South Central Fire District Assistant Fire Chief Shawn McKelvey, left, Capt. Greg Shetler, firefighter Jason Hochstetler and Chief Josh Martell stand in front of the district’s new $3.2 million, 17,000-square-foot building.Aaron Dorksen
South Central Fire District will hold a grand opening May 9 for its new $3.2 million, 17,000-square-foot fire station in Fredericksburg.
The fire department is located at 160 W. Clay St. on the site where Fredericksburg Elementary was in session from 1891-2024.
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“Moving into our new building is a significant milestone for the South Central Fire District,” Fire Chief Josh Martell said. “It also provides a great opportunity for the village to relocate their council chambers into our previous facility. Few firefighters or chiefs have had the opportunity to be involved in the construction of a new station, and we are proud to have been part of this process. This transition represents a positive step forward for both our department and the community.”
The grand opening will start at 9 a.m. There will be a station dedication, flag raising, and speeches from state and local officials and the fundraising committee. Station tours will follow.
The project was totally funded through community donations.
An overhead view from the mezzanine level shows the ample space of the apparatus bay of the new 17,000-square-foot South Central Fire District building. In the old building, firefighters had to dress right next to the trucks, and it was so cramped they could barely fit between some of the vehicles.Aaron Dorksen
“To be able to have this facility in this community with zero tax dollars being used is tremendous,” Martell said. “It is fantastic to come down, put in our time here in a brand-new facility that is clean and we know is safe.”
The previous fire station in Fredericksburg was located at 288 N. Mill St. from 1970-2025. During that time a great deal changed in fire and EMS services, as well as an increase in the number of calls the South Central Fire District got.
It was time for a bigger, modern fire station. Martell and the fundraising committee knew a “show and tell” presentation would be needed to convince potential donors.
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“Our fundraising committee offered for the business owners to come down to the old station,” Martell said. “We brought them in so they could see what we were dealing with. We had told them that we didn't have a lot of space, but we wanted them to see firsthand what we were working with.”
The Mill Street location was so cramped firefighters had to get dressed just a few feet away from a truck leaving for a fire call.
The business owners observed it was hard to walk between certain trucks because they were almost bumper to bumper.
They also saw there was hardly any buffer area between firefighters coming back from a fire call with carcinogens on their uniforms and where the gear was stored and the offices were located.
“That was really impactful for everyone to see,” Martell said. “We had some questions at a previous meeting, and some people had said the old building looked good. After the tour everyone agreed we needed a new fire station.”
Fire gear is stored and ready for use in the new South Central Fire District building.Aaron Dorksen
The building committee was made up of Martell, Assistant Fire Chief Shawn McKelvey, Capt. Greg Shetler, firefighter Jason Hochstetler, and local businessmen Ivan Schlabach, Wes Miller and Wayne Hochstetler.
Ivan Weaver Construction was the general contractor.
The fundraising committee of Jonas M. Yoder, Nelson Miller, Willis Schlabach, Lamar Hochstetler, Raymond J. Yoder, Ken Troyer and Rustyn Shetler raised more than $2.7 million. Approximately $527,000 in donated materials and labor put the project over the top.
“It was 100% community-driven, community paid for,” Martell said. “There was zero tax dollars, zero levies needed. That’s just incredible.”
Highlights of the new fire station include separate areas for office and meeting rooms, truck bays, equipment and gear storage, and shower and laundry areas.
“We have our hot zone for guys coming back from a call separate from other areas,” Martell said. “We're not exposing the rest of the station to all those carcinogens.”
The new fire station is much more efficient at protecting citizens, as well as the firefighters and their families.
“My job is to make sure that everybody goes home safe, and this is an additional step to make sure that happens,” Martell said. “Our firefighters are not taking whatever we’re exposed to on a scene home with them.
“The station is laid out in a way that’s much safer and more efficient. Most of our department is made up of volunteers coming in from home. They can get into the station and access their fire gear more quickly, get into the trucks faster and serve the community, which is why we're here.”
Martell and McKelvey, both Waynedale graduates, are proud to serve the community.
“This is a big achievement,” said McKelvey, whose older brother Matt McKelvey is a captain. Their dad, Kelly McKelvey, is a retired assistant chief. “The community is excited just as much as we are. The community’s support for the fire department dates back to the 1950s and earlier. Our department and the community have always shared a strong, collaborative relationship, and we are committed to carrying that tradition forward to serve this generation and future generations.”
The South Central Fire District has 24 members, with all but one serving in volunteer roles. Twenty-two of them are cross-trained as EMTs, with EMS making up about 80% of calls.
Villages and townships served by the South Central Fire District are Fredericksburg, Salt Creek and Franklin.
