The Western Reserve Joint Fire District is making room at their stations for a new fire truck and ambulance, topping their list of improvements planned for 2025.

Assistant fire chief and EMS coordinator Conner O'Halloran says these additions are the culmination of a years-long effort to boost the quality of service for the community as well as conditions for the department's part-time staff.

"It's huge," O'Halloran said. "I mean, just the physical process of getting the ambulance takes upwards of two years."

The fire truck is scheduled for delivery Saturday afternoon, and the ambulance is expected to arrive at some point during the summer months.

Though the Joint Fire District already has three ambulances, O'Halloran noted that adding a fourth will help keep response times low, especially in times where calls come in at a higher volume or in situations where more than one ambulance may be needed.

"It's really imperative that we plan for the future," he said.

Part of that plan includes updating heart monitoring equipment for each of the four ambulances - a purchase set to be made by the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in partnership with Canfield and Springfield to shave off a fraction of the $60,000 per-unit cost. 

"The equipment we carry on these ambulances behind us are the latest and greatest, because I want the best stuff that's out there," O'Halloran tells 21 News. "It's all about regional collaboration. That's where we can save money, by working together."