According to a report from Carteret County News-Times, a recently completed study of Morehead, North Carolina’s, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) department by N.C. Fire Chief Consulting (NCFCC) showed that Fire Station No. 3, located at 5291 Highway 70, is still needed to serve the west side of the city. The Morehead City Council must now decide whether to keep the station where it is now or find a location—and the money—to build a new one.
NCFCC’s Greg Grayson presented the city council with the results as well as some recommendations for next steps during a special meeting held Thursday, March 18.
Morehead City assumed control of Fire Station No. 3 in 2014 when the now-defunct Wildwood Volunteer Fire Department merged with Morehead City Fire Department. Today, the city leases the station from Carteret County through an agreement that will expire in 2024. This deadline, combined with factors like space needs, the building’s old age, and the fact it suffered significant damage during Hurricane Florence in 2018, prompted officials to accelerate plans for a new station and hire consultants to guide the process.
One of the study’s key findings, based on the vulnerability risk index, was that a fire station on the west end of Morehead City is necessary to maintain adequate service to the area. The study also found the existing Fire Station No. 3 is in a good position; if the city were to look for a new location, they should only have it located within around a half-mile radius of the existing one.