The new 8,200-square-foot Redwood Fire Station was built starting in July 2021. Last week, the community got its first look at this shiny building.
This station has had 2,020 square feet of prefabricated, modular living rooms for the past 45 years. The equipment bay was in a separate garage.
A new, well-equipped station was needed because firemen are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It opened for business on October 30.
Too long overdue
Erica Ray, an information specialist for the Santa Clara County Fire Department, says that more fire coverage is needed in this part of the county because of growth in mountain communities, more traffic on Highway 17, and a higher chance of wildfires.
She said, “This new, modern fire station will continue to keep the people in the area safe for many years to come.” “The building has two floors and a lookout tower on the third.”
The siding on the outside is made of a material that doesn’t burn and is very fire proof. “This station will be useful for many years to come,” Ray said.
There is now a Type 1 fire engine, a Type 6 wildland firefighting engine, and a utility truck in the bigger apparatus bay.
Support services, business services, IT, operations administration, planning, fire safety educational materials, a public lobby, dedicated office space, an equipment room, a workout room, a turnout extractor and laundry sink, decontamination shower, meeting rooms, and a fully equipped kitchen are all added to this new station.
Tours Are Given
The event was attended by Santa Clara County District 3 Supervisor Otto Lee, SCCFD Chief Suwanna Kerdkaew, and SCCFD Support Services Director Dave Snow. After Gail Pellerin, a member of the State Assembly, gave a certificate of honor, tours and lunch were given.
Guests, officials, and people from the community didn’t need to be told twice to get in line for lunch. The fire crew brought out veggie burgers, garlic bread, salad, fruit, and perfectly grilled tri-tip.
One of the firemen, Jesse Trask, was also in charge of the grill. He said, “I’m doing my best, but I can’t promise anything.” There were no problems at all. Sarah Devlin, 33, who lives in the neighborhood, said she loves the new fire station.
“They work very hard,” she said, adding that last year’s fire season was very bad. “They also put out any car fires on Highway 17, which there are always.”
What Snow told me about the “ice cream tradition” is how important it is to firemen. He said, “The first time a firefighter’s name is in the news, they have to buy their whole team ice cream.”
I looked around, but couldn’t find a new fireman who was willing to quote. Also, the new station makes it safer for firemen. A shower, a laundry sink, and a turnout extractor are the newest things that are needed for cleaning.
This is very important because explosives that put out fires can be dropped on them. The station is now modern, which makes it more likely that firefighters will carry on the tradition and emotion that come with the job, and it also helps protect the people they serve.