This report was written by Hatchet reporter Audrey Scagnelli.
A small firehouse located on campus will celebrate its centennial in a big way this Saturday.
Firefighters of Engine 23 – located on G Street between 21st and 22nd streets – will offer tours of the 100-year-old building as well as an extensive barbecue for the community Oct. 16 beginning at noon.
University President Steven Knapp is slated to speak at 12:20 p.m. before the official ceremony begins at 1 p.m.
The firehouse was built in 1910, long before GW had taken over the majority of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. Recent construction has given the aging firehouse a needed facelift, and firefighters have also attempted to spruce up the firehouse themselves in preparation for the centennial celebration.
“It’s mostly minor cosmetics, like floor tile, light painting, and ceiling tile…just regular sprucing. We’re happy we just got the front driveway done,” Lt. Derrick Wallor of the 4th platoon said, referring to the new pavement in front of the firehouse.
“It’s shaping up, but we’ve still got some more work to do in the next couple of days,” Wallor said. “We’ve got a bunch of flooring left to install.”
Ellie Becker, a self-titled “friend of 23,” has been involved in planning the firehouse event, and said she has enjoyed spreading the word about its upcoming birthday.
“[The firefighters] have done all of the planning; it’s really amazing to see how much they’ve put into it,” she said.
Becker has worked as an advocate for Station 23, and said she has tremendous respect for the men who put their lives on the line daily for the community.
“They fixed my smoke alarm the other day…of course the fact that I cook for them might help a little,” she said.
Though the D.C. fire chief will not be able to attend the event, an assistant chief is expected to speak. Becker said D.C. democratic mayoral candidate Vincent Gray, a GW alumnus, may be attending as well. A spokesperson from Gray’s office has not returned request for comment.
G Street will be closed between 21st and 22nd streets from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the event, which will end at about 5 p.m
