A proposal to build a new fire station on land set aside for wildlife habitat conservation has residents of Del Mar Mesa, CA, up in arms, according to a report published by Del Mar Times.

According to the newspaper report, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is planning to build a new station to better serve the Del Mar Mesa and Torrey Hills communities.

The targeted piece of land was acquired by the city from Pardee Homes in 2019, according to the newspaper, which also said the deed granted the property to the city as Multiple Species Conservation Program property meaning city agrees to protect and manage the property as open space preserve.

The city has told residents who oppose the proposed fire station that it is very early in the decision making process on where to locate the new facility which was identified as a need in 2017, according to the paper.

The paper reported the city has estimated the new station will cost about $12 million to construct, although the cost for one to be built on the Del Mar Mesa property hasn’t been determined.

Six stations have been built by the city since 2014 and five more are proposed to meet increasing needs in the area, the newspaper reported.

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According to a report from The Wickenburg Sun, the next fiscal year should bring the start of construction on the Wickenburg (AZ) Fire Department’s new northern station. However, Town Manager Vince Lorefice said there’s still plenty to do to make it happen.

The new station could be in operation within the next two years.

The town is still attempting to acquire the future site property from Wickenburg Ranch developer Van Tuyl Companies. Contracts for the design, engineering, and construction will follow.

Plans call for the station to be fully staffed with an engine company and new apparatus and equipment, allowing coverage and reducing response times for the northern division and U.S. 93.

The original plans had the station costing more than $4 million, but the town’s staff has worked to reduce the cost to $3 million, sharing the cost with Van Tuyl Companies and the Rural Fire District.

Once completed, the town’s northern and southern fire stations will serve as each other’s backup on service calls.

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Engine 4 with the Orange Beach, AL, was added to the Orange Beach Fire Department fleet after a dedication and push-in ceremony earlier this month, according to a report published by GulfcoastNewsToday.com.

The new engine will be stationed on Ono Island outside of the Orange Beach Fire Department service area, according to the report published on the internet. As part of an agreement between island and city officials, the city purchased the new engine and equipment for about $550,000 and the island residents will repay the investment over 10 years.

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According to a report from WVLT, the Cosby (TN) Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) in Cocke County took in its first new fire truck in 35 years through a $280,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant.

The CVFD responds to an average of 320 calls a year, helping extinguish structure, brush, and car fires as well as tending to motor vehicle accidents.

The CVFD has typically received “hand-me down” equipment or were forced to reconfigure an old school bus into a fire truck, which CVFD Fire Chief Michael Shelton said was “designed to haul kids to school, not 1,500 gallons of water.”

CVFD member Paul Bryant said that the department began in 1986 with a 1955 Ford engine that they purchased from Happy Valley.

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