Emporia Fire Chief Brandon Beck is pleased to see early construction processes underway for the department’s new headquarters in downtown Emporia.
Dirt work began shortly after the official groundbreaking ceremony in the 500 block of Market on Nov. 20. The over $10 million project will replace the fire department’s longtime home at the south end of White Auditorium by early 2026, and Beck says it brings the department from the past to the future when it comes to facilities.
The new facility will offer five apparatus bays and over 8,000 square feet of space for equipment. For personnel, there will be a three-zone setup for cleanup and decontamination, a dedicated training space, 10 private bunk spaces, dedicated lockers and new administrative space among other features.
Once firefighters leave White Auditorium, the city will begin exploring options for reusing the existing headquarters space as construction begins on the new building. Meanwhile, there will be other conversations about the upgrades needed at Fire Station 2 at 15th and Industrial. Beck says conversations will turn into formal evaluations soon, with the goal of either renovating that facility or discussing other possibilities.
