[MARCH 20, 2006]
Trustees of the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection
District say the time is right to build a new facility. The proposed
site is on property already owned by the department and sits across
from McDonald's on the other side of Lincoln Parkway, next to the
Logan County Paramedic Association building on Postville Road
The trustees' decision was made as they evaluated increasing costs
and response time issues at the present site.
Factors in the decision-making process:
The department has
outgrown its current location.
The department
rents additional facilities at four locations to house vehicles
that need to be kept warm in the winter.
It takes time to
drive to those locations to get the equipment, adding about five
minutes to a call.
Rent at the
firehouse continues to increase.
To build and to
rent additional area around the facility would prove more
costly.
Increasing traffic
on Woodlawn Road also cuts into response time.
Increasing traffic
on Woodlawn Road holds potential for accidents while rigs are
backed into bays on return from calls. There have been near
misses.
New location and firehouse:
All fire equipment
would be available in one location.
(Except for a truck that will be kept at Broadwell to afford
quick response by volunteers serving that area.)
Location next to
the paramedic building allows immediate EMT pickup and improves
third-call ambulance response time.
Street exits
directly onto Lincoln Parkway, avoids Woodlawn Road traffic,
saving time.
The new site's
parking design allows excellent traffic flow going out and safe
off-street return to bays.
The trustees went out for bids and received four. Only one bid
met specs, and the design from LZT Associates of Peoria was chosen.
The company has extensive experience building fire stations and
similar public service buildings in Illinois. Former Lincolnite
David J. Henebry, who has extensive energy and environmental
training, headed the design project.
The biggest advantage to the new firehouse is the seven new bays
that would house all the fire equipment.
It has a seven-bed dorm for males and a separated two-bed dorm
for females.
A kitchen, dining, day room and small workout area would finish
out the living area for on-duty firefighters.
Personnel operating the 911 center would have a little more elbow
room than in the current closet-sized room used now.
A 30-35-person meeting room for training would be added.
The living and office area would comprise 6,715 square feet. The
garage area would be 4,536 square feet.
The facility would use three zoned furnaces. Radiant heat would
be used in the garages.
A concrete driveway would surround the facility. A gravel lot
would be available for general parking.
The company includes living quarters equipment that could be less
costly purchased through them -- specialized furnishings such as
lockers. Some of those options will still be evaluated.
The trustees scrutinized the design, looking for possible cost
reductions, using caution not to compromise long-lasting quality of
the building, which is estimated to last for 75 years. For example
they decided to hold back on decorative veneer brick and go with
only three courses or 3 to 4 feet of brick around the living
quarters at the front entry of the steel building. The final costs
were less per square foot than other like buildings built by LZT.
The total estimate for building and equipment is estimated at
$1.1 million. The bond issue request is for $1.3 million.
If the referendum passes, groundbreaking could take place as soon
as May, with an estimated December 2006 completion date.
