Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 approved preliminary drawings and locations for three new fire stations at a May special meeting, including Station 13, a 19,000-square-foot station to be built in the Bridgeland area. The stations will be staffed by the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department, which will provide fire suppression, emergency medical services and rescue services.
“The role of the ESD is to make sure we have what we need at the right place and at the right time,” ESD No. 9 Commissioner Betty Boren Avery said. “Station 13 will put us in a better position to serve the west side of the district. We will continue to review what other aspects need to be covered on the west side.”
Specific details on the layout and design of the stations are still being determined. The construction time frame will be determined after the district brings on a construction manager at risk to manage the projects, officials said.
The single-story Bridgeland station will feature four to five apparatus bays, living quarters, a training/conference room, work rooms, a decontamination room, turnout gear space, storage for emergency medical services and a physical wellness area.
“We are thrilled that Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 has selected Bridgeland as the home of Fire Station 13,” said Peter Houghton, vice president of master-planned communities for Bridgeland, in a statement.
Other ESD plans include building new stations to cover the Wortham Boulevard and Cherry Park Drive areas and completing renovations to Station 7 on Cypresswood Drive.
Cy-Fair VFD, which covers 165 square miles in northwest Harris County, is a combination fire department with volunteers, part-time and full-time paid personnel. ESD No. 9 is responsible for managing the annual budget and collecting taxes.
Voters approved a 1 cent sales tax increase for ESD No. 9 in May 2013. The new projects are being funded by the boost in sales tax revenue generated by the increase. Officials said it was needed to serve a Cy-Fair population that grew from 247,800 to 411,000 people from 2003-13 and is projected to continue growing for the foreseeable future.
“It’s all about the people we serve,” Avery said. “Bridgeland worked with the district to come to this juncture, and now we’re ready to move forward. I think this is a positive step.”
The volunteer fire department is looking for volunteers to serve the growing population, she said. Anyone interested in volunteering can apply in person at 9630 Telge Road, Houston, or by calling 281-550-6663.
