The Lincoln Fire Protection District is taking a major step forward in improving emergency response times and firefighter safety by building a new fire station.
Deputy Chief Fred Reynolds, who has served with the department for 31 years, expressed excitement about the project, calling it a "sense of pride." He shared the new station's benefits, including faster response times and improved quality of health for the department's firefighters.
“This brand-new fire station is going to have a laundry facility in it that we can wash our fire gear,” Reynolds said. “We are exposed to numerous products of combustion that cause cancer illness, we are 250 times more likely to come up with occupational illnesses like cancer due to these exposures.”
The new station will replace Station 3 on Old State Road. The new building is located on Odd Fellow Road and is designed to accommodate the department’s growing needs. District Chief Kevin Rankin noted that fire trucks are getting bigger, and the current station is landlocked.
“This new station will take us from a two-bay facility to five bays, giving us much-needed space for equipment and growth,” Rankin said. “And importantly, we’re doing this without increasing taxes.”
Covering 125 square miles with a roster of 50 personnel, the Lincoln Fire Protection District serves a large rural community and provides mutual aid across the county. The new facility will also offer expanded training space, enhancing firefighter readiness and safety.
"We're going to move forward in our raining and our operations to provide those services to the community that we believe our stakeholders deserve," said Deputy Chief Reynolds.
Community members have rallied behind the project, attending fundraisers and public events to show their support. The fire district remains committed to moving forward with improvements that prioritize both firefighter and public safety.
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