September 17, 2010
Friday

Ketchikan, Alaska - The proposed new City of Ketchikan Fire Station was the subject of the presentation to the Rotarians luncheon at the Cape Fox Lodge on September 14th. Addressing the Rotarians were Tim Whiteley and Deanne Teeter of Bettisworth Welsh Whiteley Architects and Ketchikan Fire Chief Jim Hill.

Hill said, " The project has been discussed for more than 20 years... and now it's finally coming together." He said, "The City has purchased the property and we are proceeding to the 65% design phase. We are in the process of hiring a contractor to be a part of the fire station design and planning team. The firm Rise Alaska of Anchorage is under contract as the Project Managers and the State of Alaska has provided grant funding in the amount of $5 million for the project and we will ask City voters to provide the rest, about $7 million on October 5th."

Some of the reasons a new fire station is needed was offered by Chief Hill. He mentioned leaky roofs and windows; inadequate and substandard electrical systems, and crowded work areas as some of the reasons for the new station. Chief Hill said Engine #1, which operates out of Station #1, had to be custom built to fit in the station and the City's ladder truck, which should be staged in the downtown area, will not fit in the old station.

Addressing the Rotarians, Architect Tim Whiteley mentioned that the City of Ketchikan Fire Station had become functionally obsolete and cannot support the fire department's mission. Whiteley said building code deficiencies and lack of American Disabilities Act requirements are just a few reasons why a new station is needed. Whiteley said a Steering Committee was established to look at what the fire department needs for space. He said they also utilized information the department had been collecting on functional needs to adequately serve the citizens of Ketchikan. Trends in public safety to create a facility that will meet the community's needs for the next 50 years were also considered.

Chief Hill also asked people to make sure they vote during the October 5th Bond Election.

Related Information:

Sample Ballot: See Page 2 for Proposition 2
http://www.borough.ketchikan.ak.us/clerks/documents/
OfficialBallotBoroughCitySAMP.pdf

Source of News:

Ketchikan Fire Department

 

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