Raleigh News & Observer Logo

New fire station opens in northwest Raleigh | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

North Raleigh News

New fire station opens in northwest Raleigh

By Mechelle Hankerson

mhankerson@newsobserver.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 23, 2015 04:06 PM

RALEIGH

Construction of a new fire station in northwest Raleigh was first delayed by the recession, then by land logistics and then by bad weather.

But on Tuesday, city leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of Fire Station 29, which will serve the fast-growing Leesville Road area.

“This has been a long time in the making, and we couldn’t wait to get these doors open,” said Marchell Adams David, Raleigh’s assistant city manager.

Officials said they’ve known since at least 2008 that a new fire station was needed in the area.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

City staff budgeted $4 million for the station in 2009, but the recession delayed the project. Instead of paying for a new station, the city hoped to avoid layoffs within the fire department, said Raleigh Fire Chief John McGrath.

Another obstacle for the station was land. The city had to combine several plots of land along Leesville Road to create an ideal site.

“We wanted to build it right,” McGrath said. “It’s better to take your time in the beginning.”

Construction began in the winter of 2014. Crews were stalled by snow and ice storms early this year and then by a particularly wet transition into spring, said Assistant Fire Chief Kendall Hocutt.

Raleigh hired 30 new firefighters to work the station, which Hocutt said was much more “firefighter-friendly” than some of the city’s older stations.

Fire Station 29 has three large dorm areas, two captains’ rooms and three bays for fire trucks. Engine 29 and Ladder 9 will be permanently housed there.

Small changes should make firefighters’ shifts more comfortable, Hocutt said. The station has individual bathrooms instead of stalls. Soon, the sleeping quarters will be divided into smaller areas to give firefighters more privacy.

Since 2008, the area now served by the new station was served by stations near Brier Creek, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Raleigh-Durham border.

City Councilman John Odom estimated there were about 4,000 homes and businesses in the Leesville Road that were under-served.

The fire department aims to respond to 90 percent of calls within four minutes. That was tough to do in the Leesville Road area, McGrath said.

He said that while northwest Raleigh is now in good shape in terms of fire stations, other parts of the city need more stations, including northeast and east Raleigh.

Hankerson: 919-829-4802;

Twitter: @mechelleh

  Comments  

Videos

Icy conditions at Heritage High School

Wake Forest High standout Xach Gill makes dramatic college announcement

View More Video

Trending Stories

Hurricane Florence killed millions of chickens and turkeys. Now farmers are putting them to use.

February 16, 2019 08:29 AM

Mother said police pointed gun at 6-year-old with autism. Raleigh police say watch video.

February 15, 2019 12:18 PM

North Carolina could feel like Florida or Mexico in a generation, researchers say

February 15, 2019 12:19 PM

Why UNC freshman Nassir Little did not return in the second half against Wake Forest

February 16, 2019 11:55 AM

‘Casino Night’ fundraiser at NC Museum of History canceled after legal questions

February 16, 2019 03:32 PM

Read Next

Snow tapers off but overnight refreeze will make roads hazardous in Charlotte region

North Raleigh News

Snow tapers off but overnight refreeze will make roads hazardous in Charlotte region

By Bruce Henderson and

Mark Price

    ORDER REPRINT →

December 10, 2018 06:39 AM

Temperatures rose above freezing in Charlotte on Monday as a winter storm moved out after a final dusting of snow. But roads will refreeze Monday night as temperatures fall, forming ice Tuesday morning.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE NORTH RALEIGH NEWS

Traffic delays likely Monday along South Main Street in Wake Forest

Local

Traffic delays likely Monday along South Main Street in Wake Forest

August 05, 2018 02:41 PM
Wake Forest says traffic delays likely this week on South Main Street

Local

Wake Forest says traffic delays likely this week on South Main Street

July 29, 2018 12:38 PM
Mofsen-Lambert

North Raleigh: Celebrations

Mofsen-Lambert

November 26, 2017 02:01 AM
Man accused of July 4th killing in Raleigh is charged for three who were wounded

Crime

Man accused of July 4th killing in Raleigh is charged for three who were wounded

July 18, 2017 11:53 AM
Raleigh man accused of sex offense with 13-year-old girl in 2013, 2014

Crime

Raleigh man accused of sex offense with 13-year-old girl in 2013, 2014

July 18, 2017 11:13 AM
Assault on trail at Lake Johnson Park brings police to search area

Crime

Assault on trail at Lake Johnson Park brings police to search area

July 17, 2017 10:52 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story