Rumford Select Board chair Chris Brennick (center) hands over the keys to the new Rumford fire station to chief Chris Reed on Oct. 22 as Select Board vice chair Frank DiConzo looks on. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

The parade of fire department vehicles from the Central Station on Congress Street ended with equipment filling the five bays of the new department on Falmouth Street. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

RUMFORD — Late in the afternoon on Oct. 22, a parade of fire department vehicles sounded their sirens as they formally moved into the new fire station on Falmouth Street.

After the trucks filled the five open bays, a crowd gathered around the parking lot, facing the firefighters inside the station.

Following a prayer from Fr. Aaron Damboise, pastor of the Parish of the Holy Savior, to bless the new fire station, Rumford Select Board chair Chris Brennick spoke.

“This is certainly a good day for our community and the town of Rumford. For the last hundred years, our fire station has been located on the Island of Congress Street. As of this moment, we are officially opening the new fire station here in Rumford.”

As the applause began, he continued, “So I’d like to hand over the keys to our fire Chief Chris Reed. Congratulations!”

Reed responded, “Well, anybody want a tour? Thought you might.”

The fire department noted on their Facebook page:

It was a bittersweet day as we made the transition from the old station to the new! The old station located at 151 Congress Street opened in 1925 and was built to house horses that would haul their equipment.

Through the years, equipment got larger/heavier requiring the bay floor to be reinforced to hold the weight. That was a temporary solution as trucks continued to grow, cracks began to form throughout the building and the Ladder truck had to be stored across the street in the ‘temporary ladder building.’

Many attempts were made through the years to get the town’s support to build a new fire station but was unsuccessful until 2022. Much like any large project, there were many bumps in the road including the aftermath COVID left, but we made it!

We walked the empty halls and rooms one last time. We left behind the bay where many tailboard talks took place. We left behind a dispatch that once had to be manned to dispatch our own calls. We left behind a station that has seen blood, sweat, and tears after tough calls and the passing of friends.

Now here we are, October 22, 2024, we made our final voyage from the old station to the new, sharing this historical moment loud and proud! All of our fleet is now under one roof and the crews are settling in.

We’d like to thank everyone who made this possible. Now it’s time for these walls to create new stories!
Reed said a ribbon cutting and formal dedication will be held sometime after the November referendum when politicians who helped make this possible will be available.

Select board members Jim Theriault (left) and Frank DiConzo listen as Fire Chief Chris Reed (right) shows a group around the new fire station in Rumford. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times