Designs for the new fire hall came back to the drawing board after it only received one bid to construct.   

The former building, built in 1974, had severe structural damage.The public safety committee reviewed the design by Cassety Architecture at a meeting Aug. 17. 

The 40-by-44 structure will house a pumper and a brush truck. With several Chewelah firefighters living up at the golf course, they could respond to a fire within minutes and won’t have to navigate Sand Canyon Road in their fire truck.

 

Mayor Dorothy Knauss and Stevens County Commissioner Wes McCart cut the ribbons to officially welcome the fire station into service. A brush truck, engine and the department’s new ladder truck were also parked by the new station.

The 27,000-square-foot multi-purpose building will combine four facilities in one – including a police and fire regional dispatch center, police and fire training center, emergency operations center and a fire station – all of which will be open for the public to tour after the ribbon cutting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26. During the tour, guests can view the center and witness training demonstrations on the three-story training tower.  

The building was designed by Lemay, Erickson, Willcox Architects of Reston, Va., and cost more than $14 million, which includes the land purchase and building.

Acting Monument Superintendent Patrick Walsh and Fire Management Officer Steve Heppner announced the donation of an extra fire engine from the monument to the town of Dinosaur, making the transfer Friday, Aug. 17. Artesia Fire Chief Troy Zufelt received the truck on behalf of the department.

 

The donated fire engine is a Type 6 engine, designed for use in rural settings. It includes equipment to conduct an initial attack on wildland fires and has room for three firefighters.  

The engine was originally purchased in 1997 for $68,956 and was used in fire suppression activities at Black Canyon, in Gunnison National Park, and Curecanti National Recreation Area. Fire suppression at those locations is now coordinated through an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management Office in Montrose.