Construction continues on South Lexington Fire Department

Aug. 18--Billy Ritter, who is serving as the project's superintendent for Star-based D.R. Reynolds, said construction began on the 9,400-square-foot facility in mid-June. The project is slated to be complete in mid-to-late October.

"It's going good," Ritter said. "We are right on schedule."

The station has its roof, and the concrete has been poured for the office area floor. Ritter said that HVAC work was beginning and plumbing was roughed in. He said a number of local contractors were being utilized. Ritter said his construction company specializes in building fire stations, with one also being built in Shelby.

"It's going really well," South Lexington Assistant Chief John Pate said, referring to the project. "... It's moving pretty good."

To build the station, the South Lexington Fire Department purchased 17.5 acres of land off N.C. Highway 47 to relocate the station to the center of its district. The department acquired the land for $100,000 from siblings Bill Parks, Donna Wheeler and Keith Parks. Fire officials signed with a bank to obtain a $1,135,000 loan to construct the building and purchase the land. The station will be located across the street from Doe Run Court off of N.C. Highway 47.

<p>The new station will provide more space for firefighters and their equipment. The current location, which has about 5,500 square feet, does not have a sprinkler system, meaning firefighters cannot stay there overnight. South Lexington VFD is planning on having a sprinkler system in the new station and has set a short-term goal to put firefighters there at night once the structure is built.

South Lexington Fire Chief Darren Kirkus has said the site of the department's station was previously annexed into the City of Lexington. He said the South Lexington VFD will now have all of Old Mountain Road in its fire district once the new station is built. The department services all of Old Mountain Road. However, with some of the road's residents out of the department's fire district, they pay extra for fire insurance. Kirkus said the department's district for insurance purposes only went out six miles. The insurance rates for the Old Mountain Road residents are expected to drop with the relocation.

South Lexington firefighters said the district's fire tax of 11 cents per $100 valuation will remain the same with the new station.

Members of the South Lexington Fire Department hope the new station will help with recruiting more firefighters. The department has 26 firefighters and would like to have 35. Firefighters said moving to a new area could bring additional members, in addition to the attraction of a new building. Those who would like to volunteer are encouraged to contact the South Lexington Fire Department at 357-2410.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or [email protected]. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick

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