New Fire Station Will Continue to be Focal Point for Ringgold - KAUZ-TV: Newschannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TX

The Ringgold Volunteer Fire Department is about to move into their new fire station. With that move comes a new community hangout.

Ringgold is what you call, you blink, you miss it, kind of town.

"The fire department is about the only thing left in Ringgold," said Fire Chief Jack Simpson.

The fire department is what keeps the town alive.

"In Ringgold it's really the only business and organization left in town," said Johnny Reynolds, President Ringgold Firefighters Association.

"Everybody can come over in the morning if they want to drink coffee, they drink coffee and chit chat with everybody," said resident Marcia Rowson.

Five years ago when the VFD dared to dream of building a new fire station. The hope was that it would continue to be the focal point of the community.

"Most of them are farmers," said Jack Simpson. "They'll eat, come by here, drink coffee and go to work."

Now that a bigger station is nearly ready for move-in, talks of keeping the towns necessities continue.

"It may be more than just a fire station. It may be post office, cafe, fire station all in one," said Reynolds.

The department has been around since the 1950s. The old station used to be a gas station. It had cracks and leaks and the larges poles inside made it difficult to back in and get out without destroying the building.

"If you hit it you could have taken the chance of knocking the building down."

Those worries no longer exist. With the help of the community thousands and thousands of dollars were raised to build a new one.

"As far as the construction it's all been volunteers from the members," said Reynolds.

"We wanted to get it as big as we could get it because we didn't want to have too much because the bigger you get it the more it costs to build and maintain too," said Chief Simpson.
 
The only thing they need before they move in for good is electricity.

Ringgold will have a brisket dinner Saturday October 20 at 6 p.m. at the elementary school. There will a raffle and door prizes. In addition a $25 donation to the VFD Max and Sue Brown will give a copy of a book about Ringgold citizens from 1892-2012. It has 132 pages, 570 pictures and 782 people. There is a limited supply available.

Crystal Hall Newschannel 6.