BROOKINGS The year was 1960. Elvis was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, John F. Kennedy was elected president, and the Brookings Fire Departments Main Fire Station was built.
And at 65 years old, its time to retire the current downtown station.
Unfortunately, it is outdated and no longer meets the operational, health and safety needs of a modern fire service, said Fire Chief Troy Hughes, who is helping lead the effort to build a new facility downtown.
Hughes invites the public to attend an open house on Sept. 27 to learn about plans for the new station. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the existing main fire station on the south end of the Brookings Public Safety Center at 307 Third Ave.
No formal program will take place; people are welcome to come and go as their schedules allow. Hughes and other firefighters will be on hand to chat about the need to replace the current station and show preliminary plans for the new facility.
The preferred location for the new station is on the city-owned property just west of the existing site.
The proposed location west of the current station is ideal because it allows continuity of service during construction of the new facility, Hughes said. It also ensures continued fire protection services for downtown and the northwest part of the city.
The new station will be designed for health, safety, storage, training, and long-term adaptability.
Hughes said a new downtown fire station is essential for the future of public safety in Brookings. Our growing community needs and deserves this, he said.
While planning is in the early stages, Hughes hopes the project can be bid next spring depending on the sites suitability.
On Sept. 9, the City Council unanimously approved a budget amendment allocating $100,000 from general fund reserves for engineering and soil testing at the proposed site.
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