Indianapolis, IN –
One of the busiest firehouses in Indianapolis recently got a surprise reward for their hard work keeping the Brookside neighborhood safe — a station makeover as winners of the citywide “Floors For Our Frontlines” contest from the Jack Laurie Home Floor Designs.
Jack Laurie Home Floor Designs Indianapolis launched “Floors For Our Frontlines” as a small way of saying thank you to frontline workers who’ve worked so hard in these unprecedented times.
Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) Station 27 – home to 30 regular personnel across three 24-hour shifts — is located in the Brookside neighborhood, a hot zone for Opioid and COVID 19 crises, and responds to over 1,500 calls per year. At nearly 50 years old, the building itself is well kept, but according to Rita Reith, the firehouse desperately needed interior floors but budget constraints prevented replacement.
“House Captain Chris Major and the crew at Station 27 have so much pride in their station and take good care of it, but the flooring, especially in the bunkroom and TV room, was just threadbare,” said Reith, MPIO Battalion Chief- Media Relations for Indianapolis Fire Department. “The Floors for Frontlines project was the perfect opportunity to show them some gratitude for their hard work.”
The Jack Laurie Group ripped out the old flooring and replaced it with nearly 1,000- square-feet of flooring in the house, with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and carpeting in the bunk room and in the TV/lounge.
“The pandemic has brought the Indiana community together, with frontline workers doing important work and we were just moved to do something to give back to them. The first responders have worked tirelessly to keep everyone safe, and they’ve earned a well-deserved break. Or at the very least — a new breakroom,” said John Laurie, CEO of Jack Laurie Group. “We are so thankful for their sacrifices in the face of this unprecedented situation, being able to brighten up their space is one way we can give back to them. This project has been so rewarding for us, and we are so happy to have helped them brighten up the firehouse at Station 27. It was obvious to us how proud they are of their ‘second home’ and how much care they give it. It was our honor to spruce it up for these hardworking heroes” House Captain Chris Major said the project came as a complete surprise at the perfect time.
“Our selection as the recipient of the Floors For Our Frontlines project was a welcome surprise and made a huge difference in the firehouse. We maintain a very, very busy schedule at Station 27, and the wear and tear on the floors reflect that. I can’t count the number of times we are up and out the door, every day, which places a huge burden on the flooring,” said Major. “Ours was down to its last bit of life… so to speak. Normally, we would budget for new carpet and then do all the install work ourselves, saving the city and the department money. This gift, which included the install, came at just the right time and saved us hours of work and budget funds. We can’t thank Jack Laurie Home Floor Designs enough.”
