Southwest Columbia was projected to need a new fire station 20 years ago. It's now open
When Matt Pitzer originally ran for the Columbia City Council in 2017, one of his campaign goals was the eventual opening of a new fire station in southwest Columbia. The groundwork was laid when he was on the council, and even though he stepped down from the council in April, he saw his goal officially become a reality Tuesday with the grand opening of Columbia Fire Department Station 11.
"I am really grateful this day is finally here. It took a minute to get here, but this station is really critical to serving all of the residents who live in the southwest part of town," Pitzer said. "When I ran that was the case and all throughout my tenure in city council. I am glad I was able to push this project forward and advance it.
"I am even happier I am standing here today and we are opening the site."
Department projections for a southwest Columbia station date back upward of 20 years, said former Columbia Fire Chief Randy White.
"When I was first starting at the fire department, I was working on some programs that allowed us to figure out where we needed a station, and this south end of town was on the agenda then. We knew we were going to need one down here and it is great to finally see it happen," he said.
White took part in a ceremonial housing of a fire apparatus into station 11, though he let current staff take the lead as they pushed the truck into one of the three apparatus bays, with a little assistance from a person in the driver's seat.
"(The truck housing) is a tradition we have had for a long time. ... It is one of those traditions that everyone who was here and pushed that truck in will talk about it through their whole careers. It is one of those time-honored traditions people want to be involved in, expecially firefighters," he said.
The new 10,000-square-foot station at 6909 S. Scott Blvd. features the three apparatus bays and all 12 staff are now hired who will run the station. Other features of the station include bedrooms, a common area with seating and kitchen, bathrooms with showers, offices and a Columbia police substation.
The station also has various energy efficiency upgrades, such as ground-source heating and cooling and will have solar panels installed on the roof in coming days. A new fire apparatus for use at the station is expected to arrive by next year.
Up until the construction of station 11, fire calls in southwest Columbia were responded to by stations 6 and 7 on Chapel Hill Road and Green Meadows Road, respectively, said Fire Chief Clayton Farr Jr. Response times from these stations were upward of 10 minutes, he said.
"(This new station) will allow fire, rescue, hazardous materials and medical emergency services to be delivered to many more of our citizen customers within our target goal of four minutes. Homeowners, apartment complexes, office and business owners should also expect an immediate improvement in their insurance ratings," Farr said.
While the project outlasted Pitzer's time on the council, it is facility that will far outlast all of us, he said. The station shows that the city is committed to the protection of homes in the Fifth Ward, said council member Don Waterman, Pitzer's successor.
"This shows we are prioritizing investment in public safety," Waterman said.
With the the support of residents, the 1/4-cent capital improvement sales tax and city leaders, the station would not be a reality, said Columbia City Manager De'Carlon Seewood.
"This will be a great station for this neighborhood and for the community," he said.
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe took time in her remarks to recognize city staff for their work to make the station a reality.
"It takes an army of people to do a capital project and so much more. Teams of people work on these projects to lead us to today," she said, recognizing former and current public works directors Dave Nichols and Shane Creech, respectively; former fire chiefs Andy Woody and White, current Chief Farr; former and current city manager John Glascock and Seewood, respectively; and all current fire department staff.
"Their commitment to respond within minutes of the call is something we hold dear," she said.
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia leaders celebrate opening of new southwest city fire station
