Emporia Fire will be making the move to its new headquarters soon and is inviting the community to a housewarming party of sorts next month.
The City of Emporia and EFD will be holding a grand opening ceremony on March 1 at the new Station One headquarters in the 500 block of Market Street. Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking says this has been a long time coming, with discussions dating back over a decade. That said, the physical aspect has progressed rapidly with construction beginning just a little over a year ago.
Cocking again pointed out that one of the biggest components of the new fire station is the safety aspect, with the addition of a new decontamination zone to help prevent the spread of carcinogens and health hazards. However, Cocking also noted the new, better-than-$10-million facility and its added space for equipment and firefighters will bring with it quicker and more efficient response times.
With the new fire station essentially complete and ready for operations, Cocking announced the commencement of phase two of the fire station project, which will see significant additions and upgrades to Fire Station Two at 15th and Industrial Road. Site work began earlier this week and Cocking noted that while it will not be a brand new facility like Station One, Station Two will also focus on increased safety standards and adequate space, acting as a combination expansion and remodel of the current facility.
The Station Two project is estimated to take just over a year to complete.
The grand opening of the new Station One will run from 1 pm to 3 pm and will include tours of the facility as well as opportunities to meet and engage with members of the Emporia Fire Department.
