Select board members fired up about new station

LAKEVILLE -- They’ve seen a one-dimensional drawing of the new fire station scheduled to open next year.

But for the first time, members of the Lakeville Select Board toured the station in person Oct. 27 to view the progress being made on the project firsthand.

“What a contrast,’’ Select Board Chair Lorraine Carboni said of the difference between a drawing and an in-person view.

“This is a pinch-me moment,’’ she said. “Our residents can feel extremely proud of this investment.’’

 A major difference from the current site that is immediately obvious on site is the expanded space for fire apparatus.

“Look at these doors,’’ Select Board member Lia Fabian said. “They’re so much bigger.’’

That was literally by design.

Having ample space to accommodate modern equipment and allow it to exit the building quickly was a major selling point made by Fire Chief Michael O’Brien in advocating for the new station.

Only an inch of clearance between fire apparatus and the walls exists at the current station, which was built in 1949, when engines were smaller. This tight space requires a careful, guided exit to avoid striking the walls, an effort that can take a minute to accomplish.

That minute, O’Brien has said, can mean the difference between life and death in some emergencies.

Select Board members viewed other upgrades to the station, including a separate area for hazardous materials cleaning and expanded living space for the firefighters on duty.

A training area adjacent to the bays will allow firefighters to train on specific skills, including exiting from manholes and climbing ladders.

The project is coming in under budget and on time, Bob Rice of Pomroy Associates, owner’s project manager for the station, said.

The construction cost had been estimated at $17 million but the winning bid was more than $5 million lower at $11.5 million.

The work is still on track, Rice said, for a July 2027 opening.