Three decades after its last remodel, the Seven Hills fire station is about to get a much-needed upgrade. The project is being funded using $500,000 awarded from the State of Ohio’s One Time Strategic Community Investment program. This is a no-match grant used specifically for fire station renovations.
Mayor Anthony D. Biasiotta said the work planned for contractor Millstone Management Group includes roof repairs and new sleeping quarters. “Absolutely, you want to maintain your roof to prevent larger repairs down the road,” he said. “Also, the sleeping quarters are improvised. We had all of our firefighters sleeping in a room that was built as storage. It really wasn’t ideal for restful sleep. And on top of that, all the firefighters shared the same room.”
“Having proper sleep quarters also prepares the department for the future when female firefighters join the force.” The mayor said the city consulted with the University Hospitals Parma Medical Center Sleep Lab regarding the design of the sleeping quarters to ensure that first responders have an environment for proper rest. The fire station improvement project includes renovating an existing meeting room to include four individually furnished 96-square-foot dorm style rooms, each with its own thermostat control.
“The project will also renovate the existing kitchen with new counters, countertops, flooring, stove exhaust fan and hood, as well as replacement of some of the aging appliances,” Biasiotta said. In addition to renovating an existing storage room into a locker room for incoming and outgoing shift changes, the apparatus bays will receive a new coat of paint.
The estimate for the aforementioned work is $380,687, with the mayor noting plans for additional funds. “We’re happy the bid came in under estimate,” he said. “We’re evaluating other improvements, one of which is replacing the original rusted power generator behind the station.” The work is expected to begin this month, with completion later this year.
Regarding the need for a fire station upgrade, Seven Hills Fire Chief Jamie Meklemburg previously told cleveland.com that the original building was designed to accommodate part-time firefighters, not an around-the-clock staff of five members 365 days a year. “We have an amazing community that gives our department so much support,” he said. “We’re doing everything in our power to find non-traditional funding opportunities to bring our fire station up to date. “I believe that one of the goals of any fire department is that their fire station is a point of pride throughout the community,” he said. “We hope to be just that to the residents of Seven Hills.”
