Darien-Woodridge Fire Station 88 to Close if Plan Approved; Residents Feel Slighted

WOODRIDGE, IL — Fire officials think a proposal to combine the Darien-Woodridge and Lisle-Woodridge fire services would benefit the community, but residents near the border Downers Grove are not so sure. As part of the proposed plan, their local fire house, Darien-Woodridge Fire Station 88 would close.

Fire Station 88, located at the 5900 block of Belmont, would close May 1 and remain closed until December of 2018 as fire officials integrate both systems to coordinate service through seven remaining firehouses, Daily Herald reported. This allows both the Darien-Woodridge and Lisle-Woodridge fire stations to combine resources that include fire trucks, ambulances and emergency response personnel.

For community members in the Darien-Woodridge area who live near Downers Grove, an approval would mean that their new fire station would be two miles away. Fire board members don’t see a problem with that, given the increased service of combining the fire departments, but residents feel shortchanged and overlooked. “ This is happening and we have absolutely no say about it,” Jim Gracey, a resident told Daily Herald.

The proposal that would combine the Lisle-Woodridge and Darien-Woodridge fire departments was unanimously approved by the Darien-Woodridge fire board, according to Daily Herald. The measure still has to pass the Lisle-Woodridge fire board’s vote Tuesday.

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>>Image credit: Darien-Woodridge Fire Department