Renovation under way on the East Hoquiam Fire Station will streamline operations for the department and better provide services to the public, according to Hoquiam Fire Chief Paul Dean.
Work on the station, located at 517 Ontario St., began in early June and is projected to be finished by mid-November. The renovation was made possible by a $900,000 Community Development Block Grant provided to the department.
Block grant programs are run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are meant to fund local community development, affordable housing and infrastructure development, among other things.
The grant money was split, with $750,000 used for remodeling the station and $150,000 set aside to purchase one new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), a device worn by firefighters that provides breathable air when fighting fires.
“That was a great asset in itself,” said Dean, referring to the SCBA. “Our equipment was getting really old and inadequate.”
Aside from the new piece of equipment, renovating the station will also mean that firefighters will be able to be on both the west and east sides of the Hoquiam River when the Simpson Avenue Bridge goes up, allowing them to more effectively respond to calls.
When the renovation is complete, five on-duty firefighters will work from the main station on the west side of the river at 628 8th St., while two will be housed at the new location.
Another benefit of the renovation is the installment of a housing bay for the department’s foam tender truck.
The truck was supplied to the department by Westway Terminals, which stores methanol, a highly flammable chemical, less than a mile from the east station.
In the event of a fire at Westway, firefighters could respond much quicker from the new station than they could from their westside location.
“When the Simpson Avenue Bridge is up, no one can respond, especially during the fishing season and summer boating. That’s why we have the station over here,” said Dean.
A fire engine and ambulance will be stored at the east station alongside the foam tender truck when the renovation is complete.
On top of being beneficial in terms of safety, the new location will also save taxpayers money, Chief Dean said.
Before the renovation, the department needed to buy shorter fire trucks in order for them to fit into the available housing space at the east station. These trucks were more expensive due to their custom length. The newly redone station provides housing bays that can fit regulation-sized fire trucks.
“It was a win-win for everybody. The industries on this side of town have a foam tender that’s closer to their facilities, the firefighters have a nicer station and there are no extra taxes put on the citizens,” said Dean.
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