Construction of the new Fire Hall #1 is largely complete and should be up and running by the end of this month when fire suppression crews and equipment are expected to have moved into the new building, the City said Wednesday.
Located on Massey Drive next to the Family Y, and marked by a graceful swoop of its rooftop profile, the $17-million structure replaces the fire hall next to city hall. At more than 60 years old, it is no longer able to meet current standards as a fire and rescue facility, according to the City.
The new location also means firefighters can respond to a great number of calls within an eight-minute response time, considered the critical window for preventing fires from spreading beyond a single room.
“The building design itself will also serve to improve response times," said Prince George Fire Rescue Chief John Iverson. "Fire Rescue crews’ workspaces and living quarters are located in close proximity to the fire apparatus. This means that when the fire alarm rings, the firefighters are able to quickly access their gear, board the fire trucks, and leave the building.
“The new fire hall is able to house modern firefighting equipment and is built to modern, post-disaster standards, which is essential for the City’s main fire hall and emergency operations hub. The facility will also improve our ability to protect our firefighters with upgraded industrial hygiene and decontamination technology.”
Landscaping at the new facility is expected to be completed by the end of the summer of 2021. The fire operations communications centre and dispatch is scheduled to be operational in the facility by the fall.
In 2018, voters approved a proposal to borrow $15 million for construction of the building. The project went $2 million over budget as an additional 5,000 square feet was added, raising the total to 26,000 square feet, to provide more room for such things as the fire dispatch centre to additional space in the mechanical room.
In 2018, the City appointed HCMA Architecture + Design of Vancouver and an engineering design team led by L&M Engineering of Prince George to design the replacement Fire Hall #1. A local company, IDL Projects, served as the general contractor. In all, more than 250 people were employed during the construction of the new fire hall.
“Council is pleased that emergency services in Prince George are taking such a significant step forward with the completion of this important, state-of-the-art facility, which will enhance public health and safety in our City ” said Mayor Lyn Hall. “We would like to thank City staff, the design team, and construction crews for their hard work on this impressive new building, which will be serving our community for many years to come.”
City council will receive a report on the new hall during the January 11 regular meeting.
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