New Addition For Welsford Fire Department

Members of the Welsford Volunteer Fire Department will soon have a much bigger space to work in.

The department is in the process of adding a much-needed addition to its building on Eagle Rock Road.

Chief David MacCready said the department’s mandate has grown over the years from simply fire suppression calls and motor vehicle collisions to off-road rescue incidents.

“Now we’re dealing with water, ice and other off-road stuff such as rope rescue,” said MacCready. “We’re currently parking four trucks and a boat in a three-bay garage.”

The project has been talked about for a couple of years, said MacCready. Crews officially broke ground on the new addition in late 2020.

Phase one, which involved the foundation for the addition, is now complete. Phase two is expected to begin this winter and spring.

“We’ve assessed it’s going to be about three to four phases, which essentially means three to four years,” said MacCready. “We’re hoping runs smoothly and on time as it currently is.”

Besides more space for their equipment, MacCready said he also took the mental health of his members into consideration.

The new addition will include a small gym and a debriefing room to help firefighters defuse after difficult calls.

“This is going to be a huge morale booster for the team,” said MacCready. “At Welsford, we see our fair share of gruesome incidents. Highway 7 is a bad highway.”

MacCready said the money for the project is earmarked in their existing budget, which means no extra costs for area residents.