GODFREY - It was a beautiful day for the community members who gathered at the new Godfrey Fire Protection District (GFPD) firehouse for an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Attendees could tour the new firehouse, located at 3023 Godfrey Road. Asher “The Smash” Benrubi emceed the morning, and speakers included State Representative Amy Elik, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick, Chief Eric Cranmer and GFPD Board of Trustees President Gerard Fischer.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“We all want to live in safe communities, obviously, and we all want to support our first responders who keep us safe,” Elik said. “So this is clear today that the citizens and elected officials of Godfrey support our firefighters with this beautiful building. The community itself supported this building as well by voting for the referendum to make sure that this came to pass today. I'm honored to be a part of today.”
Mayor McCormick joked that the referendum got more votes than he did in the last election. He thanked the Godfrey Board of Trustees for supporting this project, and he added that the new firehouse is a “beautiful product.”
The new fire station includes five bedrooms, a kitchen and kitchenette, a conference room, a training room, a living space, a reports room and more. The Godfrey Fire Protection District previously operated out of two stations at 6011 Godfrey Road and 1712 West Delmar. This new station has brought all the firefighters under one roof.
Chief Eric Cranmer noted that the new fire station is “quite a change” from the previous two buildings. He thanked the citizens of Godfrey and the contractors who made this possible, including construction manager S.M. Wilson & Co., Northstar Managment and FGM Architects.
Fischer thanked the firefighters and first responders who keep the community safe. He noted that the fire station is a “testament” to Godfrey’s commitment to keep its citizens safe “now and for generations to come.”
“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of our beloved village: the grand opening of the state-of-the-art firehouse,” Fischer said. “It's with great pride and immense joy that we gather here this morning to celebrate this incredible achievement…This is really a true testament to the dedication and hard work of Chief Eric Cranmer, our firefighters, their spouses, and all the former firefighters who have tirelessly served our community.”
For more information about the Godfrey Fire Protection District, visit GodfreyFire.com.
More like this: