[FEB. 27, 2006]
Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District trustees
Lynn Haseley, Everett Kennett and Robert Pharis say it is time to
build a new firehouse.
They have put a $1.3 million bond issue on the March 21 primary
ballot for the voters of the four townships in the district to
decide.
Who is affected by this?
The Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District is one of largest in
Illinois, covering 140 square miles. They serve four townships:
Chester, East Lincoln, West Lincoln and Broadwell.
These townships include the communities of Lawndale and Broadwell.
The fire district provides protection to homes in numerous
subdivisions in the 12-by-12-mile territory that includes Lincoln
Lakes, the Elks Country Club, Illini Drive, Chautauqua, Forest
Hills, Oakwood, Westville, Grand Oaks, Morningside, Flamingo
Heights, Leeland Acres, Miller Smith, Burton View, Airport Road,
Home Avenue, Legends and Epperson, Sunny Acres, which has 100 houses
and the highest saturation of homes, with a house every 56 feet.
What makes the timing right?
1. The department currently has equipment at four different
locations because the current site does not support all the vehicle
needs nor does it offer adequate space for all the vehicles.
2. The property for the firehouse has already been purchased. It
is right next to the Logan County Paramedic Association site on
Postville Road. The location affords several benefits that will be
discussed in more detail in a later article.
Most importantly here, firefighters would be able to walk out
their back door and spend only 10 seconds for pickup when they
assist the paramedics on third call, rather than the minutes it
takes to go by the firehouse now.
3. The new location would provide adequate space to build a
facility that would house all trucks needing warmth in winter, as
well as supply sufficient parking for all the task-oriented vehicles
that the department uses.
At the new location a responder would be able to go right out and
get in the appropriate vehicle, saving precious minutes, Chief Dean
Kukuck said.
4. The current 10-year lease on the main firehouse is up for
renewal in 2009. There is enough time remaining on the current lease
to build the new facility, Haseley said.
5. The department is paying $1,130 rent per month on all sites
combined to house vehicles.
The trustees strongly believe that the timing is right and it is
important to get the new firehouse built on property that was
purchased to do that.
The Kiwanis will hear the proposal at 11:30 a.m. at China Buffet
on Feb. 28.
A presentation will be taped this week to air on CITV.
