The Wichita City Council has given the green light for the design of a new fire station, along with the replacement of two others.
In February 2024, the council approved purchasing property for the new station at Pawnee and Maize Road. Tuesday's vote approves a design contract and once the designs are complete, the city hopes to bid the project for construction by the end of the year.
Council member Dalton Glasscock is happy to see a new station coming to his district.
The council also approved replacement of Fire Station #8 at Central and Elder in west Wichita, and Fire Station #15 at Lincoln and Rock Road in the southeast part of the city.
The total cost of this project is around $1.58 million, including $200 thousand approved Tuesday for art work.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, the council unanimously approved a little over $8.2 million dollars for new equipment for the department.
That includes 2 new aerial fire apparatus, which due to supply chain issues will take around 45 months to deliver. The department will also purchase new equipment like ladders, chainsaws, thermal imaging equipment, new radios and their accessories, and self-contained breathing apparatus.