MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Fire Station 31 returned to service Tuesday morning for the first time since 2017.
The firehouse at South 8th Street and West Hayes Avenue had closed due to budget cuts.
New city funding allowed the station to reopen. Milwaukee Fire and city leaders plan to hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies Wednesday to celebrate the milestone. Additionally, the city will commission a new paramedic unit at Fire Station 28 near North 30th Street and West St. Paul Avenue.
Battalion Chief Dan Rode began his career with MFD at Station 31 more than two decades ago.
"Anytime you add a new resource or new resources to your community what it's going to do is greatly increase the odds of survivability whether it’s for a structure fire whether it’s a medical call whether it’s a car accident," Rode explained. " Having this asset here in this community is going to greatly impact the life and quality that the neighbors have."
Watch: Milwaukee Fire Station 31 returns to service on city's south side
Rode told TMJ4 that he was devastated when the station closed. The neighborhood has some of the city’s oldest housing, and those structures, built in close proximity to each other, create an environment where fires can spread quickly.
"The sooner we can get our resources to the scene, the sooner we can get water on the fire. We can quickly mitigate that situation and get the fire out," Battalion Chief Rode explained.
In 2024, a fire spread to three homes about a block away from the then-shuttered station.
Neighbor Joanna Hernandez remembers that devastating fire. As a mother, she believes the station's return offers a sense of security.
"It was a big relief because we have the building and everything, and that would just be faster access," Hernandez told TMJ4.
The increased access includes a paramedic unit that Lieutenant Gabriel Cambronero works on.
The reopening of Station 31 is personal to him. Lt. Cambronero wanted to work at this location since he joined MFD more than 12 years ago.
"It's a big deal. I'm from this neighborhood. It's a Latino neighborhood. I'm Puerto Rican, so it's really good to have people like me working in the neighborhood," Lt. Cambronero said.
Firefighters and residents who spoke with TMJ4 say this second chance will make a difference.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
