MIDWAY — There will be protection for the vehicles and personnel who provide fire protection for Midway.
Midway officials and the city’s fire department cut the ribbon on the refurbished station Saturday, following the installation of the rollup doors that completed the process.
“It’s been a long road,” said Midway Mayor Levern Clancy Jr., “and I’m grateful.”
The city’s fire department, which had its certification suspended for nearly four months earlier this year, now has a home for its engine and its ladder truck, and space for its firefighters.
“You need a fire station in your district,” Midway Fire Chief Craig Reynolds said. “You need to provide the best fire protection for your community. I am amazed. I am so happy for our community. I’m so happy for our fire fighters. I’m so happy for the community around us.”
Reynolds said the department is on the scene of a daytime call within four minutes 97% of the time. After 6 p.m., Midway fire fighters are on the scene within four minutes 93% of the time.
“Minutes matter. It makes the difference between life and death,” he said. “We provide the best fire protection possible and we are delivering on that promise.”
Among the improvements to the station are a dayroom, a kitchen, two bedrooms that can accommodate four firefighters, two bathrooms and a shower. The Midway department’s roster includes six full-time firefighters and six part-time firefighters.
RL Construction Group completed the renovations at a price of approximately $357,000.
“Words can’t even describe how bad it was,” Reynolds said of the station. “But it wasn’t as bad as they thought it was. We were able to save it.”
When the Georgia Fire Standards and Training Council suspended the city’s certification, its two trucks were older vehicles that actually were owned by Liberty County.
It now has an engine and a ladder truck — which is undergoing service — and has a pumper/ tanker on order that should be on hand in February. The current engine holds 1,000 gallons of water, and the incoming pumper/tanker holds 1,750 gallons.
“For structure fires, grass fires, whatever you call us for, we’ll be there with the right equipment and manpower,” Chief Reynolds said.
Mayor pro tem Dr. Clemontine Washington expressed her joy at the prospect of Midway’s staffed and operational department.
“We did it. We were told it would take time and a whole lot of money to get the Midway Fire Department up and running again. But guess what? We did it and we did it in less than three months. Thank you for putting your trust in us to restore the Midway Fire Department.
“I say it’s a miracle,” she added. “I am just so excited that I was able to be a part of this, to see this rise up from the ashes.”