Macy is a small town with a big heart.

With a population of nearly 200 people, the Town of Macy is located within Allen Township, Miami County, and centered approximately one hour away from three surrounding cities: South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette. Allen Township is one of 14 townships in Miami County, and at the center of this rural Indiana community sits the Macy-Allen Township Volunteer Fire Department.

A blend of firefighters, EMTs, EMRs, and paramedics, the fire department consists of approximately 20 members– all dedicated volunteers. They provide 24-hour fire and emergency services for both the Town of Macy and Allen Township, encompassing 21.62 square miles. The department also responds to water rescues, grain bin accidents, and auto accidents including extrication and personal injury, and they provide all types of Basic Life Support (BLS) care. Furthermore, their average response time, over a five-year period, was an incredible three minutes.

Despite their quick response time, the volunteer fire department needed a new facility to call home. The reason for this was twofold; the fire department expanded to include emergency medical services which required additional room and equipment, and the existing facility was inadequate. The station lacked room for the required training activities, was not compliant with ADA Standards, and was quickly deteriorating.

In 2016 the Town of Macy embarked on a journey toward enhancing its firefighting capabilities, commissioning JPR to conduct a comprehensive Feasibility Study on the existing facility. Several issues were identified including rotting structural columns and inadequate storage for equipment and turn-out gear. In fact, the storage situation was so dire that personnel could not even access equipment while the fire trucks were parked inside the garage, and one truck needed to be moved to reach another.

After the in-depth analysis, it was determined that a new facility was needed. Following this decision, JPR worked alongside the Town of Macy to design a new station for the volunteer fire department.

“Macy is in the extreme northern part of Miami County, 15 miles from the county seat. It is vital to the well-being of our residents to have emergency services nearby,” said Marilyn Jackson, Town Manager of Macy. “The new station will reduce emergency response times, provide training and equipment storage space, and aid in the recruitment of volunteers.”

The new 3,360-square-foot facility features modern amenities including state-of-the-art heating and cooling system. Central to the design is the inclusion of four spacious apparatus bays which facilitate seamless ingress and egress for firetrucks – a critical enhancement that streamlines response efforts during emergencies – and standalone lockers for turn-out gear. It also houses a dedicated radio room, a versatile training space equipped to accommodate up to 32 individuals, and essential office space. Additionally, beyond its functional elements, the station can serve as a hub of activity for community events throughout the year.

“It is extremely well designed to fulfill its function as a fire station,” said Jackson. “And as a bonus, it’s beautiful!”

Although the land was donated to the fire department, the cost of construction was approximately $625,000. To move this project forward, the Town needed to obtain funding from several sources. JPR’s expertise proved instrumental in securing vital grants from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) worth $590,000 in total. The Town of Macy committed $25,000 to the project, and a grant from the Miami County Community Foundation closed the remaining gap amount.

Once the funding was secured, the project was released for bidding. This took place toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and only one bid was received – which exceeded the budget. JPR worked with the bidder to implement value engineering in the design, ensuring it remained within budget and enabling the project to proceed.

Constructed in 2023, the new fire station represents the culmination of years of planning and perseverance, embodying a paradigm shift in firefighting infrastructure for the Town of Macy. The facility meets all federal, state, and local codes and is much more efficient to operate in terms of electric, water, and gas usage.

Aside from its functionality, the fire station provides a comfortable space for the brave volunteers who keep the people of Allen Township safe.

According to Jackson, the most important characteristic for any firm should be integrity.

“Consider the situation that small rural communities are in. Small, three to five member boards of laypeople with no technical expertise embarking upon wastewater, stormwater, and building projects – totally dependent upon the firm it hires,” she said. “There are not enough adjectives to describe how wonderful JPR is to work with.”

‍