A day that has been more than two years in the making is finally here for the Ainsworth Fire Department. Fire Chief Waylon Schultz tells KCII News that the department is hosting an open house event tomorrow to show the new building to the public and celebrate National Fire Prevention Week. Schultz shares information about the amenities in the new building and how it allows the department to better serve the public. “It’s way easier getting the trucks in and out before and after calls. There is more room to do training, better equipment to wash gear, a drying rack. We can clean equipment inside now in the winter, where we didn’t have space to do that before.” 

This weekend’s open house is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. and includes tours, refreshments, giveaways and fire prevention activities for kids. Construction on the new facility began in late September of 2019, with demolition of the previous building in October of that same year. The new station officially began operation in February of 2020. Total cost for the new building was $460,000, of which $330,000 was funded by a Washington County Riverboat grant awarded in May of 2019.