The preliminary numbers given to Mayor William Martin state the fire station as planned could come in, at its highest range, between $8 to $10 million. Cutting the cost to taxpayers could be a $2.3 million grant for hazardous waste cleanup of the site, Martin said. This means the upper range could drop to $5.7 to $7.7 million.   

In December, city officials indicated the new fire station might cost about $12 million, based on numbers extrapolated from a failed public safety complex proposal. This number is no longer being used by the mayor. 

The proposed station between Beacon and Riddell streets is between 16,000 and 20,000 square feet. Costs are calculated at about $500 per square-foot.

The crash happened around 11 p.m. Tuesday along Zulla Road in Fauquier County, about five miles south of Middleburg. A firetruck from Loudoun County’s fire department was returning from an emergency medical call. Middleburg’s Engine 603 went off the road, flipped and landed on its roof and hit a power pole. Some homes in the area were without power for some time.

Three rescuers were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Like in some other municipalities, Charleston’s previous policy was that fire trucks were dispatched for all medical calls — even though their roles were limited at the scene. Firefighters could stabilize patients until EMS arrived, but couldn’t transport patients themselves.  

In addition, non-emergency medical calls took up a chunk of firefighters’ time. A three-year study revealed that Charleston fire trucks responded to more than 14,000 calls where the person’s life was not immediately at risk.