LFR celebrates new fire station in south Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The City of Lincoln and Lincoln Fire & Rescue celebrated the opening of a new fire station in south Lincoln on Thursday.

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Chief Dave Engler hosted an opening ceremony for Station 8, which is located on 17th and Van Dorn streets.

The $11.5 million station replaces a station that was built on the same site in 1958, and will begin service on Monday.

“This new station represents our commitment to ensuring that our team at LFR has the facilities, tools, and resources they need to perform their lifesaving work for Lincoln families,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “Designed to support the evolving needs of our first responders and residents, this new station improves LFR response times, supports the health and well-being of our LFR team members, and advances our goal to make Lincoln the safest and healthiest capital city in America.”

The new station houses 10 firefighters and four apparatus bays, which will hold one engine, one truck and one ambulance.

Features of the 16,000 square foot station include:

• A facility layout that ensures firefighters quickly and safely get to the apparatus, leading to quicker response times to emergencies
• Larger, drive-through bays that eliminate the need to back in vehicles and an additional bay to house specialized equipment
• Individual sleeping quarters to support a modern workforce and the wellbeing of LFR personnel
• LED lighting throughout the station with motion detectors and dimmers that conserve energy
• Separate ventilation systems for living areas and equipment storage areas to prevent carcinogens from spreading throughout the station, decontamination showers for crews, and equipment decontamination areas
• A backup power generator to ensure emergency services are not affected during power outages
• Infrastructure for future electric-powered fire apparatus

Chief Engler said upgrades to this specific station are important because Station 8 has historically been one of the busiest in the city, with more than 9,000 responses annually.

“A fire station is more than just bricks and mortar. Fire stations are part of our neighborhoods and are a testament to the city’s commitment to safety and service,” Engler said. “Station 8 will keep our firefighters safe and healthy, and our community safe and healthy, far into the future.”