New fire hall on track to open this summer
Residents of northwest Airdrie are eagerly watching the construction of a new fire hall on Veteran’s Boulevard. The hall is being constructed at a cost of $5.9 million and so far it’s on budget.
Members of municipal council and Airdrie media had a sneak peek at the new facility which should ready to roll by July at the latest.
The crew that will occupy the new fire hall is currently working out of the hall on Main Street which was constructed in 1979. Emergency responders and ambulances from Alberta Health Services will also move into the hall providing faster service for Airdrie residents on the north side of the city.
A spokesperson for the Airdrie Fire Department says the transition will be smooth with no disruption to what they say is a quick, four-minute response time. Garth Rabel, deputy chief says his department will be doing some test runs including what they call “chute” times. Currently, a crew can leave what they’re doing in the hall, whether it’s exercising, dining or even sleeping and be in the trucks ready to go in a whopping 80 seconds.
In order to expedite a truck’s exit from the new fire hall, new traffic lights will be installed right at the station entrance on Veterans Boulevard. The light will be activated by the crew, stopping the east/west traffic on Veterans Boulevard to allow a swift and safe departure. Because the building is in a residential area, it was architecturally designed to fit into the neighbourhood. The station will be equipped with new technology, including a back-up generator to mitigate power outages. The emergency power system will be tested monthly.
Inside, the modern building will have parking bays for emergency vehicles, dormitories for personnel, a kitchen, a fitness room and a board room for crew meetings. There will be space for administration offices for senior officials and for Alberta Health Services staff.
When the new fire hall is completely operational, the fire hall currently on Main Street will close. The City of Airdrie has not yet announced what will be done with the property.
Airdrie’s Proud Firefighting History
Airdrie’s first organized fire department began in 1960 with a volunteer brigade and one truck purchased from the Saskatoon department for $8,300. By 1979, Airdrie’s population had grown to 3,879 souls and Airdrie Emergency Services moved into the facility on Main Street. One year late, in 1980, an ambulance was purchased. The force had grown to eight paid firefighters with nearly 30 trained volunteers on call, utilized right up until the early 2000s. Rapid growth saw the opening of a second location on East Lake Blvd, although this location was supposed to be temporary.
The Airdrie Fire Department was unionized in 2009. One year later, Alberta Health Services relieved the fire fighters from medical duties, providing emergency medical response for the city.
In 2011, the city opened its first dedicated fire station in Kingsview Blvd, followed by the Chinook Winds station the following year.
The AFD now with 64 full-time personnel serves Airdrie’s 47,000 residents.