The South Bend Fire Department will celebrate Earth Day, on Wednesday, with virtual tours of their environmentally-friendly fire stations.

The South Bend Fire Department sent the following information about the virtual tours to 95.3 MNC:

The South Bend Fire Department invites residents to virtually tour Fire Station-4 on Olive Street in the Kennedy Park Neighborhood and Fire Station-9, located at 2108 Mishawaka Avenue in the River Park Neighborhood on Wednesday, April 22, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively on Earth Day.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2020, Fire Chief Carl Buchanon will offer a virtual tour showcasing Station 4 and 9 live on Facebook with interactions from the Firefighters who live and work at the two stations as well as citizens viewing the program.

Two South Bend Fire Stations were designed and built using the green building rating system Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Achieving the silver status was the goal, and Fire Station 4 was granted gold, and Station 9 received silver. Construction utilized a zone concept in which toxins related to the job of firefighting are separated from the living quarters of the station.

Fire Chief Carl Buchanon referenced, “the past designs of fire stations housed firefighters in order to complete tasks brought about from the job. Now, more than ever, we recognize as an organization the importance of sustainability and how our duties can have a direct impact on the environment. Highly efficient and safer fire apparatus protect our members to and from the call and our newer zone concept fire stations protect our men and women where they eat, sleep and live for 24 hours at a time.”

The South Bend Fire Department hopes that residents can take a few minutes and enjoy Earth Day and witness how innovative designs with equipment and housing have a direct effect on our ecosystem and environment.