Highland paramedics will utilize fire, power station as project renovation continues
Highland paramedics will temporarily operate out of the Highland-Pierron Fire Station and house an ambulance at the city’s power station, as the project of renovating Highland’s main fire station continues.
A plan approved in early January had to be scrapped at the last minute, as the city planned to renovate an empty shop into temporary housing for the Highland Fire Department’s full-time paramedics while Fire Station 1 on Broadway is closed for renovations.
The remodeling is extensive enough that the fire station cannot be in service during construction. Firefighters will be operating out of Station 2, but there are no living quarters there — it is essentially a garage with no beds, showers or kitchens.
That isn’t a problem for the firefighters, who are volunteers and only come out when there is a fire. But the paramedics must live at the station while on shift.
The empty glass shop chosen for their temporary quarters would have required $30,000 in renovations, but at the last minute, it was sold and was no longer available for the city’s use.
Last month, the city council approved a new plan: Moving the paramedics to the Highland-Pierron Fire Station and constructing temporary living quarters there, as well as installing a carport on an existing concrete pad at the city’s power station.
Fire Chief Brian Wilson said the location is actually in the Highland city limits. The living quarters will be created from two offices that will be modified temporarily.
“That building was not designed for sleeping quarters; we had to makeshift it,” Wilson said.
The intent was the Highland-Pierron district could restore the offices after the 150-day construction period.
“They are being very gracious hosts,” Wilson said. “I really have to thank the Highland-Pierron District for making the offer to us, and making it so easy for us to accomplish this and move in ... They’ve told our people, ‘Our building is your building.’ They’ve been awesome to work with.”
Total cost of project
The new plan costs about $9,700 less than the shop renovation, according to the project’s change order form, and will allow the paramedics living quarters and vehicle storage during the construction project.
The total cost of the project now will be $1.42 million. It includes bringing the fire station up to current building codes and meeting the Americans With Disabilities Act requirements, new bathrooms, a secure entrance vestibule for visitors coming to pay ambulance bills, and more.
The original time frame required work would begin March 1 and be completed in 150 days, putting the station’s reopening in August. Wilson said they expect to be able to stick to the original schedule.