MISSION
MODERNIZATION
Our mission to protect and serve the Chagrin Valley community relies on safety and speed, and we’re taking steps to improve both.
JOIN
OUR MISSION
We’re nearly halfway to our one-million-dollar goal.
DENIM &
DIAMONDS GALA
Save the date: Saturday, June 12, 2021 at White North Stables in Hunting Valley
When
seconds count
Our planned update will shave about 30 seconds off our response time.
And in the case of a fire, a few seconds can change everything.
30
SECONDS
Flames can
double in size
5
MINUTES
A home can be
engulfed in flames
6
MINUTES
Time a person can
go without oxygen
When seconds count, it’s vital that our station meets the needs of our first responders. We haven’t renovated in over 18 years, and had we built the firehouse today, we’d be out of compliance. Help us raise money for these mission-critical modernizations:
CARCINOGEN
MITIGATION
IMPROVEMENTS
When we go to work, we often bring dangerous carcinogens on our clothes back to the place in which we live. Although we do as much as we can to diminish the risk of exposure to cancer-causing toxins, our firehouse has physical limitations that prevent us from having a completely safe environment.
ACCOMMODATIONS
FOR FEMALE
FIREFIGHTERS
We currently have four female firefighters on staff, and a growing number of female applicants. When the station was last renovated 18 years ago, accommodations for women weren’t taken into consideration. We need to build designated showers and locker rooms for our female firefighters.
REDESIGNED
ACCESS TO
APPARATUS BAYS
When the station was originally built, there was no need for quick access to the apparatus bays because all firefighters were volunteers reporting to calls from home—no one slept at the station. Today, the area serves as our dormitory space, and creating a new, direct pathway to the apparatus bays is critical to our response time.
We’ve been fighting fires in the Chagrin Valley area since 1897. Today we’re led by Fire Chief Frank Zugan, serving Bentleyville, Chagrin Falls, Chagrin Falls Township, Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills and South Russell communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my donation tax deductible?
The Chagrin Valley Fire Department is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contribution is fully tax deductible.
Have you sought other funding sources?
We applied and received a federal grant for $74,000, which was used to install a diesel particulate removal system in the fire station to reduce cancer risk to our firefighters. A generous Chagrin Falls Township resident provided funds to build the Safety Forces Wellness Center adjacent to the fire station.
Isn’t the fire department operated by the village government?
No. The villages of South Russell, Moreland Hills, Hunting Valley, Bentleyville, and Chagrin Falls Township contract with the Chagrin Valley Fire Department to provide Fire Protection and EMS services to their communities. The Village of Chagrin Falls contracts only for EMS services.
Why is this needed now?
The need for staffing of the Fire Department has grown with greater call volumes each year. We have outgrown our current space with only two 10 x 10 bedrooms for the four firefighters on duty 24 hours per day. This also creates challenges for the female firefighters on the crew. These renovations will also add two bedrooms, a new kitchen, showers, bathrooms, storage, and locker space. Our updated classroom space will be used for community CPR classes, child fire safety education, EMS training and daily meetings.
Why do we need your support?
Your Fire Protection and EMS services are funded through your respective communities via 3 year contracts with the Chagrin Valley Fire Department. The funding we receive from the communities pays for on duty Fire and EMS personnel, maintenance and the purchasing of emergency vehicles. This type of funding system has allowed your per capita cost to remain the lowest in the Valley. What the funding doesn’t cover is large bricks and mortar capital projects. Instead of increasing contract costs to pay for this type of project we feel it would be better funded through community support with a onetime tax deductible donation.