New Ohio Highway Patrol post with tornado shelter; twice as much space
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Fremont News Messenger
The Ohio Highway Patrol’s new Fremont Post facility was officially dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by current and former patrol officers, their families, postal workers and politicians.
Tuesday’s event included an open house, an exhibit of postal artifacts, a ribbon cutting and an address by Col. Charles Jones, Superintendent of the Highway Patrol.
“The Ohio State Highway Patrol first established a post in Fremont on October 5, 1941, and provided security for that part of the state until the outbreak of World War II, when it was forced to close due to a lack of personnel,” Jones said. “On March 1, 1952, the Fremont Post reopened, sharing a building with the Park Place Grill at 2123 West State Street.”
In 1955, the post office moved to its own building at 2210 W. State St. On October 3, 1960, another move was made to the current location at 2181 W. Ohio 20 Bypass.
“This is more than just a building. This new facility provides our sworn officers and professional staff with even more opportunities to provide service to the citizens of Ohio with purpose at the heart of everything we do,” Jones said.
During a tour of the new facility, which is more than twice the size of the previous one, Lt. Angel Burgos showed off the new disaster response facility, OVI testing area and expanded locker facilities, reminding those in attendance that the police force was an all-male unit when the previous facility was built.
“One of our ideas was to make sure this is a welcoming environment, not only for our soldiers, but for visitors as well,” Burgos said. “When we go into the storm shelter, it’s pretty interesting because it’s completely separate from the building itself. If a tornado came through and there were members of the public who needed to get to a safe area, we could bring them here to the post.”
The storm shelter has its own power supply that lasts up to 1,200 hours. Burgos mentioned the 2010 tornado incident in Lake Township in Wood County that destroyed the facility and killed seven people.
“We’ve had a few near misses,” Burgos said. “Also, the Department of Public Safety is moving away from basements and focusing more on storm shelters. If someone is driving by, this is a place where you’re safe and we can get you here.”
The facility is open to the public. It has its own water and electricity connection and can accommodate a maximum of 40 people.
“We’re planning for the next 60 to 70 years,” Burgos said. “We’re trying to increase the number of women in the organization. One of my ideas was a diaper changing and nursing area. When our women become mothers, they can nurse there while still carrying out their duties as soldiers. So that’s another thing we can build on.”
State Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) and State Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) presented the post with their commendations from the General Assembly.
Reineke thanked the police officers for their work and pointed out that the Ohio Highway Patrol also provides security services at the Ohio Capitol facilities.
Reineke made further comments on the new facility.
“I think the new technology and the new building are great because it helps them do their job better. We really have to appreciate what the Highway Patrol does for us in terms of protecting our roads and the people who travel on them, especially on the Turnpike, and I mentioned at the State House how they patrol. I’m very pleased with them. I think they deserve a lot of congratulations for that,” Reineke said.
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