The Centerpoint Community Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) has taken a major step toward improving emergency preparedness with the installation of a new emergency generator. The upgrade will not only allow firefighters to respond more effectively during power outages but also opens the door to transforming the fire station into a temporary emergency shelter during major disasters.
The $17,053 project was primarily funded by a $12,000 Community Impact Grant from the Wabash Valley Community Foundation. The remaining $5,023 came from the department’s own funds. The new 26-kilowatt Generac generator is now operational at the firehouse located at 515 E. Main St. in Center Point.
Zeph Smith, treasurer of the department, said the generator is critical for keeping essential systems running during weather-related emergencies and infrastructure failures.
“This generator allows us to keep battery backups on and operate even when the weather is bad or the power grid is down,” Smith told The Brazil Times. “We rely on electric-powered garage doors, air compressors for the trucks, and heating systems. Without power, it’s tough to respond quickly.”
Emergency responders often face situations like severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and snowstorms where power is lost. With the new generator, the station can remain fully functional, allowing faster deployment of emergency vehicles and resources.
But the department’s ambitions go beyond firefighting. The firehouse could now serve as a temporary emergency shelter for local residents during large-scale power outages or disasters.
In recent years, power failures from floods, tornadoes, and cyberattacks have left communities without electricity for days or even weeks. In such situations, access to heat, communication, food preparation, and basic hygiene becomes a major concern.
Smith recalled a summer storm when the fire station served as a makeshift refuge for firefighters.
“Some of our members didn’t have power at home,” he said. “They stayed at the station to cook, shower, and rest because we still had power.”
With the new generator, the station can now open its doors to the public during similar emergencies, offering a place to stay warm in winter storms or take shelter during disasters.
“It gives us the ability to support our community in the worst situations,” Smith said. “Whether it’s offering warmth during a winter outage or a place to stay after a disaster, we’ll be ready.”
Kristy Jerrell of Jerrell Consulting, who helped write the grant application, emphasized the wider importance of such backup systems.
“Power generators are vital during emergencies,” Jerrell wrote in the grant proposal. “They keep critical services running, from lighting and heating to powering communication systems and shelter facilities.”
She added that generators play a central role in helping first responders stay in contact and restore services when traditional systems fail.
“Providing safe and secure shelter is essential after a disaster,” she wrote. “Generators allow stations like Centerpoint’s to meet that need.”
The new system was installed by Shepard’s Gas and Appliance Center of Clinton. With this enhancement, the department stands better prepared to assist not only Center Point residents, but also those in neighboring areas, including Sugar Ridge Township.
Smith said the department’s goal is to serve everyone in need.
“We’re not limiting this to just the town,” he said. “We want to make sure anyone in the community has access if an emergency strikes.”
The generator installation marks a new chapter for the Centerpoint VFD — one that extends its role from first responders to a broader community lifeline during crises.
