Loves Park approves third district fire station on city’s east side

LOVES PARK, Ill. (WIFR) - In 2021, the Loves Park Fire Department responded to 1,211 calls in one area of the city alone. All while without a fire station. Luckily, that will soon change.

On Monday night, the city board approved the $1.5 million deal for a third fire station on Loves Park’s east side, located on Rock Valley Parkway to significantly decrease the response time to emergency calls in this area.

“Obviously we’re pretty happy,” says Loves Park Fire Chief Jerry Wiltfang. “This is going to allow us to provide faster service for ems and fire out to the eastern part of our city to those businesses and homes.”

The district’s first station, which has been in Loves Park since 1947, is located at 400 Grand Ave. Their second station is at 1527 Windsor Rd. Once the third station opens, the station on Grand Ave. will be turned into public works storage. Officials say this is because of the census count in this part of the city and the building can’t hold the current emergency vehicles.

The approval of a third fire station for one ambulance and one engine is good news for several area businesses, including Dolphin Swim Club, the first building established in the area 25 years ago.

“If you don’t have that public safety, you’re not going to have residents that are going to want to come to the city. You’re not going to have businesses that are going to want that want to come to the city and chances are your schools are going to struggle,” says Mayor Greg Jury.

Chief Wiltfang says according to the Insurance Services Office, a new station could lead to a decrease in premium costs, such as a few $100 dollars for residents.

The new station should be closed on within the next month, followed by another month of moving equipment and vehicles into the new space. The third station should be available to respond to calls by May 2022.