Grand Junction’s newest fire station is nearing completion

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -The Grand Junction Fire Department’s newest station is nearing completion and the department is asking for the community’s help as they get closer to opening the doors.

The new Fire Station Three is being built on 25 1/2 Road, right next door to the original station. Station Three is the oldest fire station the department has, and it’s due for an upgrade.

GJFD Community Outreach Specialist Dirk Clingman says the money budgeted for rebuilding the station was provided before the public safety tax, which has provided funding for other stations. But he says the new station is being built with first responders in mind.

“One of the key differences with the new station will be the care put into and the consideration for our first responders’ health,” said Clingman. “There will be a system to remove fumes from the emergency vehicles from inside the bay and the new station is designed with an eye towards cancer prevention and the overall health of our firefighters.”

The new station is much larger than the original and will keep the firefighters be more comfortable when they’re working or have just come back from a call.

“This station will feature all of the amenities of our more recent stations, with great workout facilities,” said Clingman. “It’s really an investment in the health of our firefighters and giving them a space to do their paperwork, relax after fires, communicate over the breakfast table and share information about their day.

One of the biggest changes has to do with the bedrooms for the firefighters. Clingman says that the crew consists of both men and women and the current fire station has sleeping arrangements separated by only a curtain. The new fire station three will have separate, private bedrooms for each of the first responders.

With this new station comes the focus on beatification. Clingman says each budget for a fire station sets money aside to provide artwork. In the case of Station Three, the crew really wanted to reach out the community for artwork, to help make the fire station a part of the community.

“It’s really up to the crews that live in our stations to decide what they want to have in the station,” said Clingman. “And at Station Three, the crew decided they wanted to give the community the opportunity to contribute and what they wanted the focus is to be on the natural scenic beauty of our area.”

Clingman says artists in the community can send a digital copy of any piece of artwork they wish to submit for the contest. There will also be a youth version of the contest for elementary age students. The department plans to work with District 51 in getting information out to students.

“We recognize that we can’t pay our artists for the value of their artwork,” said Clingman. “There is a $200 prize for our five winners of this contest, but really we’re asking the community of artists in Mesa County to contribute to the health, well-being and just the good beauty inside our station by contributing their art for this contest and we really appreciate anyone who wants to help out our first responders.”

To submit your artwork, send it via email, along with your application to: gjfirepio@gjcity.org.

For an application you can visit: https://indd.adobe.com/view/8c24fb78-2e33-4c73-be49-56d6763b22e7?fbclid=IwAR39AwR-hzYSPK6L0Bf7n9OUxSMG8vYbOpse-xjMElgfrjnrqKSzQf90yZ4

The contest runs through April 30, 2022.

The fire station itself is expected to be finished in May.

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