It’s been a little over a year since the Ainsworth Fire Department moved into its new firehouse and they’re still waiting to show it off in proper fashion.

Ainsworth Fire Chief Waylon Schultz says due to the pandemic they have yet to host an official open house for the general public to view the facilities which have enhanced their firefighting functionality, “It’s way easier to get trucks in and out before and after fires, there’s more room to do training, we have better equipment to wash our gear we didn’t have room for in the old station, we have a drying rack to dry items more efficiently. If we have fires in the winter time we can wash our hoses inside now and get those nice and clean. Before that it was a struggle in the small old building, we didn’t have space to do those kinds of things.”

Schultz says firefighters can also utilize the new station’s bigger exercise workout area. The firehouse was built for about $460,000 which was aided by a $330,000 Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant. He says they’re hopeful to have an open house this fall, but in the meantime, they will give individual tours for those who stop in.