West Chester, Pa – State Senator Carolyn Comitta recently announced that Berwyn Fire Company will receive an additional $500,000 in state funding for a new, state-of-the-art firehouse, bringing the total state investment that she helped secure for the project to $2 million.
“I’m thrilled that we secured additional state funding to support Berwyn Fire Company,” Comitta said. “Providing strong emergency response services is a top priority for our communities. I hope the added funds will help bring the new fire station closer to reality so that our firefighters and emergency first responders have the equipment and resources they need to continue to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The funding, awarded through the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, will support the construction and development of a new, main fire station located on the company’s existing footprint on Bridge Avenue in Berwyn.
“This is phenomenal for us. Our current building dates back to 1929, so it is a major project. Along with other funding sources and municipal funding, this gets us that much closer to having it fully funded,” said Eamon C. Brazunas, Assistant Chief of Berwyn Fire Company. “We appreciate the Senator’s support in making the project a priority. Bringing these taxpayer dollars back to the Tredyffrin area is a win for the community.”
The new station will replace the more than 90-year-old existing structure to allow firefighters and company personnel to respond faster and more safely to fire and EMS emergencies in the growing region for decades to come.
The new firehouse will feature four apparatus bays, as well as four private bedrooms, four private bathrooms, a common bedroom, and a laundry room. In addition, it will have a kitchen, fitness room, office space, radio room, emergency management coordination room, and additional storage space. It will also have clearly defined cold, warm, and hot zones to reduce carcinogen exposure.
Berwyn Fire Company is currently in the midst of a capital campaign to raise funding for the new, main fire station in Berwyn, as well as a new permanent sub-station in Tredyffrin.
Founded in 1894 the Berwyn Fire Company is a non-profit organization that provides fire suppression, rescue, EMS, and fire prevention services for the people who live, work, and travel through Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships. Its combined 70 volunteers, 10 full-time employees, and 28 part-time employees respond to more than 2,150 ambulance calls and 900 fire calls annually. In addition to emergency calls, its emergency first responders spend approximately 1,000 hours per year training to prepare for scenarios when every second counts.
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a Commonwealth reimbursement grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the state budget, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity.
For more information, visit www.berwynfireco.org or berwy