New Colorado Springs Fire station aims to decrease response times for northern residents
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) broke ground on a new fire station in northern Colorado Springs, looking to stick to their goal of lower response times throughout the city.
CSFD Chief Randy Royal, along with City Council members and Mayor Yemi Mobolade helped dig the ceremonial dirt at the site for CSFD Fire Station #24, at the intersection of Interquest and New Life Drive.
The department cites the city's growth and development in the area, as why they needed to fill the roughly 7 mile gap between Stations 22 and 19.
CSFD says they want to keep their response times around 8 minutes or less, for 90% of their calls for service, and this new station will allow them to shave off those seconds towards their goal.
"[The] North end of powers. The Pine Creek area, Kettle Creek area, and this area around the [Pikes Peak] state college, is really not covered to the level that we would like. So this [station] will help us out." explained Chief Royal.
He says the roughly $10 million facility will be complete with an engine, brush truck, and paramedic, as well as cleaning stations to eliminate harmful carcinogens. Royal explains however, just the vehicles alone will elevate that price tag to about $12.5 million. All of which is accounted for within their city budget.
Royal notes that Station 24 was originally planned to be opened in November of 2023, but due to supply chain issues and procuring the land to build on and other issues, it delayed the construction. In that time, he says the cost for the fire station just about doubled for materials, and equipment.
"If you go back to 2016, a fire engine that carries water cost about $470,000. Now it's $900,000." said Royal. "Our ladder trucks are now $1.5 million. So we have to incorporate that into the price as well. And it's expensive. So it's a constant challenge." he explained.
But that price, Royal says, is worth it when serving the community is at the forefront.
"Having a quick response and be able to get multiple units, both ones that can protect structures which are big engines, but we also have to get off road to get after the grass and tree." he said about the resources at Station 24.
Royal added that they will build the station with the possibility of adding a ladder truck in the future, depending on further development of buildings in the area. As of now there is a ladder truck at Station 19, which is south of the new site.
Fred Grade lives just minutes away from the site near the Encompass Heights Elementary School. The 70-year-old retiree says this will make a big difference for neighborhoods like his.
"If the other engine companies are busy in the area, it could take probably 12 to 15 minutes to get a fire engine or ambulance in this area." said Grade. "There's quite a few elderly people in this neighborhood up here also, you know... they're dependent upon it, medical services." he added.
Royal says construction is set to take 9 to 10 months, but CSFD will have a brush truck and a paramedic stationed at an open space at Pikes Peak State College to help serve those residents in the meantime.
CSFD says they would like to build at least two more new stations within the city, to accommodate similar 'gaps' like the one they're addressing with Station 24, however they're unsure how the department will finance those.
