The Crossville City Council and members of the Crossville Fire Department met today for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on the new Crossville Fire Station Two location at the corner of Interstate Dr. and Cotton Patch Dr. The new location is expected to finish construction within 400 days, with the old location set to close upon completion of Station Two.

“We identified through our research that the fire station placement, with the growth of the city moving Northward, was on the very far south portion of the zone,” said Fire Chief Chris South. “So, we decided it was best to move the fire station to a more centralized location to serve the district better.”

South described the new location as a 100% move, with a ladder truck, engine, hazardous materials trailer, various support equipment, and a squad but no new additions.

South described the industrial section as having a “high protection value” for the city and said the new Fire Station Two location should be right in the heart of the city’s growth.

“We’ve been working on this project for about two years,” he said. “Station Three is in the books for another couple of years. We’ll be doing an addition probably to Fire Station One with some additional base. This next budget is hopeful as long as council sees that something that we want to do.”

Currently, Station Three is in the very early stages of planning.

“Station Three will go in the west portion of the district of the city, it will be around the airport,” South said. “Station Three will simply be a substation meant to, not only protect the airport, but that is a very prime residential portion of our community.”

Once the new Fire Station Two is finished, it will be up to the Crossville City Council to decide what to do with the old location.