The City of Frankfort Fire Department and City Leadership held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fire Station 4, a vital project aimed at enhancing public safety and emergency response capabilities for the Frankfort community.
The ceremony took place Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 10:30 AM at the south corner of State Road 28 W & 600 W.
Frankfort Fire Chief Matt Stidham welcomed a gathering of at least 125 Frankfort and Clinton County citizens, fire fighters, community leaders, construction executives and state officials and elected representatives. Stidham pointed out this is the first gathering of its kind since 1968 when the Main Fire Station on Walnut and Clay Street was built. Fire station number 2 was built in 1927 and fire station number three was built in 1939. Stidham pointed out that all three facilities are currently being used in Frankfort. The planning committee has been working on this project for a “year and a half”, according to Stidham.
The new facility represents a significant investment in the safety and well-being of Frankfort residents, providing a state-of-the-art station for firefighters and improved response times to emergencies in the western part of Frankfort.
Mayor Sheets said the project was not easy in part because of the changes that occurred along the way to today’s groundbreaking. All existing stations will continue to serve the Frankfort area in addition to this new addition, Sheets said.
Leo Gonzalez then a offered prayer of thanks as part of the ceremony.
Rich Taylor, V.P. of Business Development for Envoy thanked the city and community for the opportunity to build the project and noted that the innovative Build, Operate, Transfer delivery method will be used for this project, insulating the City and Taxpayers from any cost overruns that may have otherwise occurred.
Taylor also said that as a thank you for doing the project, Frankfort will be receiving a $10,000 “Safe Haven Baby Box”. This is a “Baby Box” placed somewhere in Frankfort where people will be able to drop off newborns they don’t want with no repercussions. The babies will then be processed and put up for adoption.
Indiana State Fire Marshal Stephen Jones noted the fire station in the next 100 years will not only save lives, but even have possible positive impact on families by preventing divorce that so often occurs after such a family death. Economic development opportunities will also be a result of this station 4 addition to Frankfort, according to Jones.
Chief Stidham specifically thanked Mayor Sheets, the Board of Works, the Frankfort City Council, Deputy Chief Josh Uitts, Deputy Chief Jamie Michaels, Lieutenant Russell Sheets, Private Zane Cook, Dylan Henady and Jeff Moore. Stidham may have had others to thank but at this point there was an audience member who fell with an apparent heat related episode. The individual seemed to recover well and remained at the ceremony.
The ground breaking comments were quickly finished and pictures were taken of the shovel ceremony with the City Council, Board of Works, the Fire Fighters.
Ground Breaking Ceremony for City Council with Leadership Team:
Ground Breaking Ceremony for Frankfort Board of Works and Leadership Team:
Ground Breaking Ceremony for Active and Retired Fire Fighters with Leadership Team:
