New fire station is dream come true

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal…Published Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Pelican Rapids Fire Chief Trevor Steeves and his volunteer fire crew now have spacious quarters in which to house eight fire trucks, one rescue snowmobile/sled and other fire-fighting equipment.

Just being able to walk around a fire truck and inspect the inside contents is something that’s appreciated by Fire Chief Trevor Steeves and volunteer members of the Pelican Rapids Fire Department who now are based from the new fire station on South Broadway, across the street from the old fire station.

It was common knowledge that things were severely cramped in the old fire hall. The front of fire trucks were parked just inches from the garage doors. Now — at the new fire station — there’s plenty of room for the eight fire trucks, one rescue snowmobile/sled and other fire-fighting equipment.

“In those cramped quarters, we had to open the doors in order to fully inspect the fire trucks,” Steeves said. “Here, in the new fire station, we have the capabilities to more often inspect our equipment and see if something is needed in one of the fire trucks.”

The new fire station includes 12,000 square feet of space compared to 4,800 square feet at the old fire hall. The Pelican Rapids Fire Department serves the towns of Pelican Rapids and Erhard as well as nine area townships.

And while area taxpayers wholeheartedly saw the need for a new fire station, and also voiced financial support, Steeves and the 24 volunteer firefighters also donated thousands of manhours to put the final touches on the inside of the facility. This included work in the communications room, meeting room and kitchen.

“The members of our fire department worked extremely hard to get this (the new fire hall) completed, Steeves said. “The finished facility far exceeds my expectations, and others as well.”

The new facility in Pelican Rapids is far more than simply a place to store fire trucks. If necessary, it can be used as an emergency services building with several telephone lines, a radio system and Internet Service. FEMA, if necessary, could be headquartered from the new Pelican Rapids Fire Station.

“We’re better able to provide good training for our volunteer firemen, here in the new facility,” Steeves said. “Not only that, but we’ll also be able to have some regional training sessions with members of other area fire departments — including Perham, Vergas, Dent, Rothsay and Elizabeth.”

The mezzanine at the upper section of the new fire hall works well for extensive training sessions, he said. Among other things, the firefighters will be able to simulate entry and search procedures.

An added feature, at the front of the building along South Broadway, is the display of the old-time firefighting unit (pumper carriage) formerly housed at the old fire hall that’s now Historic City Hall in downtown Pelican Rapids. That unit was used in the early years of the 20th century, in the early 1900s. Memorabilia and old photos accompany the display of the old unit.

An open house will be held this spring.