The Dowagiac Fire Department has moved into a new station.
Dowagiac Department of Public Safety Director Steve Grinnewald tells us the city had plans for the department’s previous location on Wolf Street, which was always intended to be a temporary location for it anyway. So, a site was selected at 29157 Jessup Drive, and a totally new building was constructed. He says the new 10,000 square foot facility can meet all of the department’s needs.
“There’s a classroom training room that can not only be used for the fire department, but also for the police department as well,” Grinnewald said. “If we have any trainings we need to hold, we can host trainings in there, this type of thing. In the front portion of the building, there’s what’s called a TOC, tactical operations center. It’s kind of where the firefighters do most of their office type work from. It also allows us to dispatch from there.”
It also includes living quarters for the staff member who’s there 24/7, a decontamination room, and a two-story hose tower.
Grinnewald says the building cost around $4.5 million and was funded with a low-interest loan. Since the old facility wasn’t originally intended as a fire station, he says this new building should be a lot more comfortable and efficient.
The city will hold an open house at the new fire station on April 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. so anyone can check it out.
