Warner Robins fire station celebrates opening
The Warner Robins Fire Department held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its newest station, No. 8.
The department will be first responders to 3,297 properties and back-up responders to another 3,533, according to a chart displayed at the station.
Last year, the department responded to more than 5,700 calls.
Between 1999 and 2013, the Warner Robins Fire Department nearly doubled the amount of square miles it covered, keeping up with a population that has grown from 48,000 in 1999 to more than 70,000 by 2013.
“There are over 6,000 properties we can respond to with this station,” Chief Robert Singletary said.
With the addition of the new station, at 91 Cartwright Road, Bonaire, Deputy Chief Russ Mouton hopes that homeowners and businesses will also benefit from an Insurance Service Office rate drop.
The department staff has grown from 111 employees to 123, according to Moulton, who added there hasn’t been a staff increase in many years.
“We’re going to be able to provide faster service,” he said.
Instead of a ribbon cutting, the opening of the station was kicked off by uncoupling the ceremonial fire hose.
During the presentation, Moulton thanked the many people who made the new fire station possible.
“This was certainly a team effort,” he said.
Firefighters helped to lay the sod and plant the trees at the 3.7-acre site, which includes a retention pond.
The station was built with all of the amenities of home for the firefighters, who spend their nights there.
“It looks like a home with a really big garage,” Moulton said.
Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms remarked the station was one of the finest he has seen.
“This is just an incredible project,” Toms said.
Former city employee Jim Kovac, who served in the public works department for 35 years, was made an honorary firefighter by Singletary and Moulton, complete with a firefighter’s hat.
This story was originally published August 11, 2015 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Warner Robins fire station celebrates opening ."