A regional fire training facility has opened in Greenville, giving Darke County firefighters a closer location to practice for emergencies. According to My County Link, the project combined a $750,000 state grant through Ohio's One-Time Strategic Community Investment Grant program with donations and cooperation among area fire departments, which number 21 in the Darke County Association of Fire Chiefs.
Greenville Fire Chief Russell Thompson said the building itself cost roughly $850,000, with concrete and other infrastructure pushing the overall figure toward $1 million. The site sits on city-owned property under a 30-year lease, and Thompson said fundraising started in 2023.
Thompson credited state Rep. Angie King, whose 84th House District covers the area, with helping connect the association to state legislators. King described the project as an investment in first responders' safety. State Rep. Phil Plummer, of District 39, pointed to his 30 years in law enforcement and his father's 36-year career as a Dayton firefighter.
Rossburg Fire Chief Rob Widener said the nearest comparable training towers are in Springfield, Lima and Dayton, trips that can take an hour or more. Local companies and villages contributed materials and construction equipment, he said.
The ceremony also honored Kurt Troutwine of the Arcanum Fire Department and Brian Pearson of the Versailles Fire Department, original committee members who died before the facility was finished. Thompson said training can be scheduled once the association approves its constitution and tower regulations at a Monday meeting.