The Vernon Township Trustee and board members, Vernon Township Fire and Emergency Services Department, and Envoy, Inc. celebrated the groundbreaking of a new fire station. In addition, plans include intersection enhancements and the relocation of department headquarters and township offices to an existing, nearby building.

“This has been a long-time coming and is a very exciting day for Vernon Township and the Town of Fortville,” said Jim Nolte, Vernon Township Trustee. “As our community continues to grow, it is important that we keep the residents safe while responsibly planning for the future. Our plans for Fire Station No. 3 will help achieve that goal.”

The new Vernon Township fire station will be located at 600 Vitality Drive in the Town of Fortville. The $4 million investment includes an approximately 14,000-square-foot building with modern amenities for the 21st century first responders, as well as financially sustainable features to keep operating costs low.

Currently housed in separate leased buildings in Fortville, the new fire station will provide individual living quarters for the volunteer fire department and the emergency ambulance service personnel. The facility will also include a Safe Haven Baby Box with the expansion of Indiana’s law to allow box locations at any fire station staffed 24-hours a day.

“Working with Vernon Township officials and design partners on this project has been a very collaborative and rewarding process. Envoy is proud to be the construction partner on such a great project,” said Connor Britt, Project Manager for Envoy, Inc. “With our expertise in modern firehouse construction management, this is another opportunity to bring a state-of-the-art facility to our public safety community.”

Fire Station No. 3 will include an investment in sustainable technologies, including LED lighting fixtures and a geo-thermal heating and cooling system. Geo-thermal technology is clean and sustainable and uses heat from the earth to produce energy. This investment is expected to save significant operation costs over the life of the firehouse.

Working in concert with INDOT, a preemption device will be installed at U.S. 36 and Vitality Drive to allow for the safe passage of emergency apparatus when responding to emergencies.  

Additional plans include the relocation of the Vernon Township Fire Department headquarters and the Vernon Township Offices to a nearby, vacant building at 602 Vitality Drive. The new office will include township operations, meeting rooms, and possibly a community food bank. Officials are expected to relocate in the spring of 2019.

Construction on the new fire station is expected to be complete in the spring of 2019.

“The groundbreaking marks an important milestone for our township. With construction now underway, the Vernon Township Board is one step closer to leaving a lasting-legacy in our community,” said Nolte.