Firefighters trading hoses for hammers

Everybody knows firefighters can handle a water hose.

But the Jackson crew has proved they're handy with the hammer too.

Jackson's firefighters are almost finished with a remodeling project that will move their administrative offices from the current location -- the station at Hope Street and East Jackson Boulevard -- to a building next door.

It will also provide the fire department with an emergency operations center and its own training room. It previously shared training rooms with the police department.

In turn, some office space will be removed from the station, leaving more room in a tight bunk area. The police department will also gain two offices and have its own training room.

The building has been owned by the city for many years, but it was leased most recently to Philipps Carpet and Decorating.

When Philipps relocated, city officials thought now would be a good time to give the fire department an upgrade.

Perfect opportunity

"We've owned the building a number of years and leased it, but we kept it in anticipation of being able to use it some time," Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said. "The fire department's needs and the police department's needs grow with the community. Philipps decided to move and we saw this as the perfect opportunity to improve the departments."

Fire chief Brad Golden came up with a plan and the city approved funding.

The remodeling project cost $22,000, Golden said.

Firefighters have been working in the building between calls and training for about a year, a couple hours at a time. Golden said the crew has never been able to work on the building for an entire day and many days no work was done at all.

"I might be prejudiced, but I think firefighters are some of the most talented people out there," he said. "People think of them fighting fires and saving people, but they can build and do all sorts of things. They're very versatile."

A few firemen were putting up ceiling tiles and wiring light fixtures Wednesday afternoon.

Golden said the work should be completed within two or three weeks and a grand opening will be held in March or early April.

The building will house separate offices for the chief and assistant chief, a conference room and the training room. The building also comes with a parking lot which Golden said has already helped. In the past, firefighters would have no room to park their own vehicles when called back for a fire or when there was training, Golden said.

Jackson's interim police chief Robert Hull Jr. said the upgrade will help the police department "a little bit."

The traffic lieutenant has already set up an office in one of the offices left vacant by the fire department. Hull said he didn't know yet what the police department would do with the other office.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635