RACHEL RAVINA/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Fire engines old and new, as well as an emergency medical service vehicle, sit parked outside the new Berlin Fire Company Station 3. The Berlin Fire Company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new fire station.

By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer

(Dec. 26, 2019) The Berlin Fire Company opened another station this year so it could provide better service to people in its fire service area, which extends far out of town.

The new station is on a two-acre piece of property on Ocean Gateway, about a mile outside town. It was unveiled on Sunday, Oct. 13.

The process to bring this station to fruition took years and was not without its drama.

The Town of Berlin and the Berlin Fire Company were frequently at odds over funding, with town officials concerned about using Berlin tax dollars to help pay for an out-of-town facility.

The fire company assured them that was not the case.

Over the course of several public financial discussions between the agency and the Town of Berlin during last year’s budget session, Councilman Troy Purnell questioned how the fire company planned to pay for the Station 3 because there was no balance sheet readily available. He then pointed to Berlin Fire Company’s cashflow statement from the prior year.

“I see $1.4 [million] in unrestricted cash and you’ve got $660,000 in re- stricted cash … it shows you’ve got $2,072,000 in the bank,” Purnell said earlier this year.

Fitzgerald clarified that they raised a portion of the funds with the help of sev- eral large donations. The agency borrowed “up to $800,000” to cover the remaining cost.

Fitzgerald expressed his gratitude to the Worcester County Commissioners, state elected officials, volunteers, and donors as commemorative plaques were unveiled during the ceremony in October.

“We can’t be a volunteer fire service without community support,” Fitzgerald said.

Although the new fire station is outside of town, Fitzgerald stressed that the volunteers work to serve and protect the entire community. Local dignitaries, like State Del. Wayne Hartman (R-38C), agreed.

“People’s lives are counting on all of you so I want to thank all of you for your work,” Hartman said.