INDIANAPOLIS — This Christmas the Indianapolis Fire Department celebrated adding nearly three dozen more firefighters to its family.
All 34 firefighters from the Beech Grove Fire Department officially became members of the Indianapolis Fire Department on Christmas.
"Our family just got bigger and we couldn't be more excited," IFD Fire Chief Ernest Malone said in a social media post on Saturday.
In September, the City-County Council approved the proposal to merge the fire departments. They emphasized the merger will not impact ambulance services.
The approved proposal allowed for changes to begin on December 25.
Station 57 is now IFD Station 46. Updates on signage are still to come but Malone made sure to post on social media on behalf of all of IFD to say, "Welcome to the family!"
Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley called the move a "win-win" for both cities.
“Our fire protection and inspection services will be much stronger, and our taxpayers will save hundreds of thousands of dollars," Buckley said.
The mayor said the money saved will be used for increased salaries for Beech Grove police officers and medical workers. The money will also benefit Beech Grove's parks and public works departments.
And, as IFD welcomes in new firefighters, it's also teaming up with other fire departments to spread holiday cheer.
IFD firefighters joined crews from Pike Township Fire Department for a Christmas Eve parade for the many young patients being treated at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital.
IFD said the holiday parade "brought some serious holiday cheer to some pretty special littles."