Work by Fire Fighters Cuts Cost of Station Construction
The West Burlington, Iowa, Fire Department is now operating out of a 104 X 80-foot, brick and metal frame station that was built for $132,000.
The cost was so low because fire Fighters did electrical, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, painting and carpentry work. They also did the concrete work for the driveway and sidewalk. When the completed building was appraised for insurance purposes, the value was set at $215,000.
On one end of the building, there is a hose tower, shop and storage room, three rest rooms (one with a shower), a kitchen with built-in cabinets, a large meeting and training room, an office and a communications room.
The 80 X 80-foot apparatus room houses three engines, an 85-foot ladder truck and an antique apparatus built in 1928, all of which belong to the city. In addition, equipment belonging to four townships that the West Burlington Fire Department protects under contracts also is housed in the station. This includes two engines, a pumper-tanker, an equipment-rescue truck and a four-wheel drive brush truck.
The West Burlington Fire Department has 34 fire fighters, headed by Chief Robert E. Elliott.
