New Lookout Valley fire station under way

Friday, June 10, 2011

In a few months, Lookout Valley should be safer when it comes to fires.

Ground was broken Thursday morning on a $1.3 million fire station to serve the valley.

Fire Station 3 will be at 4003 Cummings Highway and, along with Station 20, primarily will serve the Lookout Valley area, said Bruce Garner, spokesman for the Chattanooga Fire Department.

From the new station, fire engines will be able to respond to homes in two to four minutes, said Chattanooga Fire Chief Randy Parker.

Mayor Ron Littlefield and Parker led the ceremonial shoveling of dirt Thursday to kick off construction of the one-story, two-bay fire station.

Construction is expected to take six to seven months.

The station will be staffed with 15 firefighters, with five working each of the three shifts.

It also will be designed for energy efficiency, including heat-reflective roofing and paving, a stormwater runoff system with a water retention area for native vegetation and a high-efficiency heating/cooling system.

Once it is finished, fire officials will submit the building for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, which was developed by the U.S. Building Council to establish standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

Officials decided a new station was needed after a 2003 review by the Insurance Services Organization showed growth in the area and the need for expanded emergency services.