Matthew Verrilli
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
(TNS)

Jan. 23—TOLLAND — Most of the equipment has been moved out of Fire Station 340 in preparation for demolition of the current station and the construction of a new facility.

The Firehouse Subcommittee met Thursday to provide updates to the timeline and budget for the new firehouse on Gehring Road.

“It has certainly been a struggle for us, but establishing the subcommittee and having people work closer together is helping the project be more closely monitored and completed in a timely fashion,” Steve Jones, acting chairman of the Firehouse Subcommittee, said.

Last month, the town awarded the bid for the Station 340 project to Lawrence Brunoli Inc. for $2.26 million.

The current budget for the project is just over $3 million, which is part of $5 million that was approved in a referendum in May 2021.

The additional money for the project will be used as a contingency, and anything left over will be directed toward renovating Station 440 on Plains Road.

“Hopefully we put in a strong bumper of about 20% for contingency,” Jones said.

The new facility will include an additional bay and updated compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

During the meeting, town officials said that all materials have been cleared from Station 340, with the exception of one fire truck, which is expected to be moved out this week.

A trailer has also been moved on site and fencing has been put up around the location as the project moves forward.

Jones said that with the Station 340 project under way, it will likely be another one or two years before the town revisits plans to renovate Fire Station 440, as well as Fire Station 140 on Crystal Lake Road.

“For the time being, the 140 foundation is still in good condition and can be utilized to the fullest extent for public safety needs,” Jones said.

The goal is to raze the current Station 340 building by mid-spring and begin construction on the new building as soon as May.

Town officials expect construction to be complete by the end of this year or March 2024 at the latest.

Matthew covers Stafford and Tolland for the Journal Inquirer.

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To fill a service gap in the northeastern part of the county, Calloway County Fire-Rescue is in the process of building its 13th station, murrayledger.com reported.

A Calloway County fire official said the station, which is around the 5000 block of Faxon Road about two miles east of KY 1346/Liberty Road, will be called the Center Ridge station and will be equipped with a pumper truck, tanker truck, brush truck and a boat, the report said.

Currently, the steel frame has been erected, and when the station is completed and staffed, its location should greatly improve the Insurance Rating Office (ISO) fire rating for homes in that area near Kentucky Lake, the report said. ISO fire ratings are assigned on a scale from 1 to 10, and higher ratings typically mean higher homeowners insurance premiums.

The fire official said Calloway County Fire-Rescue was fortunate to receive the property through a donation, but the organization has been trying to collect donations to help offset the cost of the building, the report said. Most of the equipment that will go into the building has already been purchased, according to the report.

The original construction budget for the station was $100,000, but with supply chain issues and inflation that started during the pandemic, that number has ballooned to $160,000, the report said.

The fire official said anyone wanting to donate toward the station’s construction may send a check to Calloway County-Fire Rescue, P.O. Box 612, with a letter in the envelope stating the purpose or “Station 13” written on the memo line of the check. The station has raised about $30,000 for the building’s construction since 2019, about half of which came from a gun raffle, the report said.

Spokane County Fire District 8 is asking voters to renew a maintenance and operations levy on the February ballot to continue its level of service and make improvements to stations and equipment, spokesman.com reported.

The district’s four stations serve 110 square miles directly south of the Spokane and Spokane Valley city limits. Last year the district responded to 4,248 calls for service, more than 80% of which were for medical issues. The number of annual calls increased by 29% from 2018-21.

Renewing the levy will help the district maintain its goal of having one paramedic at each fire station at all times so there are advanced life support options available to residents, the report said. The cost of the levy will be 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value, putting the price at $16.68 per month for a home valued at $400,000, according to the report.

Maintaining and upgrading the fire stations is a key part of the budget. The district’s station in the Ponderosa neighborhood was built in 1974 and hasn’t been renovated or upgraded since, the report said.

Anyone with questions about the levy renewal is encouraged to attend a public informational meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at Station 82, 12100 E. Palouse Highway.

San Bernardino County has been awarded $12 million in federal community project funding as part of the omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress at the end of 2022, fontanaheraldnews.com reported.

This funding will support the planning, design, and construction of five major community projects across the county, including one in Fontana, that will greatly improve facilities in regional parks, rural fire stations, unincorporated areas, and the county flood control district, the report said.

The new funding was awarded by Reps. Pete Aguilar, Norma Torres, and Jay Obernolte as well as by California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Feinstein directed $3.75 million to the county to repair and expand the Mt. Baldy Fire Station. This rural station deep in the San Gabriel Mountains is an aging facility built nearly a century ago. Expansion is critical for the station, allowing it to house modern fire engines and accommodate the need for fire crews. This remodeled facility will enhance county efforts to protect residents from the dangers of wildfire, especially in isolated rural communities.