Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Ground broken on new fire substation

PORTALES - Fire coverage is an important part of any city's infrastructure, and station location is key.

The city of Portales will soon have a new fire substation that will cover to the northwest part of town, while adding coverage of the area north of the railroad tracks.

"It's going to bring a quicker response time to the north part of Portales," said Fire Chief Gary Nuckols. "The railway has been a hindrance for us at times and can delay our response. This is going to be a full-time full-manned station that will provide full fire, emergency and medical coverage to the north side of Portales. We've never had a fully manned station on this side of the railroad before."

City officials, firefighters, construction workers and community members met Thursday morning to break ground at the site of the new station at 1223 W Ivy St., right across the street from Lindsey Steiner Elementary.

"We really needed a station on the other side of the tracks because of response time," said City Manager Sammy Standefer. "As for this particular location, we've been seeing a lot more public improvements expanding throughout the neighborhoods and that's leading to a lot of development and improvements to the area. That's what is key to developing this area. Its those public improvements."

The station will have four dormitories and staff three personnel to start. It will be home to an ambulance, Class A pumper fire engine, water tanker and a command vehicle.

Nuckols said that after the initial construction is finished, the one-acre lot will allow plenty of room for future expansions or another city building.

"It'll be something for the future city leaders. I'm retiring, but I'm glad to see this happening while I'm still here," Nuckols said. "We've been working on this for five years, from planning and design to securing our funding sources."

The contract to build the station went to WRCC, Inc. of Clovis for $1,744,687.11. Funding was provided by the state fire protection fund, New Mexico Finance Authority loans and grants and the city of Portales general fund.

The contract goes for a full year, but Standefer said the city is aiming to open the new station by early spring, provided there are no major weather delays.

"The city had been in need of this for years and years," said Portales Mayor Ronald Jackson. "It's finally come to fruition. We can get this substation built with the manpower and equipment to man it. We have a great staff and a great fire department that knows what they're doing."

 
 
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