Patterson's new building means new opportunities

More space, better parking and updated amenities are just some of the reasons that members of the Patterson Fire Department are glad to have a new home. They also realize that many windows of opportunity have been opened.

“Having this extra space will help us and our community in so many ways,” Patterson Fire Chief Reggie Ford said. “It will help us with our response time and give us a chance to expand the services we provide. It also is much safer because there is space to pull the equipment through the bay areas.”

Members of the department moved into a brand new, 9,000-square-foot building April 4. The building, located across the street from the previous department, is on land donated by the Omni Division of Sealed Air. Since there are no construction grants available, Ford said the building is being financed.

Ford noted that department members looked into the possibility of moving closer to U.S. 321. But by staying where they did, the district lines remained the same and the department is still centrally located in its 64-square-mile zone. Patterson Fire Department covers the Patterson and Happy Valley areas, as well as U.S. 321 North of the Valmead area.

Since the department started in the 1957, staff and volunteers have operated from a 3,400-square-foot building located next to the Patterson Post Office. Ford said there was room for approximately six vehicles in the parking lot, and little storage space. He said that when all of the trucks were in the station, they literally rested against each other to fit in the bay. There also was no room for the firefighters to store their turnout gear next to the trucks, and many times firefighters would have to move one truck out of the way to get to another.

Now, Ford said there is plenty of space for everything and even more room to grow.

“We have been talking for six years or more about building a new department because we outgrew the other building nearly 10 years ago,” Ford said. “We appreciate all of the support the community has given us through this project.”

Equipped with offices, a full kitchen, large meeting room and lots of storage, Ford said the new building is more than he hoped for. He said there are eight bays, which is enough room to add three additional trucks to the fleet. The bay doors are 14 feet tall instead of 10 feet, which means the department no longer has to restrict the height of its equipment.

The upstairs common area has room to add bunks should the department start having 24-hour coverage, though Ford said he thinks that is still a few years away. Ford also said there is plenty of space for indoor training in inclement weather, and a new de-con bath area gives firefighters a chance to freshen up before returning home.

Ford said the building is equipped with 30 parking spaces, and all department members have a locker for their turnout gear.

“This building is long overdue,” Ford said. “We have had to put a lot of projects on hold, but now we can move forward.”

In the coming months, Ford said he hopes to station someone at the department during the day five days of the week. Currently there is someone there Monday through Wednesday. The additional space for equipment also has Ford focused on earning the designation of light rescue. He said the technicians have been trained. Now they are focused on obtaining the necessary equipment. Ford said he hopes to accomplish both of these goals by the fall.

In the past two years, the department has received $100,000 in grant assistance to purchase new equipment, and Ford said that each item purchased was built with the new department in mind. That equipment, including a fill station to refill the air packs used by firefighters, is all brand new.

“We are really excited and can't wait to show the community our new home,” Ford said.

Community members will have a chance to see the new building Saturday, May 3 between 4 and 7 p.m. Ford said people can stop by during that time for tours of the building and to see the equipment. While no official program is planned, Ford said light refreshments will be available.

“We welcome people to stop by any time, but we wanted to designate a special day as our open house,” Ford said. “We look forward to talking with our community about our future goals.”

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