Chelsea Fire Chief Rob Arbini gave a presentation to the Chelsea City Council on May 16, outlining the Chelsea Area Fire Authority’s (CAFA) need for a new larger fire station to replace the city’s fire house on Middle Street.
A fire station subcommittee has been working on a needs assessment for more than a year and they have looked at several pieces of property in and around the city that would provide a location for quick response times for emergency calls and a new building.
The group narrowed down the list to a city-owned piece of property off Werkner Road west of the city’s water wells.
He said that among the needs of the authority is increased living space for additional firefighters. Staffing could increase by six personnel if CAFA is awarded a grant that Arbini has applied for.
Regardless, larger living quarters are needed for the full-time firefighters who work 24-hour shifts, especially if there are female firefighters on staff. In addition, there is a need for a building that is larger than the current one on Middle Street, which was built in 1963.
The committee determined that an appropriate size for the new building would be four bays wide and two deep. Sleeping quarters, a kitchen and lounge area, office and meeting space and storage space for firefighter gear is also needed for future needs.
He said there is currently federal legislation with $330 million in funding for fire stations that is in committee and if approved, the chief plans to apply for a $4 million grant for a new fire house.
In working with a grant writer, having a piece of shovel-ready property would increase the chances of CAFA receiving this funding, the chief said.
(Publisher’s note: This is the first of several stories from the May 16 city council meeting.)
