Of that, the major allocation of funds will be to build and relocate the department’s Central Station. In addition, the bond includes funds for a new facility in the northwest quadrant of the city, consisting of a training facility, Emergency Operations Center and Station No. 8.
The new Station No. 8 will assist in maintaining current service levels with the continued growth and development in Temple, Fire Chief Lonzo Wallace said. The city area coverage will be improved by 24 percent and there will be an improvement in response times, he said. Temple Fire and Rescue provides paramedics to every call made in the city and every time an ambulance is called - so is an engine.
Fire stations are strategically placed throughout the city to ensure quick response times, whether it is to a fire or medical emergency.
“There is a cost saving that can be realized if we provide these facilities into a multipurpose facility,” Wallace said. “We certainly have to provide the best bang for the buck with the taxpayers’ dollars.”
Station 8 will be a three-lane, drive-through facility in an area that officials say is poised for growth in both commercial business and residential. It is hoped the whole facility will make use of about 10 acres of land.
Space is required to conduct firefighting training. While the National Fire Protection Agency does not have an established minimum site size for locating a training center, it does recommend that the site be an ample size for planned buildings, parking and future expansion. Adequate separation should be planned between buildings for safety, vehicular movement and instructional purposes. The balance of the bond is made up of air packs for Engine 8 and the replacement of Engine 4 and Engine 1, which officials say is by far the busiest engine in the department.
Temple Fire and Rescue made more than 10,000 runs in 2007 and it shows in Engine 1, which made more than 2,500 of those calls. Engine 4 is the third-busiest engine in the fleet. Both of these engines are 1995 models. The life-expectancy of a fire engine is about 10 to 15 years, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. Engine 1 has more than 105,000 miles clocked, while Engine 4 has more than 109,000.
If the bond issue passes on May 10, new engines would eventually be purchased, but Engines 1 and 4 would be placed in reserve for use when an engine needs maintenance or if a large event occurs. City officials have said the bond will cost property owners $15 per $100,000 value of their homes.
