April 17, 2009

Arlington Opens New $1.3 Million Fire Station
Community Celebration is Saturday, April 25

On Saturday, April 25, the City of Arlington will celebrate the grand re-opening of Fire Station No. 3. Festivities are set for 9:30 a.m. to noon at 1820 S. Fielder Road in Arlington.

Dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony will start at 10 a.m. when Arlington City Council members board a fire truck and drive through fire line tape to symbolize the completion of $1.3 million in improvements.

The celebration will also include tours, refreshments and public safety and neighborhood service exhibits. Parking is available at Fielder Road Baptist Church with free trolley services from 9:30 to noon.

According to Assistant Fire Chief Brian Riley, Fire Station No. 3 was originally built in the late 1950s. It was demolished in December 2007 to make way for the new 5,828 square-foot station, which is more than twice the size of the old one and includes a fitness room, community assistance room and six individual sleeping quarters.

“We invite the Arlington community to come out on Saturday, April 25, meet the men and women of the Arlington Fire Department and tour their neighborhood fire station,” Riley said.

Station No. 3 Highlights

Construction of the new facility began in late January 2008. The rebuild more than doubled the size of the station from 2,400 to 5,828 square feet. The new station has two drive-through engine bays, a fitness room, additional storage rooms, six individual sleeping quarters and two restroom facilities. A front entrance community service room is another feature. Three four-member crew shifts are assigned to this station and include one lieutenant, one apparatus operator and two firefighters.

What’s Next?

The rebuild of Fire Station No. 4 on W. Randol Mill Road is expected to be completed in June 2009. Arlington has 16 fire stations. In addition to the rebuilds of Fire Stations No. 3 and No. 4, renovations have also been completed at Fire Stations No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8. Fire station renovations were made possible by bond funds approved by voters in the 2003 Capital Improvement Program. For more information about the April 25 event, call the Arlington Fire Department at 817-459-5500.