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New Oxford Fire Station No. 1 Taking Shape
The new Fire Station No. 1 on McElroy Drive is still on schedule for its Dec. 2 completion date this year, according to Oxford Fire Department Chief Cary Sallis.
The complex will include both a new central fire station and an Emergency Operations Center.
The triangular-shaped lot on 1.8 acres is located beside the U.S. Post Office and adjacent to the City of Oxford Electric Department.
The new station will provide more space than each of the smaller stations it is replacing, Stations No. 1 and 2, located respectively on North Lamar Boulevard and Washington Street
“It’s a big four-base station, two stories, and it’s a lot bigger than what we’ve had in the past,” Sallis said.
Station No. 4 on West Jackson and Station No. 3 on Highway 7 South will remain in operation, and fire protection will not change for the university or city while construction is underway.
The city will need to build a second new station, this one on Sisk Avenue, by the Oxford Conference Center and the new Oxford High School, Sallis said.
“We’re trying to play hopscotch to move some stuff around for a year, and get started on a new station and get back to four stations,” he said.
The department has about 60 full-time firemen and 15 reserves. The fire department currently has a class 5 fire rating with the state insurance rating bureau.
– Gretchen Stone is HottyToddy.com associate editor. Gretchen can be contacted about this story at Gretchen.Stone@HottyToddy.com