Two Cape fire stations soon will undergo face-lifts

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department has continued to grow over the years, but its four fire stations haven't managed to keep up.

The situation has taught the department to be smart about its use of every square foot, said assistant chief Mark Hasheider, but there's only so much it can do.

"Every bay within our four facilities that we have right now is taken up with equipment," he said.

Some equipment has to be kept outside, which could be potentially damaging over time.

But soon, the department will be able to work with a little more space. The city has issued a notice for architectural and design teams to submit statements of qualifications for projects at Stations 1 and 2.

Facility upgrades were among the projects the city pledged would be completed with the 2014 renewal of the quarter-cent fire sales tax that is divided into ongoing and renewable portions. Voters approved a 21-year extension in November, and the city expects the tax to bring in an annual revenue of $1.2 million.

Work to be done at the two stations includes remodeling, additions and bringing restrooms into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.

At Station 1 on South Sprigg Street, the south wall will be knocked out to add a bay that will increase storage space. The station lost some storage space years ago during a remodeling project that added office space, Hasheider said. A workout room for on-duty firefighters also would be added.

Inside the station, work will be done in the lobby and front reception area.

"Once somebody comes in here, they're right in our environment," said Hasheider as he stood at the front door of Station 1. "So we'll remodel here to add a little bit more security to our facility."

The kitchen area also needs an update. It's had no major remodeling since the station was built in 1980, and Hasheider said it shows.

"The counters have some wear and tear, and the cabinets we want to not replace, but clean and refinish so they last us another 35 years," he said.

Station 1's kitchen serves an average of six to seven people per meal daily, he said, though it's built to serve more firefighters if an emergency requires a larger number than usual to be on duty.

Both stations need improvements in their living quarters. Standing in the Station 1 bunk room, Hasheider pointed out each bed in the row stands in full view of the others. Adding partitions between each one would go a long way in carving out personal space for each bunk, he said.

"The room would still have an open theme to it, but it would have these walls to give them individual privacy," he said.

The layout would be nearly identical to the bunk room in Station 3, the city's newest fire station.

Station 1 was built in 1980. At that time, Hasheider said, the shower and restroom area for firefighters was designed for men. They will be remodeled to be less gender-specific.

Similar work also will be done at Station 2, built in 1990.

Station 2 on South Mount Auburn Road houses a ladder truck and the truck that responds to calls at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. It also is where firetrucks are taken for maintenance and repairs. Sometimes the station's trucks have to be parked outside to make room for trucks brought in for maintenance. To solve that problem, Station 2 is set to receive an additional mechanical bay and a storage annex.

The addition includes five drive-through bays -- two for the mechanic and three for storing other equipment.

"We do have some trailers parked outside, and the weather does take its toll, both the hot and the cold," Hasheider said. "There are some pieces of equipment that need a controlled environment."

He said some construction is expected to begin in the spring. Next year also is the time when he expects the city will issue a request to find a team to design and begin construction on a new Station 4. On Kurre Lane, it's the department's oldest and smallest station. Construction on its replacement could begin in 2017 or 2018.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

1 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

378 S. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.