The new Athens Fire Department Headquarters has been under construction for about a year and is on track to open in the winter despite some delays.
The new station, located near the Stimson Avenue roundabout, is replacing the current station at 61 Columbus Road, Athens Fire Chief Robert Rymer said.
"The former station isn’t conducive as a fire station," Rymer said. "That means it’s not helping the community."
Service-Safety Director Andy Stone said the old station is 60 years old and outdated.
“The current fire station headquarters is a 1964 construction, and structurally is in pretty bad shape for a fire station – its design has trucks in bays on the second floor,” Stone said. “Trucks are much bigger and heavier today.”
Stone said the new $12 million station will have a structural layout that allows for easy transportation.
“This new facility, most importantly, will allow firefighters to get to more parts of Athens faster than from the current station, responding to both fires and other emergencies,” Stone said.
Rymer said the station will be divided into hot, warm and cool zones. This is beneficial to the firefighter’s health, according to Rymer. The cold zone keeps cancer-causing agents away, while the warm zone holds all the dirty gear.
The station will also serve the community, with its community-oriented implementations.
“The facility is nicer and more accessible to the community,” Stone said. “(It) has 24-hour restrooms, a boat ramp for emergency boats–but that can also be used by paddlers–and an outdoor fitness facility.”
Additionally, the station will have solar panels on the roof, so it is more energy efficient and has less energy demand.
Stone said the station is supposed to last 100 years and multiple generations. However, the construction project is about a month behind due to material issues, according to Rymer.
Rymer and Stone are thankful for the support from the community and are eager to see the new location open.
“We appreciate the support of the public and invite folks to the ribbon cutting – stay tuned for a date,” Stone said.
