After 14 years of living and working out of temporary quarters, firefighters from Queen Creek’s Fire Station No. 2 now have a permanent place to call home.
The opening of the new fire station, at 24787 S. Sossaman Road, was celebrated today, Feb. 9, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“As a council we are committed to safety, strategic growth and fiscally sound decisions, and this is an important milestone for our community,” Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney said.
The permanent fire station provides a number of efficiencies, including dedicated space for police and state-of-the-art bifold doors. The architecture boasts a farmhouse design to fit into the neighborhood.
The new station also includes important safety features for Queen Creek Fire and Medical Department personnel. For instance, sealed concrete floors that reduce exposure to biohazards, isolated areas to store protective gear, or turnouts, and an additional area for decontamination. The separation helps reduce any contamination from the turnouts to other materials and reduces exposure to exhaust. The bays also feature built-in exhaust ventilation. These safety features are standard in all of the town’s permanent stations, according to Sonu Wasu, the town's public information officer for public safety.
“We know this job comes with inherent risks, but we can do our part to add extra layers of protection, and we have done that,” Queen Creek Fire Chief Vance Gray said.
Queen Creek’s population has grown from less than 26,000 when the Queen Creek Fire and Medical Department (QCFMD) was formed in 2008 to more than 70,000 today.
QCFMD has four other stations throughout the community:
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Fire Station No. 1 – 20678 E. Civic Parkway
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Fire Station No. 3 – 19159 E. Queen Creek Road
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Fire Station No. 4 - 20155 S. Signal Butte Road
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Interim Fire Station No. 5 – 980 W. Combs Road
Fire Station No. 4 will initially house one crew, but was built with the capacity to expand to meet future needs.
Fire Station No. 5 is currently an interim station. The permanent site is located on Combs Road, west of Gantzel. Construction is expected to be completed by April 2022.
For additional information about QCFMD, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/Fire.
