CALDWELL, Idaho β After months of behind-the-scenes work, Caldwell Fire Department is moving forward with three major projects designed to support the growing community.
"I think the community will see the investment, and it's their investment, really," said Caldwell Fire Department Chief Bryan Daniel.
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After years of planning and months of preparation, Caldwell Fire is moving forward with projects Chief Daniel says are long overdue.
Fire Station 1 relocating downtown
Fire Station 1, Caldwell's oldest, is relocating just down the street to the city's former city hall. The building is now being transformed into a modern fire station and administrative facility. The plan was approved by the city council after reviewing traffic, construction and budget considerations.
"Downtown Station 1 and fire admin. Keeping a core presence in the downtown corridor is important to us and the community," Daniel said.
"Having a presence isn't just about being in downtown. It's about meeting those response times," Daniel said. "The faster we're able to get there, the better. And if, as initially proposed off in Chicago, it just wasn't going to help us achieve that four-minute benchmark."
$20 million program funded by voter-approved bond
The $20 million program is mostly funded by a 2023 voter-approved bond, with $17.3 million from bond proceeds and the rest from fire impact fees.
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"Every minute a fire goes uncontrolled, it grows exponentially," Daniel said. "Every time, or every minute, your brain or your heart is without blood flow or oxygen, your chances of survivability go down dramatically."
New Fire Station 4 planned for growing area
Fire Station 4 will be placed in one of the fastest-growing areas between Lake Avenue and south of Karcher Road, which is seeing both commercial development and new subdivisions.
"We're a fire department that was built to serve around 40,000 to 50,000 people, and we're delivering services to 80,000 people. And so, response times, yes, will be shortened, but we'll have community presence," Daniel said. "The folks over at the Lake and Karcher area will have a fire station in their community, which is important."
While the chief hopes to break ground on all three projects in the coming year, he says the work doesn't stop there as the department continues to grow with the city.
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