Fire Station Construction Planned > City of Kannapolis | City of Kannapolis

News Articles

Construction on two Kannapolis Fire Department stations is anticipated to begin later this year. Fire Station 2 and 3 have exceeded their lifespan and the decision to build new facilities was made after studies showed the stations would cost more to renovate than to replace.

Kannapolis City Council has approved the purchase of 2.95 acres of property at the intersection of Old Earnhardt Road and Concord Lake Road for $325,000. This site will be the new location of Fire Station 3.

Fire Station 2 will remain at its current location on Richard Avenue. Fire Station 3 will be relocated due to the fact that a larger station cannot be constructed on the small lot where it is currently located. The new site is more centrally located, will allow for quicker response times to a larger area of the city, and is in a commercial area versus the residential neighborhood where it is now.

Fire Station 2 was built in 1963. With only 1,838 square feet, it was originally designed as a volunteer fire station with no living quarters for fire personnel and it only has one bay to house a fire truck. The building is 54 years old and has inadequate workspace areas for firefighters to work and train.

Fire Station 3 was built 50 years old ago in 1967 and has 3,200 square feet with two bays. Also, originally a volunteer fire department, firefighters are using a mobile structure for their living quarters due to the inadequate space. Additional space is needed for both personnel and equipment.

Both stations cannot adequately accommodate the number of fire trucks and other fire service equipment needed to cover the demand for emergency services in the City. The facilities were inherited by the City once the volunteer fire departments disbanded and the City formed its professional department. The buildings had not been maintained over the years. This combined with the lack of adequate space has resulted in the need for new stations.

The City will save money by constructing both stations at the same time. Both stations will have the same design and layout. Each will be 11,000 square feet, accommodate two fire trucks, and have eight bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Last year the department responded to 8,600 fire and medical emergency calls. Firefighter personnel have grown from 12 part-time firefighters in 1997 to 81 as of today. The City has five stations: Station 1 on Firehouse Drive, Station 2 on Richard Avenue, Station 3 (currently on Florida Avenue), Station 4 on Stewart Street, and Station 5 on Barr Road.