City of Lancaster to pay millions for replacement of two fire stations

LANCASTER, Pa. 2019--

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Lancaster’s Fire Department is upgrading two of its King street stations with help from the city.

Plans for the investment are estimated to cost almost $10 million dollars. 

Station number one on West king Street and station number three on East King Street will soon be state of the art facilities. 

“The members of the fire bureau have been waiting years for this opportunity," said Chief Scott Little. "Everybody is input is being utilized as we design these fire stations," he added.

Fire chief, Scott Little says a lot of thought is going into the final design including health and safety. 

“You see the rise in cancer among firefighters so we are going to have isolated areas for them to clean their gear that’s dirty from fighting a fire," said Chief Little

The living quarters at both stations are also being upgraded.

“Forty, fifty years ago they did not account for female firefighters there is a lot of open bay living and there is no privacy so our new fire stations will have separated areas," said Chief Little. 

The project is estimated to be $4 million to $5 million to five million dollars per station.

The newest of the two stations was last upgraded in 1970.

“The city of Lancaster is going to be around forever and our firefighting force is going to be around forever and they need to have facilities that work for them," said Patrick Hopkins, City of Lancaster. 

The city has applied for a $4 million dollar state grant to help cover one of the stations, however the second station will need other funding sources to cover the cost. 

“Whether that’s through bond funds that we have already borrowed savings from a bond issue that we refinanced last year," said Hopkins. 

The bureau is aiming to keep costs down by using the same design for both and building them one after another.

Demolition will begin in the fall.

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