Boyle County Fire Department’s newest station, Station 9, is officially in operation. Station 9 is located at 343 Walter Reed Road and serves the northeast end of Boyle County.

“It was made possible through the Boyle County Fiscal Court and Boyle Fire Board,” said BCFD Public Information Officer Ben Thompson. “The fiscal court was able to give us an economic development grant and the fire board pitched in money as well. The land was donated by the Kentucky State Prison System.”

Residents near the station will see lowered insurance rates and faster response times to calls. The station is unmanned with firefighters on call. However, the station does have the capability to be manned continuously during emergencies. Thompson said that there are plans to build more unmanned stations in the county.

“We have a couple locations throughout the county that are gray areas, this was one of them,” Thompson said. “This was previously covered by Station 1 and Station 7. They were meeting in the middle to cover this area. It has vastly increased our response times for areas like this.”

The station operates two trucks, a fire engine, and a utility truck.

“All of the stations operate an engine and at this station, we have a utility truck,” Thompson said. “It can be used for car wrecks and other emergencies and not just field fires like they are typically used for. They were already owned by the fire department, so we just needed the building.”

The station has a street number of 343, a very important number in the firefighter community. It is the number of firefighters who lost their lives during 9/11. The idea to change the station’s address was started by its crew and Boyle County Sheriff Deputy Sam Butler. Danville-Boyle County Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Caldwell ensured the address change happened.

“It was a way of honoring fallen firefighters without anyone knowing, but firefighters who see that sign know,” said BCFD Chief Donnie Sexton. “It was just an incredible thing to do. It shows the kindness among emergency responders.”