By james art FORT MADISON, Iowa. (KHQA) — Fort Madison could be looking for a new fire station in the near future. Since the current one has been in service since 1959, those at the station believe it is time for an upgrade.
Lee County’s November ballot will ask voters whether the Fort Madison Fire Department should get a bond or grant money, not to exceed $12 million, to design and build a new fire station. According to Fire Chief Joey Herren, the money will come primarily from a federal USDA grant.
“We have to make the equipment durable because of the cost here. So that’s one of the main reasons and the building, we’ve outgrown it for the daytime response that we have to do,” Herren said.
A new station will allow them to keep more equipment inside and ready to go, allowing for faster response times. This would have a big impact on a station that does over 1,800 launches a year.
Meanwhile, firefighter Justin Kane believes a new station will have an impact on protecting firefighters from cancer risks.
“I think for a lot of young guys coming into the fire service, it’s kind of in the back of our minds, all the cancer stuff. And a station that prevents that and does its best to keep its firefighters safe is huge for young people and wanting to be in the fire service and have a good, healthy career,” Cain said.
Kane mentioned the firehouse itself as one of the main ways that occupational cancers can occur, along with going out on calls and without gear.
“This station has no separation between living and working areas. So the apparatus compartment here is exposed to all these gases and equipment,” Kane said.
Chief Herren hopes they can keep the cost under $12 million if enough people vote yes on the ballot.