“Why did we do this? It was very, very obvious we needed a new one,” Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer told the crowd gathered at the event. The afternoon unveiling of the 9,000-square-foot station at 165 Buena Vista Ave. attracted children dressed in mock fire turnout gear with toy fire trucks in hand as well as citizens who participate in the city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

For years, firefighters at Station 3 on Grand Avenue lived in a rented home beside a building that housed their gear, emergency equipment and trucks. This new facility allows the firefighters to live inside the station. It features a two apparatus bays, a conference room, a public lobby and a large kitchen.

Fire Chief Rick Ennis prided the department, saying they were able to gain the support and respect of taxpayers through their services to the area.  

“I want to thank again the firefighters, and understand the fact that they're out there delivering service to anybody, anytime, anywhere. You call, we come. And there's not too many businesses or agencies that can say that.”