Hanover County leaders, Fire-EMS personnel and residents gathered recently to celebrate the grand opening of Fire Station 17 — a modern firehouse designed to serve the growing Laurel Meadow community, the county said in a press release.
Located on 3.5 acres, adjacent to Laurel Meadow Elementary School, the station is the first firehouse built in Hanover County to expand emergency services since 1987.
“The opening of this beautiful, state-of-the-art fire station marks a major milestone for public safety in Hanover County,” said County Administrator John A. Budesky. “It reflects our commitment to modernizing and replacing the County’s firehouses while prioritizing the safety of the dedicated women and men of Hanover Fire-EMS and the communities they serve every day.”
The 14,993-square-foot facility was strategically placed to reduce emergency response times and ease the call burden on neighboring stations, with room to grow as service demands increase.
“Station 17’s opening is an exciting and historic moment for our department and the community,” said Fire-EMS Chief Christopher J. Anderson. “It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to strengthening emergency services across Hanover.”
“This is a big win for our residents,” added Henry District Supervisor Sean M. Davis. “I’m proud of the investment we’ve made to support both our first responders and our community.”
The station features a modern design focused on functionality and firefighter safety. It includes a decontamination room, specialized laundry equipment for cleaning turnout gear, individual dormitories and a fitness space to support health and wellness.
Station 17 also marks the start of a broader effort to upgrade emergency facilities countywide. Hanover’s five-year Capital Improvements Program includes plans to replace three existing firehouses — Doswell Station 4, Montpelier Station 8 and Chickahominy Station 10 — with similarly equipped modern facilities.
“Today’s fire stations must be designed to accommodate a diverse workforce and modern operational needs,” explained Anderson. “These new facilities will help us meet response time goals, improve working conditions for our personnel and enhance the delivery of emergency services across Hanover County.”
Hanover County Planning $60M Headquarters for Public Safety Agencies
Hanover is moving forward with plans to establish a new joint headquarters for its sheriff’s office and fire-EMS department, richmondbizsense.com reported.
The county intends to build an 87,000-square-foot, two-story building for the agencies at the government complex on Route 301, the report said.
The $60 million project’s funding is included in the county’s upcoming fiscal year budget, which the Board of Supervisors approved in early April, according to the report.
The post New Hanover County (VA) Fire Station 17 Enhances Response, Firefighter Safety appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.