Open house set for fire station

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Officials with the Russellville Fire Department will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the city's new fire station.
The new station no. 1 is located adjacent to the electric board warehouse on South Jackson Avenue near the Alabama 24 ramp.
The electric board leased the property to the city for 50 years with the option for another 49 years as long as the property is used for a fire station.
The Russellville Water and Sewer Board gave the city $200,000 to help fund the building of the new station. City officials expected to spend about $300,000 on construction and engineering costs.
The city has operated a station downtown behind the old city hall and a second station on U.S. 43 near LaGrange Road.
The city has not announced final plans for the old station.
The new 10,625-square-foot facility allowed the department to move out of the 70 year-old building they have been using.
"That station is probably about 70 years old," Mansell said. "We just outgrew it. It was way past time for a new building."
The new facility will allow the department to keep the city's large ladder truck closer to the downtown district.
"The ladder truck needs to be closer to downtown and the industrial park where we can get the full use out of it," Mansell said.
The truck has been housed in the U.S. 43 station because of its size. Now that the truck is being moved closer to the industrial park and the taller buildings downtown, officials hope insurance rates will be lowered.
Russellville has an ISO rating of 4. The ISO rating system, which is used by insurance companies to determine homeowners' insurance rates, is comprised of three components. The rating is based 50 percent on the fire department, 40 percent on the water supply and 10 percent on 911 communications.
Mansell said the new station would not lower the ISO immediately.
"But it is a step in the right direction," he said. "There is a lot that goes into moving from one classification to another."
A station placement plan was implemented about 10 years ago after studies showed the city would be best served by having a station on U.S. 43, South Jackson and near the schools complex.
The new station will give the department quick access to Alabama 24 and U.S. 43, something that has been a problem in the past.
Fire department members will be serving hot dogs and drinks Sunday during the open house.
"We want to invite everyone to come out to the open house," Mansell said. "This is something that will help us better serve the residents of Russellville."