Battle Creek Revises Fire Station Plans to Enhance Community Safety

The city of Battle Creek has announced a significant revision to its fire station modernization plans, opting to construct a new Station 3 near the Post Addition neighborhood.

 

This decision marks a departure from the previous strategy, which aimed to consolidate Station 1 and the 123-year-old Station 3 into a renovated Station 1 facility.

 

After extensive community engagement, city officials recognized the importance of maintaining a fire station presence in the Post Addition area.

 

Consequently, the plan now includes building a new Station 3 nearby, while reducing the scope of renovations at Station 2.

 

Additionally, Station 1 will be repurposed primarily for storage and administrative functions.

 

Technical Services Battalion Chief Cody Titus emphasized the benefits of this updated approach, stating, "It actually turned out to be of better interest to us to move forward with a new build at Station No. 3 with a reduced build at Station No. 2."

 

He further explained that this strategy allows for optimal staffing distribution and addresses the department's storage needs by utilizing Station 1 for equipment storage and administrative purposes.

 

However, the revised project is projected to exceed the initial $25 million budget by approximately $8 million.

 

The Battle Creek City Commission is scheduled to deliberate on August 5 whether to approve additional funding through bonding or to implement further reductions to align with the original budget.

 

This development underscores the city's commitment to enhancing emergency response capabilities while being responsive to community input and fiscal considerations.

 

Residents are encouraged to participate in upcoming public meetings to stay informed and provide feedback on these critical infrastructure improvements.