Next step toward fire department relocation - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) -- The Rochester fire chief gave an update Monday about a plan to replace Fire Station 2 near Silver Lake.

"It's no longer suited in many respects for the modern fire service," explained fire chief Greg Martin.  "We're limited to a couple vehicles there. And some other crew amenities and amenities for the public are not in that facility."

The chief explained the driving factor isn't the fire station's age, but its location.  Martin says it doesn't meet the response objective to get to all emergency calls in the goal of four minutes or less. 

"And the current station two, that four minute profile is overlapped almost completely by fire station one," said Martin.

In May 2011, the city council voted 4 to 3 to purchase nearly 9 acres of land adjacent to Century High School for $1.5 million dollars.

"This is a site that has been studied for a number of years," said Martin. "We think, ultimately, there will be a little bit more development and growth up in that part of the city."

Moving the new station farther away from station one will cut down the overlapping coverage areas. The station could also house a 911 dispatch center and space for Rochester police without being a separate precinct.

The plan is currently expected to cost between $8.2 and $9.3 million.

If the proposed plan doesn't hit too many hiccups along the way, the chief hopes to have the new station up and running in 2014.