Mayor Kevin Faulconer and several City Council members officially opened Fire Station #45 in Mission Valley with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.
The new fire station replaces the temporary station that’s been there for nine years.
The new permanent fire station is north of Friars Road across the street from Qualcomm Stadium. The temporary station was in the stadium parking lot.
City officials were concerned heavy traffic in the area would cause problems for quick responses from fire fighters, but the installation of new stop lights should help with a quick exit from the station.
Before the new station, fires in Mission Valley were fought by firefighters from stations in Kensington, Tierrasanta, City Heights, Grantville, and Hillcrest.
The two-story building will be the first-ever permanent San Diego-Fire Rescue Department station in Mission Valley. The 16,290-square-foot structure will house an engine and truck, along with firefighters and a hazardous materials team, according to the SDFRD.
Mission Valley is one of 19 areas in San Diego listed in a consultant’s report issued five years ago as being priorities for new stations.
Another neighborhood listed in the report, Skyline, is being covered by a temporary firehouse opened in August. A third, Encanto, underwent a one-year experiment with a two-man Fast Response Squad, in which they could beat regular firefighters to an emergency scene and assess the situation or begin rescues and medical aids.
The fire department says it cut response times in Encanto by nearly 30 percent. A second unit is expected to begin operating in University City early next year.
Some other fire stations are on the drawing board. While some are paid for with developer funds, others are competing for municipal dollars with other infrastructure priorities, like roadway fixes and repairs for city buildings — including several deteriorating fire stations.
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