Residents of north Hixson and Big Ridge, as well as surrounding areas of Chattanooga, should now get quicker emergency response from the Chattanooga Fire Department. A new fire station, Station 11, recently opened at 6418 Hixson Pike.
"We have been working to build this station for 10 years or more," said Chattanooga Fire Department Public Information Director Bruce Garner.
He said the station was necessary because the Big Ridge area was previously not within a 5-mile radius of a fire station, and when the area was annexed into the city of Chattanooga, providing fire protection was one of the requirements set forth in the plan of services, according to a department press release.
The station is equipped with a new pumper that features a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and carries 500 gallons of water and 1,500 feet of supply line, as well as other fire, medical and rescue tools. The pumper is critical for controlling a fire until firefighters are able to establish a dedicated water supply from a fire hydrant, the release said.
Garner said the department's goal is to be on the scene of emergencies within just over five minutes from dispatch. Because Station 11 is located inside response areas that overlap, putting one of the city's 26 front-line fire apparatus there allows the CPD to more efficiently use its resources and decrease response times, Garner said.
The new station allows the CPD to move fire apparatus at least 2 miles closer to the north end of the district - past the congested area around Northgate Mall - within that five-minute timeframe.
In the release, Fire Chief Chris Adams said 15 firefighters are assigned to Station 11, which is actually the 20th station operated by the department. (It's numbered 11 because when a station closes, that number is left open until given to a newly constructed station.) It will be staffed by five firefighters during each of the three shifts, the release stated.
The tanker at the new station is equipped with new mobile data technology, which has been installed on all of the fire department's front-line pieces of fire apparatus. The technology gives firefighters pertinent information concerning the emergency, response address and surrounding area, and also reduces radio traffic and allows for the use of automatic vehicle location for priority dispatch, said Garner. The AVL sends the closest apparatus or company to an emergency, regardless of the district in which it's located, he explained.
The cost to construct the 6,000-square-foot, one-story, two-bay fire station was about $2 million. It features eco-friendly building design and includes accommodations for two fire companies, a living/training room and offices.