COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pushing the engine into a new building by hand is a tradition dating back to the days of horse-drawn fire steamers and pumpers.

What You Need To Know

  • Firefighters in Columbus opened Station 16 in North Linden with a short traditional ceremony pushing the engine into the building by hand

  • The new Station 16 replaces a previous station one mile away which served the public since 1952

  • Station 16 is much larger and includes a state of the art exhaust removal system

The City of Columbus' new, state-of-the-art Fire Station 16 on Oakland Park Avenue in North Linden opened its doors Wednesday.

Fire Prevention Bureau Assistant Chief David Walton said he holds this day close to his heart.

“I worked in this area for four years, serving North Linden and it was probably perhaps the most enjoyable period of time in my career. Just love the neighborhood, love the people, love the support of the community. And we are really looking forward to this addition to this great neighborhood,” said Walton.

The new station replaces a previous facility on Weber Road that dates back to 1952.

Station 16 is much larger, includes the latest technology, increased kitchen space, private dormitories, meeting and weight rooms.

The building also has a private EMS Public Exam room — to serve walk-in residents who are sick, injured or may have overdosed.

“We've got a room in this station now that is isolated from the rest of the station. We don't have to bring them into our kitchen or TV room. Soon as they come into the door we have a small exam room that's similar to a little Minute Clinic office,” Battalion Chief Steve Martin said.

Studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health show firefighters face a 9% increase in cancer diagnosis and a 4% increase in cancer-related deaths compared to the general population/

Martin, a 33-year veteran, said above all, Station 16 was built with firefighter's health and future retirement in mind.

“We're beginning a cultural change and the first thing we want to do is get all our fire gear that's full of soot, smoke and contaminants, shed that at the fire scene. We put that in sealed plastic bags and give that to the laundry tech,” Martin said.

Back at the station, firefighters will go through transitional locker rooms, shedding the rest of their equipment, cleaning off and changing into new uniforms.

The new station also has an exhaust removal system.

“So when we start a vehicle, the exhaust will go through that yellow tube and be exhausted outside of the building, so we're not getting the exhaust all inside the bay,” Martin said.

Martin said there are also measures in place to help protect hearing and jolts an officer may face in the middle of a night to go out on a call.

Although he knows it's an inherently dangerous occupation, Martin said what gives him hope for the future is the constant evolution of technology.

“There’s a lot of very intelligent people that are constantly working on how they can circumvent those dangers so it’s safe for us. And I will tell you, there is no more rewarding job in the world than being a firefighter,” Martin said.