The Fisher Ferry fire district is getting a new fire station at 4423 Lee Road. Friday morning was the ground breaking.

The current fire station across the street, Fisher Ferry Volunteer Fire Department Station 2, has limited space and needs room to fit a standard sized fire truck.

“With the old station we were limited on height and size of a fire truck we could put in there,” Chief Bobby Rufus said. “Newer trucks are getting bigger, taller and we couldn’t stage one over here.”

Not only will there be enough room to house an appropriate size truck, but they will also have room for the fire fighters to be comfortable.

The old station was bare and no one spent any time there, but the new station will have restrooms, offices, meeting room and space to relax during their downtime.

The new station will be more convenient as well as more efficient with the members likely already at the station when a call comes in.

“Any time you’re dealing with fire, time and safety is the number one priority,” District 3 Supervisor Charles Selmon said.

Some people have been unaware there was a station on Lee Road because it doesn’t have the appearance of a fire station. Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs and Rufus agreed that they hope the bigger facility will bring more awareness to the station. Awareness may lead to higher membership.

“I hope it draws in more attention that there is a fire station in Oak Park,” Briggs said. “A lot of people didn’t know that fire station existed because it doesn’t look like a fire station, it looks like storage building. So hopefully it will draw some attention and get more people involved in the community into the fire business.”

Rufus is glad he isn’t going to have to worry about the restrictions he used to deal with in the old building. The new station will be big enough to centrally locate all training for the county.

The contractors are projecting six months to complete the new station, but depending on the weather, it could take longer.

Within the next year they’d like to turn the old station across the street into a simulated house for training.

Former Chief Tommy Stewart was able to secure the 5 acres of land the station will sit on. Now they have enough room in case they ever need to expand again in the future.

“When we have better facilities, we can have more equipment which we can serve the public better,” Stewart said.

The new building is possible because of a tax increase that was approved two years ago.

“The people that are paying the taxes in the fire protection district can see where their money is going,” Briggs said.

The building will also serve as a meeting room for people in the community who want to utilize it and as a tornado shelter among other uses.

“We’re very happy to see their efforts result in this station in this part of the district which is heavily populated and well deserving of the response that they will be able to receive in the future,” District 5 supervisor Richard George said.