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Fire Station and Training Facility Dedicated to Public Safety

Fredericton, NB (October 7, 2009) – Gleaming fire trucks, firefighters in uniform and the sounds of a firefighter-led pipe band served as the backdrop as dignitaries and senior city staff gathered to dedicate the City of Fredericton’s new Northside Fire Station and Firefighter Training Facility to public safety.

The ceremony, held on October 7, 2009 in the garage bay of the new station, was called to order by Fredericton’s Fire Chief Philip Toole. Following the playing of O Canada, there were official remarks from City of Fredericton deputy mayor, Bruce Grandy, Coun. Scott McConaghy, Chair of the City’s Public Safety & Environment Committee, and Stephen Outerbridge from Sperry and Partners Architects.

“This is an important day for public safety in Fredericton,” said Deputy Mayor Bruce Grandy. “The need for a new fire station on the north side was identified early in 2000, and through the efforts of many, this new fire station and firefighter training facility has become a reality.”

“Over 100 full-time and relief firefighters, inspection and administrative personnel work for the Fredericton Fire Department,” said Coun. McConaghy. “The department responded to more than 4,200 emergency and medical calls in 2008 and it is important that they have the equipment needed to protect residents.”

During the ceremony, the City honoured former fire chief, the late Harold Doherty, by naming the court that leads into the back of the station from Cliffe Street in his honour. Harold Doherty Court will serve as a reminder of Mr. Doherty’s career with Fredericton’s fire service.

Following a performance by the Fredericton Firefighter’s Pipe Band, Fire Chaplain Scott Wood dedicated both the new fire station and firefighter’s training facility to the use of fire and city staff in providing public safety to the community. The event concluded with a ceremonial “hose uncoupling.”

Fredericton’s new 21,290 square foot (1,977.84 square metres) state-of-the-art fire station is located on a 4.5 acre property at 500 Two Nations Crossing and includes fire apparatus bays, offices, classrooms, locker rooms and living quarters. It will become home to the City’s Emergency Operations Centre.

The four-storey firefighter training facility features two burn rooms with flames fuelled by propane, which produces non-toxic smoke. The building and related training pads can help firefighters train for a variety of scenarios related to residential and commercial structure fires. Public safety officials can also use the facility to train their emergency response teams.

The fire station was designed by Sperry and Partners Architects and was built by Simpson Construction. Plans for the pre-fabricated training facility were supplied by Fire Facilities Inc., and the parts were installed by Monteith Underground Services, Ltd. The total cost for both facilities was $10.2 million.

The public is invited to tour the fire station and firefighter’s training facility from 1-8 pm.

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Media contact: Bob Martin, Assistant Deputy Chief, Operations, Fredericton Fire Department, 460-2500.