HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 11-14 Maplewood to have largest fire department THE REVIEW 'Maplewood to
have largest
fire departrrpoi
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Maplewood will have the largest
volunteer fire department in Minnesota
when the new fire station is completed
and staffed.
Voters approved a 5570,000 bond issue
on Nov.6 giving the city permission to
build the fire station at the corner of
Londin Lane and Lower Afton Road in the
southern portion of the community by
1,334 to 968.
THERE ARE approximately 150
volunteer fire fighters manning the city's
four fire stations.When the new building
is staffed, the volunteer force will in-
crease to 170,Fire Marshal Al Schadt
said.
Bloomington is the city's nearest
competitor for the size honors.That city
has six fire stations but a smaller staff,
Schadt explained.
The new station will be manned by
volunteers from the East County Line
Department,which has a staff of 42.East
County Line will recruit about 20 more
volunteers to staff the new facility.
It takes the East County Line six to
eight minutes to get its emergency
vehicles from its station at 1177 N.Cen-
tury Ave.,to the southern areas of the
city. The response time from the new
station is expected to be three to five
minutes.
Schadt said he will discuss hiring an
architectural firm for the new station at
the Thursday,Nov. 16 Maplewood city
council meeting.
He expects construction on the new
building to begin in March or April.Of the
5570,000 approved in the bond issue,it is
anticipated that construction costs will be
$450,000. Site improvement and ar-
chitectural,engineering and bond costs
will make up the difference.