This station will support the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) and Explosive Destruction Technology (EDT) facility and fulfills an essential requirement for Blue Grass chemical-weapons destruction operations, said Jim Harris, civil engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The depot’s fire station was outside the seven-minute response time required by the Blue Grass project,” said Harris. “The decision was made to convert part of the project’s depot warehouse to a satellite fire station to be able to easily meet that requirement. We began construction early this year and our construction-complete walk-through was Aug. 30.”

The station has accommodations for one fire truck and six personnel per shift. It includes training and dorm areas and a kitchen, laundry and day room, said Harris. The facility is being turned over to the depot for staffing.

The station will be the first responder to BGCAPP fire calls, and will be backed up by the main depot fire station if necessary, said Sean Brewer, fire chief, BGAD. The depot has mutual-aid agreements with Madison County and Richmond fire departments, so they will provide back-up to the depot if requested. The depot provides the same service to them, with the exception of the satellite station, which is dedicated to BGCAPP.

“This new station not only benefits BGCAPP, but all of the depot personnel and facilities,” said Brewer. “It will provide an enhanced response to the demilitarization site as well as increased fire-protection manpower depot-wide.”

Initial staffing of the new station is scheduled for Sept. 19.