Lewes Fire Department unveils new Station 2

The Lewes Fire Department is looking to the future with its new contemporary Station 2 in Nassau.

Operational as of April, the 24,500-square-foot facility is built to serve the fire department for the next 100 years.

“This building was built for now plus the future,” said department President Ed Schaeffer. “Every time we upgrade our buildings, that's what we do. We've done it at all three stations.”

When the department began planning in 2011 for its new Station 2, the old facility had already well outlasted its projected lifespan. Built in the early 90s, the original 9,965-square-foot Station 2 was expected to last for only 10 years.

As the Cape Region's explosive growth continues in the areas surrounding Lewes, officials knew it was time to bring Station 2 into the 21st century. The new facility is designed as an emergency operations hub in the case of a significant emergency, whether a hurricane or large snow event. With plenty of room available for agencies like the National Guard or the Delaware State Police to operate and sleep, the new station is ready for anything that may hit the Cape Region.

“We just want to make sure we are ready because sooner or later we're going to get hit,” Schaeffer said. “We were lucky when Sandy went by.”

A bigger, more up-to-date facility is also beneficial for day-to-day operations, said Glenn Marshall, public information officer. With constant year-round traffic, he said, it is important the department take measures to ensure response time remains unaffected.

“There's a national standard for medical calls – eight minutes from dispatch to me at your door,” he said. In summer, that's really hard, he said.

The department charged a 12-person committee with overseeing the project. The group worked with Moonlight Architecture Inc. to create an efficient and functional design. Construction began in October 2013 with Harkins Contracting Inc. and finished earlier this spring.

Marshall says while everything is 100 percent ready from an operations standpoint, overall work is about 93 percent finished. Smaller ancillary projects remain, including equipping a large fitness room in the basement.

Besides the 7,000-square-foot engine bay, offices and bunk space, the new facility also has a 2,100-square-foot meeting/gathering area, training rooms, and plenty of space for storage.

The department has two other stations – Station 1 on Savannah Road in Lewes, built in 1987, and Station 3 on Route 24, which is shared with Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company. Together with Station 2, the department has resources strategically placed to adequately meet the needs of its coverage area.

For more information about the Lewes Fire Department, go to www.lewesfire.com.