The Jefferson City Fire Department is in the planning stages for Fire Station No. 6 after the department submitted architectural proposals for estimated costs of the new station.
The fire department has a twelve-year window to complete the building of the new station after the city made an agreement with St. Mary’s Hospital to utilize three acres of land next to the hospital for public safety use.
Fire Chief, Matthew Schofield said the land near the hospital is a good place for the new fire station if approved. He said the hospital is a place that the department wants to make sure has coverage when needed. Schofield says the department has “good access at that location to respond to areas all over the city, so that is a distinct advantage to that location.”
Additionally, the department wants to do a small remodel of Fire Station No. 4 and renovations of the rebuilding of Fire Station No. 2. The fire department has submitted proposals to architectural companies about the costs, time and infrastructure these changes to the stations will require. The department is waiting on the feedback from the architectural proposal that was recently submitted. Once received, the Jefferson City Fire Department will submit an official proposal to city council.
Fire Chief of Prevention, Jason Turner says before they submit the proposal, they want to make sure the requests are feasible. Turner says they “will continue to keep this project at discussion level, until the city decides on the best location and have secured funding.” Both Scofield and Turner say the project may be funded by the half-cent sales tax if approved.