Tribune editorial staff

For 16 months, Ironton firefighters had to get by with less-than-desirable accommodations.

Since December 2002, a 12-by-60-foot trailer on the Second Street side of the municipal garage served as their home. This is where they lived, slept and ate during their 24-hour shifts

On Monday, the firefighters - and the Ironton community - were rewarded for their patience. Members of the Ironton Fire Department finally moved into the new fire station, located on the corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets. The new building is at the same location as the former station that was nearly 100 years old.

The 10,600 square foot, one-story building will be able to accommodate up to 30 firefighters and will be able to keep all four fire trucks and all of the other equipment and trailers under one roof.

However, for Chief Tom Runyon and the rest of the 16-man department, the new station is about far more than appearances - it was designed to improve

the department's ability to fight fires and save lives.

The three-story training tower and other training features in the facility will definitely assure the city that an already adept fire force will be even better at fighting fires. Having quicker access to the equipment will also cut response time down, which can make a world of difference when dealing with a fire.

We would like to congratulate the City of Ironton and the Ironton Fire Department for this milestone and thank the firefighters for continuing to serve the city to the best of their abilities while having to deal with woeful living conditions. Your patience has paid off.

We would also like to thank city leaders - present and past - who pushed for a new fire station, realizing the former facility had outlived its usefulness. Ironton now has a fire station of which we can all be proud and one that will be the envy of many other communities.

The City of Ironton is fortunate to have such a dedicated group of individuals serving on the fire department. Saying "thanks" is not enough, but making sure they have proper facilities and equipment shows that we truly care.