Photos from the open house

Firefighter Battalion Chief Tim DeLisle is full of gratitude when he walks through the new fire station in the Redwood district on Leonard Rd. The station became operational on October 10th and has already proven to be a great success in protecting lives and property in Western Grants Pass.

When a kitchen fire broke out in a mobile home in a 55+ community about 1 and a half miles west of the new fire station, it became clear how the new facility is benefiting the community. The station was not yet completed; a fire crew was there taking measurements for furniture when the call came in. The crew was able to respond in less than 2 minutes and contain the fire to the kitchen only. Had the firefighters responded from their previous location at the Parkway station, it was likely that the entire home would have been lost in the 11 minute response time.

In 2006, Grants Pass voters honored their firefighters by approving bonds to build a training facility, two new fire stations, and purchase 3 new fire engines. Building the Redwood district fire station took top priority, as it has the greatest effect on improving response times and public safety.

Before the opening of the new station, response times from the Parkway fire station to the western Redwood district were 7 to 10 minutes, nearly twice the “acceptable” response time standard. Now, with the new facility fully operational, response times are well under the 5 minute goal. Shortly after opening, a fire alarm was received from Redwood Middle School. The response time was less than one minute.

The new facility is a “residential” station that welcomes visitors for tours, but is designed primarily for providing services in the immediate area. It is a modest, utilitarian building without meeting rooms or facilities for large gatherings. Once constructed, the new Parkway station will include a museum, meeting rooms, and opportunities for community gatherings.

The new facility also houses the Grants Pass Crime prevention office, a single office where police officer Kevin Blaich is available from 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. In addition to the Crime Prevention office, the facility also provides both a report writing room and an interview room for local beat police officers to use while on patrol in the Redwood district. This enables officers to stay close to their “beat” while completing tasks necessary for their duties.

The fire station is currently staffed with two firefighters and one intern firefighters at all times. The facility was designed with growth in mind and will accommodate both more fire fighters and fire engines as the Redwood area continues to boom.

In addition to benefiting residents of Grants Pass, thanks to the mutual aid agreement with Rural Metro, the new fire station can now respond as the “closest response” to incidences outside the city of Grants Pass. This means that if the station is closer than any Rural Metro resources to an emergency outside the city limits, they will respond first and provide water trucks and emergency services until Rural Metro is able to arrive on the scene.