Those carcinogens, including soot, diesel exhaust, benzene and formaldehyde, stick to their coats, helmets and boots.  

When firefighters ride back to the station in their turnout gear, those harmful compounds circulate in the air they breathe.

“With the push for cancer prevention in the fire service, we needed something to bring back our contaminated equipment from fire scenes, and not have to put it back in the cabs of our fire trucks,” said Fire Chief Justin Edwards. “After our firemen decontaminate on the scene, and clean themselves up as best they can out there, we don’t want to have to put that dirty equipment back in the trucks.

Its new engine was just given its official number Wednesday afternoon.  

“It's unique, but I’m excited that we have something up here,” said Norterra resident and community advocate Julie Read.

The City of Phoenix bought land at I-17 and Jomax in 2006 for a permanent fire station to serve the Norterra neighborhood. But after the economy crashed in 2008, it could not afford to build one.

The project will include renovations to Fire Station 2, 737 Keller-Smithfield Rd. North and Station 3 at 1500 Rufe Snow Dr. And a new building also will be built behind Fire Station 2. Fire Stations 2 and 3 were both opened in 1994.

Christopher D’Annibale, 32, was driving the fire engine to a structure fire in the 9500 block of Richmond Road Sunday when the engine was hit by a septic truck at Anderson’s Corner, according to James City County Police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams. The fire truck was entering the intersection of Rochambeau Drive and Richmond Road to continue west on Richmond Road, toward the fire, when the septic truck hit it, according to police.