New Garden Grove fire station replaces 47-year-old facility

Orange County Register (CA)

Oct. 24--Firefighters, civic leaders and residents in Garden Grove celebrated the completion of a new community center and fire station with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

The new facility at 12232 West St. replaces the original Fire Station No. 6 at 12111 Chapman Ave., which was constructed in 1971. The newer 7,680-square-foot building features updated equipment and is much larger than the old firehouse, allowing it to store more vehicles and firefighting tools.

The extra room is a welcome change for crews who had been working 24-hour shifts out of the old station, which had originally been a three-bedroom house, said Garden Grove firefighter and paramedic Ryan Van Wie. He had been based out of the Chapman building for the past four years and said it has struggled to keep up as firefighting practices have evolved over the decades.

"Everything is getting bigger, but the station hasn't grown at all, so it's been tough to work out of there," said Van Wie. "There's nine guys (at) that station with three people on duty at a time, so it's very tight."

In addition to larger living quarters and modernized facilities, the recently completed structure includes equipment needed to clean emergency response vehicles housed at other fire stations in Garden Grove. It also retains a central location in the city and has a pair of large bay doors that open on to West Street, making it easier for fire engines to get in and out, according to Van Wie.

Construction also included a new 1,815 square-foot community room with a remodeled playground. The feature was a hit among local parents and children like Salvador Seballos, 23, and his daughter, Aliyah, 4, who moved in about five minutes away three years ago.

"I'll be bringing her around a lot," said Seballos. "It gives the area a nicer look. It used to look old."

Work began on the new Fire Station 6 and the adjacent community room in May 2017 and it was funded by a $5.5 million bond, rather than the city's general fund, said Garden Grove Fire Capt. Thanh Nguyen.

He said that, later, with low interest rates, the city took out a loan to fund the bond in an effort to fast-track the project.

"This was such a priority for the city to get this fire station that they borrowed more at lower interest," said Nguyen. "What's happening now is they're paying off the original and the secondary loan."

Civic leaders characterized the new facility as a necessary investment in Garden Grove's public safety during Tuesday's ribbon cutting ceremony. Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz said it replaces what was meant to be a temporary solution with a "50-year station" that will serve the community well into the future.

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