Towanda Fire Department pushes for new fire station

TOWANDA, Kan. (KSNW) — A push to get a new fire station for Towanda has led Butler County to take over the volunteer department.

Towanda’s Fire Chief Tom Pyle said they already struggle with similar issues in other volunteer-run departments. Those areas include staffing, response times, and old equipment .

Chief Pyle said the fire station is nearly 50 years old, is cramped , and does not allow them to provide the best service they can to the public. He hopes the change to be governed by the county, will address that concern.

“It’s a challenge, it’s really a challenge,” Pyle said.

Chief Pyle said their current fire station has no locker room and narrow access between fire trucks, which creates difficulties in responding to calls in a timely manner.

“The requirements for a volunteer just keep going up and up and up, and we find ourselves constrained by this 50-year-old building. If you have two firefighters moving in opposite directions, even in one direction, trying to carry their gear, it’s just a pain in the rear,” he said.

Towanda City Administrator Andy Newbrey said having the department governed by the city and township of Towanda, makes it a challenge to go after funding for such a move. He believes the county’s oversight will create the opportunity for a new fire station.

“By putting it with the county, now they have the ability to issue bonds if we need a new fire station. it makes that structure much more doable,” said Newbrey.

Towanda’s Mayor Jennifer Shaults said the move also establishes a five-member fire board. She added that the city is overwhelmed with infrastructure issues and believes the county will better assist the fire department.

“We want to give them adequate attention and a fire board that’s specifically ready to focus on that problem,” said Shaults.

The fire department will become District 11 of Butler County on the first of the new year in 2025. They have no timeline to create a new building in Towanda.

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