Akron’s newest fire station is a state-of-the-art facility in Wallhaven designed with the safety of Akron Fire Department residents and personnel in mind, city officials said Wednesday as they celebrated its completion.

Fire station no. 12 on South Hawkins Avenue, the city’s first new station in seven years, replaces a decades-old station on West Market Street.

“Station 12 is more than just a new building,” said the Akron Fire Department chief Leon Henderson. “It’s a testament to our commitment to safety and innovation. This facility is among the most advanced fire stations in the country, embodying our think-first approach to protecting our firefighters and our community. With this new station, we are better equipped than ever to serve the citizens of Akron like never before.”

Station no. 12 houses the ladder truck that previously resided at station no. 9 on Dodge Avenue, a move that angered the firefighter union.

Henderson told the City Council’s Public Safety Committee in September that moving the ladder truck to Station No. 12 will allow the department to reach areas of northwest Akron previously uncovered by the department’s six-minute response window.

City Council President Pro Tem, Brad McKitrick, said that the units in Station no. 12 will not only operate in Ward 4, where it is located, but throughout the city as needed.

Former Fire Chief Joseph Natko — now the mayor’s assistant for emergency management — pointed out some of the new station’s amenities designed to keep department personnel safe.

Gear is a priority, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said, “between 64 percent and 68 percent of all firefighters in the country develop some type of cancer in their lifetime from carcinogens. This station is intentionally designed to reduce these cancer-causing agents in a variety of ways.”

The station includes a system that exhausts diesel fumes from the garage so staff don’t inhale them, Natko said, and decontamination machines for clothing and equipment. There are even decontamination units that look like individual saunas that department personnel can use after exposure to hazardous materials.

“Decontamination after a fire is a big problem,” Natko said. “The showers here are set up so that they can go through the steps before actually showering – decontaminating their equipment, having clean clothing waiting for them outside the main quarters, and then showering before getting ready for the next event.”

The station also includes individual sleeping quarters and a “state-of-the-art” weight room, Natko said. A full kitchen and living room with leather chaise lounges and a TV round out the unit’s amenities.

“Today is a proud day for our city,” Malik said. “We can take a step back and celebrate something our community has done together and also celebrate our firefighters who sacrifice so much.”

Ward 4 Councilwoman Jan Davis said the new station shows the city’s commitment to its first responders.

“We appreciate you, we appreciate all the hard work you do here in the city of Akron; and every one of our firefighters you are truly loved,” Davis said.

The city is hosting an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the new fire station no. 12 at 112 S. Hawkins Ave.

Residents will be able to meet fire station staff, enjoy refreshments and take guided tours of the station,

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at [email protected] or 330-541-9413

This article originally appeared on the Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Fire Station No. 12 moves into his recently completed Wallhaven home