The Churchville Volunteer Fire and Rescue department needs more space for larger fire engines and equipment. After being approved for a $2 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Virginia Rural Development on Wednesday, the department will be able to make much-needed improvements.
The funding will be used to add on to the existing station, allowing them to build a 7,000-square-foot addition that will have bays to house larger vehicles and a second floor that will be accessible by two stairwells and an elevator, according to the USDA press release.
"We've been limited to what apparatus we buy based on the size of our building," Craig Williams, president of the Churchville Volunteer Fire and Rescue, said.
The release said the second floor will provide the station with room for bunks, showers, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen space, an exercise room, a lounge and more. According to Williams, the plans are only preliminary. To cut down on costs, the station might build a one-story building or build a two-story building and leave the second floor as an empty shell until they can find additional funding.