Uncle Sam Pays for New Fire Station
Thanks to a full grant of $387,000 from the federal government, a rural community in upstate New York has a new fire station.
Duanesburg Fire District No. 2 applied under the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 for a replacement for its aging, obsolete, and inefficient fire station. Rationale for our application was the prohibitive cost of renovation, which was beyond the financial capability of our district. A byproduct of the project would be the employment of local contractors and building trades workers.
Early in 1977, we were notified of the approval of our application and plans with the reminder that construction must begin with 90 days. Paperwork proceeded at a rapid rate, contracts were awarded and site work began April 6 with the demolition of the old station. During this awkward interim, fire apparatus was stored in the town highway department garage.
Two-story station
We built a two-story, brick-faced, side hill configuration with apparatus access directly from the second level to New York State Route 7. Also on this level are a communications room, commissioners room, rest room, and hose conditioning and storage facility. The first level, accessible from a paved parking area at the rear, contains a small kitchen, large training and meeting room and projection room, as well as storage, mechanical and rest rooms.
The five 15 X 44-foot bays house our two engines, two tankers and rescue truck. The apparatus water tank refill station on the apparatus floor is piped to a pond where we installed a remotecontrol pump.
The communications room has a new radio base station and an encoder for activating sirens in several other communities as well as for radio alerting our own personnel.
Other equipment includes a 30-kw generator with an automatic transfer switch that can provide all the power necessary for operation of the station, a compressor for breathing apparatus air, a hose washer and a dryer.
Fire detection system
The heat and smoke detector system is designed to activate the outside station siren when any sensor activates. Walls, roof and windows are all insulated to conserve energy.
All materials used in construction of the station were selected for low maintenance, fire resistance and durability as well as their esthetic quality.
The fire fighters are justifiably proud of their new station. The firemen did all the research and wrote the grant without recourse to paid consultants. Apart from the necessary employment of an architect, all plans, periodic reports, and coordinating and supervisory activities were done by fire district personnel.
