Champlain Fire District presents plan for new fire station

CHAMPLAIN | Community here will weigh in on a plan to build a new fire station with a referendum vote on May 16. Two public information sessions are set to field questions about the design, location and benefits to public safety, which include improved ingress and egress and adequate space to keep all of Champlain's firefighting equipment in one location. The project has been in the works for several years. Plans for a new station in 2019 came in with bids 25 percent over budget. And the COVID pandemic waylaid efforts to revisit the design. The Champlain Fire District moved forward in 2021 when they purchased and fully paid for a new site near the intersection of State Routes 9 and 11, south of a pharmacy. The vacant lot is accessible with room to create immediate access for fire and emergency response vehicles. In 2022, Champlain Fire District commissioners hired Wiemann Lamphere Architects to design and prepare site plans for a new station at the Rtes. 11 and 9 site. Total project costs are proposed at $6,950,000. Reserve funds would reduce the amount to $6,735,000. The project is secured with a USDA loan offer at 3.5 percent interest over 30 years, according to fire district reports. The proposed tax increase would be $1.096 per thousand dollars of real property value, or $109.60 per year for a home valued at $100,000, a cost of about $9.13 per month. The new fire station would be built to last, with mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems that meet current fire department code requirements and energy efficiency standards. According to a recent district report, the new station provides good clearance between all of the fire company's vehicles, allowing firefighters to enter and exit apparatus safely. The new station would have a drive-through vehicle bay to support vehicle and equipment maintenance. Room in the new fire station provides for storage of all gear and equipment on site. It includes a decontamination room and shower area for firefighter health and safety, and proper care of bunker gear. The new station would have a standby readiness and dispatch room. In addition, the lot is designed to accommodate 55 vehicles. The station would have a kitchen and multi-purpose room for community use and fundraisers. "It meets the needs of the fire district and current standards for fire stations," commissioners said in the newsletter. "It is more centrally located with good access and egress." Currently, Champlain Fire District and Niagara Hose Co. #1 have equipment stored in various locations in town, including an Oak Street storage garage with two bays that adds $8,500 per year in cost for rent and utilities. Deterioration of the current fire station structure includes rust on the steel "butler" building, which was constructed 37 years ago. Ceiling panels are damaged due to water leaks. And makeshift storage areas for files and tools are congested, making access difficult. New York residents rely heavily on their volunteer firefighters. The hours they spend in response to fire and public safety represents enormous cost savings to taxpayers. But volunteer fire companies are working overtime to grow fire department ranks. And new stations have proven to be an asset in firefighter recruitment, with central locations for training and space on-site for equipment storage. The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) just published a new report last month that outlines tax savings generated by volunteer fire personnel who serve public safety without being paid. "Of the state's 1,640 fire departments, 94.5 percent are all-volunteer or mostly volunteer," FASNY's report said. If all firefighters in the state became paid positions, the average tax rate in New York would go up by 28 percent. If Clinton County had to hire a paid force to fight fires, it would need to hire 431 more fire personnel. Taxes would go up 105.1 percent. "Volunteer firefighters reduce municipal government expenses by eliminating the need to pay for career firefighter wages, benefits and related costs. Volunteer organizations engage in extensive fundraising, which avoids tax levies for purchasing, maintaining, and operating firefighting equipment," FASNY's report said. Currently, volunteer firefighters save New York taxpayers $3.8 billion in salaries and benefits alone. The public referendum vote on the new Champlain Fire Station will be held on May 16 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the station on 162 Elm St.

Signup for our newsletter

Champlain Fire District presents plan for new fire station

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS