Shanklin Thanks First Responders

Shanklin Heating, Air Conditioning, & Electric has been a part of the community for more than 60 years. We’re proud to be able to help you and your family stay safe and comfortable in your home. We know we’re not the only ones you depend on – your local first responders are also an important part of keeping the community safe and healthy. Throughout Wayne and Stark counties, police officers, EMS technicians, and firefighters are hard at work for our well-being.

That’s why we’ve started a monthly lunch program to show our thanks to our area’s first responders. In January, we brought lunch to the Erie Valley Fire & Rescue team, which serves Bethlehem Township and the Village of Navarre. Chief Rick Annen gave us a tour of the department’s brand-new facility and told us a bit about daily operations. We came away impressed and thankful for the department’s service.

Here’s what we learned:

• Erie Valley Fire & Rescue was named the 2020 Ohio Fire Department of the Year.
• Since its founding in 2016, the department has seen a 42% increase in call volume. At the same time, it’s decreased its average response time, dropping from 13-17 minutes to just three minutes. Amazing!
• In 2020, the department increased staffing levels of EMS and fire personnel; they’re now available seven days a week.
• The department has 10 vehicles, ranging from an ATV used for brush fires to a fire truck that can pump 1,000 gallons of water per minute.

We are so honored to have this important, life-saving department in our neck of the woods. Thank you, Erie Valley Fire & Rescue! We look forward to meeting other first responders in our area in future months.