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1 March 2024
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Hutchinson Fire Department Opens New $5.3M Fire Station 1, US
The Hutchinson Fire Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, 15 June 2023, for its new $5,3 million Fire Station 1. The existing Fire Station #1 had outgrown its capabilities, leaving it undersized and outdated. “The new Fire Station #1 is a state-of-the-art facility designed to optimise efficiency and prioritise firefighter safety. With special attention to containing potential carcinogens, we implemented advanced measures to safeguard the well-being of our firefighters.”
The new facility replaces a 1950s building that was converted to a fire station and is focused on decreasing the risk of cancer for firefighters by incorporating separate gear storage and decontamination areas to clean contaminated gear and equipment, keeping it away from the living area of the firefighters while they are on duty.
"What a great day for the city of Hutch, our citizens and our HFD family that we have here," Hutchinson Fire Chief Steven Beer said. "I always talked about pride in ownership and all you got to do is look at this wonderful building here and you talk about pride in ownership, this building was built on pride in ownership."
"If you look at the old station at Avenue B and just off of Main Street, you'll see a lot of similarities to how they tie that old architecture, the colours and they tied it into what's going on at the State Fair here at the State Fairgrounds," Chief Beer said. "This is a 100-year building. A 100-year building and so we're proud to have it. We're proud to be here and we we're very thankful for that."
Chief Beer also thanked the Hutchinson Fire Department for doing their part to clean and maintain the new Fire Station 1 prior to opening and the Battalion Chiefs for their involvement.
According to Chief Beer, Fire Station 1 is going to put in a lot of work. "I talked about the station being the busiest in Hutchinson. We just responded just under 7 000 runs last year in the City of Hutchinson at Fire District 2," Beer said. "This station was built by the data that we collect, and this organisation is very data-driven. The station is a game changer for the City of Hutchinson."
Hutchinson Fire Department did risk assessments on every single commercial structure in the city of Hutchinson. Over 2 800 buildings had a risk assessment done to it. Every building is rated by an extreme hazard, a high hazard, a moderate hazard and a low hazard.
Chief Beer said it made sense for the fire department to bring the ladder truck to Fire Station 1 to take on secondary calls according to data. "Our response times were horrendous before, with a ladder truck. If we had a fire west of Main Street, it took over 10 minutes to get that truck on scene typically," Beer said. "That's unacceptable in this day and age. With the truck up here right now, it's a game changer for the City of Hutch and our response times will definitely improve."
The new facility is focused on decreasing the risk of cancer for firefighters by incorporating separate gear storage and decontamination areas to clean contaminated gear and equipment, keeping it away from non-designated areas and the firefighters while they are on duty.
"Cancer is the highest rating thing in the fire service for our firefighters. The average firefighter lives ten years less than the average population," Chief Beer said. "We are at risk of 22 different cancers compared to the average public." Additionally, there is quiet room for studies, a semi-open floor plan for lodging fire crews, recreation and relaxation room, a gym, which is still acquiring equipment, and an oxygen supply room to fuel the O2 tanks that firefighters use to do their job with as clean air as possible.
Chief Beer said he is particularly proud of the fact that all of the fire stations in Hutchinson can successfully house female firefighters.
Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh said Fire Station 1 will house eight-member teams for three shifts.
There is also going to be a little museum area. It already features a brass pole from the old fire station on Avenue B and Main. The top of that pole can be seen from the tower attached to the new Fire Station 1.
Fire Station 1 houses the Battalion Chief's truck, engine, ladder, tender and brush response units.
Sources: Hutchinson Fire Department, The Hutch Post
The new facility replaces a 1950s building that was converted to a fire station and is focused on decreasing the risk of cancer for firefighters by incorporating separate gear storage and decontamination areas to clean contaminated gear and equipment, keeping it away from the living area of the firefighters while they are on duty.
"What a great day for the city of Hutch, our citizens and our HFD family that we have here," Hutchinson Fire Chief Steven Beer said. "I always talked about pride in ownership and all you got to do is look at this wonderful building here and you talk about pride in ownership, this building was built on pride in ownership."
"If you look at the old station at Avenue B and just off of Main Street, you'll see a lot of similarities to how they tie that old architecture, the colours and they tied it into what's going on at the State Fair here at the State Fairgrounds," Chief Beer said. "This is a 100-year building. A 100-year building and so we're proud to have it. We're proud to be here and we we're very thankful for that."
Chief Beer also thanked the Hutchinson Fire Department for doing their part to clean and maintain the new Fire Station 1 prior to opening and the Battalion Chiefs for their involvement.
According to Chief Beer, Fire Station 1 is going to put in a lot of work. "I talked about the station being the busiest in Hutchinson. We just responded just under 7 000 runs last year in the City of Hutchinson at Fire District 2," Beer said. "This station was built by the data that we collect, and this organisation is very data-driven. The station is a game changer for the City of Hutchinson."
Hutchinson Fire Department did risk assessments on every single commercial structure in the city of Hutchinson. Over 2 800 buildings had a risk assessment done to it. Every building is rated by an extreme hazard, a high hazard, a moderate hazard and a low hazard.
Chief Beer said it made sense for the fire department to bring the ladder truck to Fire Station 1 to take on secondary calls according to data. "Our response times were horrendous before, with a ladder truck. If we had a fire west of Main Street, it took over 10 minutes to get that truck on scene typically," Beer said. "That's unacceptable in this day and age. With the truck up here right now, it's a game changer for the City of Hutch and our response times will definitely improve."
The new facility is focused on decreasing the risk of cancer for firefighters by incorporating separate gear storage and decontamination areas to clean contaminated gear and equipment, keeping it away from non-designated areas and the firefighters while they are on duty.
"Cancer is the highest rating thing in the fire service for our firefighters. The average firefighter lives ten years less than the average population," Chief Beer said. "We are at risk of 22 different cancers compared to the average public." Additionally, there is quiet room for studies, a semi-open floor plan for lodging fire crews, recreation and relaxation room, a gym, which is still acquiring equipment, and an oxygen supply room to fuel the O2 tanks that firefighters use to do their job with as clean air as possible.
Chief Beer said he is particularly proud of the fact that all of the fire stations in Hutchinson can successfully house female firefighters.
Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh said Fire Station 1 will house eight-member teams for three shifts.
There is also going to be a little museum area. It already features a brass pole from the old fire station on Avenue B and Main. The top of that pole can be seen from the tower attached to the new Fire Station 1.
Fire Station 1 houses the Battalion Chief's truck, engine, ladder, tender and brush response units.
Sources: Hutchinson Fire Department, The Hutch Post
