St. Paul Sees Revival of Historic Firehouse After 67-Year Hiatus
A beloved fixture in the city's landscape is back in action: St. Paul's historic fire station on West Seventh Street has reopened after a 67-year closure, providing much-needed relief to residents and emergency responders alike.
The revitalized Station 3 boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a fire engine and three ambulances staffed by the city's highly trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs). This upgraded infrastructure will undoubtedly enhance response times in the area, ensuring quicker assistance for those in need. "This whole system has to work together, so having a better service like we just planted right now on West Seventh means better service citywide," Mayor Melvin Carter said.
The renovation of Station 3 was a long time coming, with construction costs exceeding $3 million. This significant investment will undoubtedly bolster the fire department's capacity to tackle increasing demands downtown, where Station 3 has seen an alarming surge in emergency calls.
"We were literally out of space" at previous stations, noted Fire Chief Butch Inks. "The reopened station strengthens one of the busiest business and entertainment corridors in the city." The addition of this new facility is a testament to the department's commitment to improving its services.
Fire Chief Inks' own journey has been marked by significant change over his 31-year tenure as a firefighter, starting from what is now Station 3. He noted that firefighters face immense physical demands and mental challenges on a daily basis, making facilities like this station even more crucial.
Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Smith described the renovated station as "a home away from home" for firefighters, who can enjoy private bedrooms and showers amidst the bustling activity of their workday. The new kitchen and gym spaces will help maintain the health and well-being of responders.
The rebirth of Station 3 comes on the heels of another significant opening in April – a new station in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood that replaced an aging facility dating back to the 1930s.
While firefighter safety remains paramount, changes like "hot, warm, and cold zones" have been incorporated into both stations to mitigate risks associated with hazardous materials and heavy gear. A poignant tribute to the original Station 3 has been preserved, featuring a hand-painted collage of historical photos from its heyday.
A beloved fixture in the city's landscape is back in action: St. Paul's historic fire station on West Seventh Street has reopened after a 67-year closure, providing much-needed relief to residents and emergency responders alike.
The revitalized Station 3 boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a fire engine and three ambulances staffed by the city's highly trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs). This upgraded infrastructure will undoubtedly enhance response times in the area, ensuring quicker assistance for those in need. "This whole system has to work together, so having a better service like we just planted right now on West Seventh means better service citywide," Mayor Melvin Carter said.
The renovation of Station 3 was a long time coming, with construction costs exceeding $3 million. This significant investment will undoubtedly bolster the fire department's capacity to tackle increasing demands downtown, where Station 3 has seen an alarming surge in emergency calls.
"We were literally out of space" at previous stations, noted Fire Chief Butch Inks. "The reopened station strengthens one of the busiest business and entertainment corridors in the city." The addition of this new facility is a testament to the department's commitment to improving its services.
Fire Chief Inks' own journey has been marked by significant change over his 31-year tenure as a firefighter, starting from what is now Station 3. He noted that firefighters face immense physical demands and mental challenges on a daily basis, making facilities like this station even more crucial.
Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Smith described the renovated station as "a home away from home" for firefighters, who can enjoy private bedrooms and showers amidst the bustling activity of their workday. The new kitchen and gym spaces will help maintain the health and well-being of responders.
The rebirth of Station 3 comes on the heels of another significant opening in April – a new station in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood that replaced an aging facility dating back to the 1930s.
While firefighter safety remains paramount, changes like "hot, warm, and cold zones" have been incorporated into both stations to mitigate risks associated with hazardous materials and heavy gear. A poignant tribute to the original Station 3 has been preserved, featuring a hand-painted collage of historical photos from its heyday.
. and btw having better facilities means they can handle more emergencies downtown, so it's actually a win for the city 
. and can we pls stop talking about firefighter safety? it's like, obvious that they need better equipment and space to do their jobs properly 
. but yeah, i guess it's nice to see some of the history preserved in the new station 
. I'm all for investing in public services like this. The hand-painted collage of old pics is a nice touch too 
The city is finally getting its priorities straight! I mean, who doesn't love a good fire station renovation? 
But seriously, $3 million isn't chump change, and it's awesome that they're investing in their emergency services. Fire Chief Inks' story about going from Station 3 to now being the head of the department is really inspiring - he knows what's at stake! 
omg i'm so hyped about this! a new fire station finally after all these years is like the best thing that's happened to st paul since we started studying for those exams lol. serious tho, its awesome to see they're putting in all this effort and money into making it happen. i mean, who wouldn't want to work in a state-of-the-art facility with private bedrooms and showers? 
firefighters really do need some R&R after dealing with all that stress on the job. and can we talk about how cool it is that they're incorporating those "hot, warm, and cold zones" to keep responders safe? i'm low-key impressed by the mayor and fire chief's commitment to improving services. lets hope this new station makes a real difference in emergency response times! 
.
they finally reopened after 67 yrs & its like a whole new station!! 
they got state of the art facilities, ambulances, fire engine n all dat 
but i no 1 thing - $$$ spent on dis renovation iz worth it cuz its gonna save lives 
. fire chief inkz mentioned how hard life iz 4 firefighters & i'm like same girl, fam 
. cant wait 2 c dis new station b a hub 4 emergency responders 
gotta prioritize that firefighters are taken care of too. the fact that mayor carter invested $3m into this project shows he's all about supporting his team 
. now st paul can rest easy knowing their emergency services are top-notch 
still gotta love the fact that firefighters get to have showers and private bedrooms tho lol some things never change. what i really hope is they can keep up with demand downtown since it's been getting crazy busy 
. anyway, stoked they saved a piece of history by keeping the old pics and all 
, can you even imagine having to deal with all that stress and uncertainty? The fact that they invested $3 million into it is amazing, considering the city's budget 
.
. The whole system has to work together now, so this new station will undoubtedly help with response times and all that jazz.
. And $3 million? That's like, a ton of money 
. But trust me, it's worth it – those firefighters are literally putting their lives on the line every day 
). And let's not forget the safety features – hot, warm, and cold zones? Game changer 
!
sounds like a total game changer but at the same time its sad they had to close it in the first place 
anyway i heard its been reopened with state of the art facilities and upgraded infrastructure so hopefully its gonna make a difference for the community 
the fact that they went all out with state-of-the-art facilities and private spaces for firefighters is just amazing. 
can't wait to see the impact this new station has on response times and emergency calls 