Additionally, the council agreed to eliminate the department’s minimum weather staffing level with more manpower now on hand.

“Right now, we have 15 firefighters per shift with three shifts,” Reinhardt said. “We want to start running calls like we have that third engine, get the firefighters and dispatch used to it, so when the station is built, everyone is ready and prepared to take calls.”

The city got a SAFER grant that funds pay and benefits for 12 additional firefighters for two years. Cullman is currently in the second year of that grant, after which the city will have to pick up the costs to cover firefighters’ pay.

Officials had hoped the new fire station would be up and running by February, but delays have pushed the estimated completion to November.

Site preparation is underway on Alabama 157 near Merchants Bank. When it opens, officials believe it will improve emergency response on the north side which has been growing with new retail developments.

In her motion supporting the change, Council Pro Tem Jenny Folsom recommended the city give Mayor Woody Jacobs the authority to implement the new policy.

"This actually was a design that was put together by our staff," said Makey, noting firefighters visited several other departments to collect ideas for the Timberlands facility. "There's training components for high angle rescue, confined spaces, that are built right in this structure."

Makey added the location of the new fire station allows the City to continue to meet the standard for response times in new residential developments.

"From the time we get the call to the time we get to your door, it has to be ten minutes or less," he pointed out. "This was put specifically in a place where we are going to reach everywhere within that ten minute response time."

Fire Station #4 will serve the growing communities in Timberlands and Evergreen, as well as future developments in the East Hill area, accordiing to City Manager Craig Curtis.

Meantime, City officials the new Fire Station #3 is being built in Lancaster at 30 Avenue and Lees Street is expected to open in 2017.

"The new apparatus features a 1,500 gallon per minute pump, carries 750 gallons of water, 20 gallons of Class B foam, and compartments special built to hold a full assortment of tools and equipment needed for fighting fires and rescue incidents," he said.

East Alton Fire Department's fleet currently consists of a Fire Chief's vehicle, a 1989 75' aerial apparatus, a 1997 pumper, and a 2003 light duty rescue unit. The Fire Department will be combining the current pumper and rescue unit into one unit, the new Rescue/Pumper.

The 1997 pumper will be put into reserve status and the light duty rescue unit will be sold.