Fire Station No. 2 on Welch Avenue is hoping to relocate to become more efficient. If the station moves, they will be able to respond to 85% of calls within five minutes. Currently, they only reach about 72%, Fire Chief Rich Higgins said.
The new station will be located on State Avenue in a spot that has less foot traffic. They would be able to reach 150 more calls, and in the future, when Ames expands, they will be able to reach about 300 more calls.
However, there is a cost for relocating the station. Iowa State University leased land out west for the new station. The fire station plans to donate 50% of the profits to ISU, which will then be allocated to the project plan for building the new fire station.
“The university has been wonderful to work with during this whole process and always,” Higgins said.
The total cost for the new station is estimated to be approximately $10,456,128, according to Higgins. This will be funded by the taxpayers of Ames, and there will be an overall “increase of 2.1% in the city portion of property tax.”
The estimated base construction costs for the new building are $8.9 million. The design fees for the entire project are approximately $1.5 million. The station will save around $172,218 by reusing its already existing equipment.
For residents in Ames, this will result in approximately $11 more in taxes per year for every $100,000 of assessed value. If the plan for the new station gets passed, the relocation will “likely be finished by 2027,” Higgins said.
People registered to vote in Story County may vote on this proposal Nov. 4.
“We wouldn’t ask this from the community if we didn’t think that it was absolutely necessary,” Higgins said.
The main problem for the station is its location in Campustown, which has heavy foot traffic and has become quite a nuisance to the station.
Firefighters back into the garage, which helps them pull out faster in an emergency. The problem is that when they try to back up, people constantly walk in front of the station, so the trucks have to wait.
Higgins said that there are also problems with responding to night calls quickly. There are several bars located next to the station, whose lines end up right in front of the station, which makes it very difficult for the firefighters to leave. Their main worry is running someone over.
Another reason they are hoping to relocate is to improve the safety and well-being of their firefighters. The station was originally built in 1966, marking its 60-year anniversary soon.
The fire station currently covers the western side of Ames, which has grown so much that the station is no longer located in the center of its fire district. If it relocates, the station will be more central to the western side that it covers. This new location is also a shared-use path, which will be beneficial because the new station plans to have space for emergency care.
The original station had an open bunkroom with six beds side by side where firefighters could sleep. Once more women firefighters joined, they quickly decided to throw up some walls, which became a few small rooms where the firefighters could have their own spaces.
Since it is such a tight space, there is no room for doors, so they have curtains instead. The separate rooms help with some privacy, but the station would prefer to have doors on the rooms.
When firefighters go into fires, they can be exposed to carcinogens. Carcinogens originate from the burning of synthetic materials and include chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde and asbestos, which are present in smoke, soot and ash.
Higgins’ main concern is that firefighters may be exposed to carcinogens for extended periods, as the effects can cause an increased risk of cancer.
Ideally, firefighters should be able to shower immediately after a fire to remove all contaminants; however, there is only one shower available at the station and typically six firefighters on duty, prolonging the time they spend near carcinogens.
After showering, firefighters must clean their fire suits to remove contaminants. The station only has one washer and dryer, where they also wash their dish towels and bed sheets. It is likely that residue remains, which can contaminate other items in the machines.
The firefighters store their fire suits in the garage on open shelving. After a fire, the suits need to air out so that the carcinogens can be removed from them. Having the suits air out in the open garage where people are constantly working means that the firefighters are constantly exposed to carcinogens.
At the new station, firefighters plan to have a better bedroom setup with doors and a larger bathroom that features at least two showers. They would also like to have two sets of washing machines and dryers, so that one can be used for contaminated clothes and the other for their daily items.
To learn more about the fire station relocation, visit the City of Ames website.