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'Bark in the Park' Raises Alzheimer's Awareness
Andrews Pushes For A New Fire Station, Current Station Can't House Equipment 9/17/12
Felicia Bolton
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
September 17, 2012
ANDREWS, TX- A new fire station is coming to Andrews bringing much relief to first responders.
Firemen battle the flames head on each day. Now the city of Andrews is making it their mission, to build a new fire station for these fire responders.
Andrews firefighters risk their lives to protect citizens on a moments notice. Now their current station is less than adequate and unable to house the valuable resources that they need.
"That’s our main thing. We've just outgrown this station tremendously. So we’re needing to get a larger station, where we can get everything in house and not keep everything, [such as] fire trucks parked outside or at separate buildings, where we have to go back and forth again, " said Andrews Fire Chief Joe Harper.
Much needed relief is on the way. The city of Andrews is building a new fire station that’s about 10 to 12 thousand square feet; which will provide enough room for all fire equipment and a place to train new firemen.
Firefighters say the new location will be an asset as well.
"I think the location, that we've picked out is going to help our responses a lot better. Most of our stuff [fires] is either west or south. And then with the new bypass coming in, we'll be able to take that bypass and have a quicker response out on the highways. I just think it’s going to be a lot better for us," said Harper.
Andrews city officials are currently in the design phase of the station, by taking building proposals and preparing to spend around $800,000 for the new building.
"The city council blessed a process, where it's going to be a design bid process. We’ll actually have a contractor do both the design work and the construction of the new fire station and then have an engineer over see that work," stated Andrews City Manager Glen Hackler.
Officials say this new station will give these everyday heroes much needed space to better protect their community.
They say they will receive design proposals until the end of the month and expect to award the bid by November.