It is out with the old and in with the new on La Crosse’s North Side.
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - It is out with the old and in with the new on La Crosse’s North Side.
Construction continues at La Crosse Fire Station Number 4. The project, costing around $8 million according to La Crosse Fire Chief Jeff Schott provides much needed upgrades compared to the current one.
“When they had initially built the fire station, the trucks were small and the resources were such they could cram two trucks in their garage,” Chief Schott said. “We can’t do that in this day and age.”
The old station is a single engine house built in 1940 and doesn’t offer simple amenities.
“Bathrooms just basic showers and bathrooms and a living area was pretty antiquated and not gender neutral equality that we need,” Chief Schott said. “Literally one shower for all the individuals working there is not adequate.”
The new station has it all in mind and then some.
“Being able to fill our air bottles. Having a compressor,” he said. “Having a place for actual police officers to go on the north side as a satellite office was also figured in. And then of course the community piece with the community room that we have up front here.”
As for the community room, Molly McCormick, the Community Risk Educator for the La Crosse Fire Department, said the new station will assist in offerings to La Crosse and the surrounding communities.
“We’ll be able to host CPR classes. We’ll be able to host fire extinguisher training’s,” she said. “We’ll be able to invite the neighborhood schools over and have a true classroom setting to diving deep into how to keep out community safe”
An increase in emergency equipment will be housed at the new station. Chief Schott adding this equipment will provide resources for the north side as well as better response times.
The La Crosse Fire Department is hoping to have the new station open and operational by July.
