MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Township officials have decided to repurpose the Service Center located off Okemos Road as a temporary fire station to service emergency needs to residents in a centrally located location as a result of the Central Fire Station closure.

The Central Fire Station built in 1957 located on Clinton Street ceased operations last week due to the worsening deterioration of the building leading to health and safety concerns for personnel and equipment damage concerns.

Emergency vehicles, apparatus, and staff are temporarily being stationed at the North and South fire station locations. The rest of the equipment will be moved out of the Central Fire Station this week and an alerting system will be in place to take calls at the Service Center. The cost is minimal to build temporary walls to use the Service Center as a temporary fire station. One ambulance and one fire engine will be located inside the building for use.

The temporary fire station will stay open until a new facility can be built.

“It was imperative and of upmost importance that emergency response times remain the same and this
temporary location will allow us to do that,” said Fred Cowper, Meridian Township EMS/Fire Chief. “This location is suitable for us to operate and we’ll work together on this to protect the community.”