The Cambridge Fire Protection District's new station will be built on a donated acre of land, donated by the Winter family, off Route 82, just south of Route 81 on the east edge of town. Two additional acres of land have been donated to the district by the village.
Formed in 1974, the district is a volunteer fire and ambulance department located in Henry County. The district serves the needs of approximately 3,500 people and protects all of Cambridge Township and portions of Munson, Osco, Andover, Clover and Burns townships for a total area of 55 square miles.
In addition to protecting the lives and property of the citizens and businesses in the district, the district also protects the schools in Cambridge, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Courthouse, Jail, the Henry County Highway Department, the Henry County Animal Shelter, the Henry County Fairgrounds and Munson Cemetery Prairie Preserve.
The department also protects an interstate natural gas pipeline and substation as well as the telephone company, public and sewer systems for Cambridge.
“I want everyone to understand that $1.5 million is the maximum that we would spend,” stated Ed Dole, Cambridge Fire Chief. “That doesn’t mean that the fire district will spend that amount. If we can build a station for less, property owners will sell a savings. I assure you that the fire district will build this as economically as possible.”
The district has been working on the project for some time and are actively applying for grants to help with this project. To date, the district has obtained the land for the facility, $300,000 in infrastructure improvements and $10,000 for construction costs.
The district has also submitted to the State of Illinois for consideration as an economic stimulus project.
“If we get grant money or stimulus money, the property taxes would be abated,” stated Dave Anderson, a member of the board of trustees. “The board would use the money to repay the bond issue.”
Why does the district need a new place?
The current station shares space with the Cambridge Ambulance Service in a 4,500 square foot building. The building needs news doors, windows and roof. When the building was purchased in 1974, the department had three trucks. The department now stores seven trucks and two ambulance units in the same space.
“The area is is limited the firefighters must put their gear on between trucks, causing a serious safety issue for the volunteers,” stated Dole. “The engines must be parked bumper to bumper behind two doors, causing delays in response time. If the first engine to leave has any mechanical problems the other trucks are blocked inside the building.”
The building does not have showers or eye-wash stations for the volunteers. When they return from a hazardous material call, a fire or an accident scene they have no way to clean up before they return home to their families.
“They (the state) would like firefighters to shower after being at a fire, to reduce the risk of taking home hazardous chemicals to their families,” Dole stated.
Other issues involve handicap accessibility and privacy issues. There are no secure rooms to house the confidential medical and fire records so the public is discouraged from using the facility. Due to the location of the station, there is no room to expand the current building.
“We have looked at other vacant buildings in the district and none of them are suitable or are large enough,” stated Dole. “For example, the old Hutchcraft building. The building isn’t big enough and the building needs new windows, and the walls would need to be insulated. A kitchen, handicapped restrooms and showers would also have to be added. The building also needs a new roof, heating system and the walls are not in good shape.”
The new building will have area for all of the fire apparatus and ambulances with separate doors for each vehicle. A separate area will be for fire gear.
“At our current location, some firefighters have to wait to get their gear because there is not room for everyone, causing delays,” stated Dole. “If there is ever an emergency in the apparatus bay, there is not a clear path to an exit door making it possible for someone to get trapped in the building.”
The district has 26 volunteer firemen, 14 emergency response volunteers and three student emergency medical technicians.
“To help supplement the district’s equipment fund, volunteers raise money by fundraising activities such as their annual pancake breakfast, firemen’s ball and cookbook sales,” stated Dole “Do you know that the district has only purchased two new trucks, all of the other trucks have been purchased through grants and fundraising activities.”
The new station would also be equipment with a community room which could be used by the public and as a warming or cooling center in case of a power outage.
The estimated bond and interest rate is 45 cents per $100 equalized assessed valuation of a homeowners property. If a home is valued at $100,000, homeowners would see an annual increase of $149.75. Taxes would be lower for those who qualify for the home owner occupied exemption or senior citizens exemption.
For rural landowners, the annual tax increase will be $53.96 per 100 acres in Cambridge Township and $63.86 per 100 acres in Andover Township.
“This figure has been revised since an earlier article appeared,” stated Anderson. “Someone brought the figure to our attention which was supplied to us from First Midstate Inc. and after further checking, the figures were incorrect and now they are correct.”
Bonds would be retired after 19 years.
