North Strathmore not covered in 10 minute fire response

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

A recent study by Behr Energy Services provided town council with a 10-minute fire response area map for the town.
The report outlines what areas of the Town the Strathmore Fire Department can responded within 10 minutes of the call going out. While most of the town does fall into the coverage area, much of the land in the northwest part of town including Lakewood Meadows, Hill View and any future development, do not.
“It covers a majority of the town including the west part … the one area that is doesn’t cover is Lakewood Meadows, it’s not covered at all there and then Hill View is not covered,” said Stanford.
“Lakewood Meadows, the only way that can be covered is if there is a small fire hall in the north part of town.”
If there was a hall built it would cover Hill View, Lakewood Meadows and all future development in the north part of town.
Stanford had contacted a local builder to get rough estimates on the cost of a new fire hall if it were a 30 ft. by 40 ft. steel building.
It would work out to approximately $90 per square foot. There would also be the cost of leveling the land, and taking water and sewer across the road and the building.
With that in mind, Stanford said if council doesn’t agree and a small fire hall is not built up there, then the developer of Lakewood Meadows would have to follow the building code for the further response time, which would mean putting sprinklers in all the houses and/or using special fire retardant drywall and so on.
Stanford also brought up the possibility that the developers building in the north end of town may be able to help offset some of the costs of a new hall.
“I think time is of the essence here for this particular developer because his lots are already set and he can’t really change much,” said Councillor Steve Grajczyk.
“So I was wondering if we’d just maybe direct administration to just get us a more detailed report on it as quick as possible so that we can make an accurate decision on just how quickly we can move on this project.”
Council agreed with the suggestion, making it a motion. The plan and 10-minute response area maps provided by Behr Energy Services were adopted.