Fire station No. 3 looks forward to new facility

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — One of the oldest and busiest fire stations — Fire Station 3 near Morgan Ave. and 12th Street — in Corpus Christi will soon move to a new location

Local news reporter Naidy Escobar spoke with City of Corpus Christi Fire Chief Brandon Wade, who gave us an update on what the community can expect from this new facility.

As part of a nearly $11 million project, Fire Station No. 3 will be relocated across the street in April 2025.

As you drive down Morgan Street, you may have noticed that a new building is being constructed—this will be the new Fire Station #3.

Take a look at the plans for the new Fire Station Number 3

“This is kind of the heart of the city. It's one of our oldest fire stations and soon it will be replaced by a brand new station right across the street,” Wade said.

Chief Wade adds that this facility is one of the special operations stations.

“We have an ambulance, we have trailers to support the operation and our workforce has also evolved. In the 1970s the department was mainly male. Now we have women in the organization,” he said.

The 70-year-old fire station is considered one of the busiest stations not only in the city, but in the entire state and country, he confirmed.

Fire Chief Wade tells KRIS 6 News that the new facility will be groundbreaking.

“The new station will create a separation between work and rest environments. We will also install a diesel exhaust system there to protect our firefighters from carcinogenic substances,” he added.

City of Corpus Christi

Wade said cancer is a problem in the fire service because of the stresses firefighters face.

“We try to design our fire station to minimize the exposure of our firefighters in the residential buildings. The last thing we want is to bring the dirt and grime that we deal with on the job every day into our living and working spaces,” he said.

The new station will be equipped with a hot zone, a warm zone and a cold zone so that firefighters can clean themselves before going to their living area.

Not only the firefighters benefit, but also the community

“When you have something like this (a new facility), it strengthens the community. So we are very proud to be able to build such a beautiful facility that belongs to the citizens of the community, right in the heart of the city,” he said.

Chief Wade tells us they have partnered with the Ed Rachel Foundation, who donated the land across the street, which is extremely beneficial to the station.

“The property across the street allows us to respond quickly. And since this is a huge project, we want the community to know that this will be your new fire station. It will serve you well for many years to come,” he said.

The facility was scheduled to open in fall 2024, but due to some foundation issues, the new facility is expected to open in April 2025.

Some firefighters said they were excited about the new facility and couldn't wait for it to be completed.

Chief Wade tells us that the city is investing in the future of its fire stations – their goal is to replace half of them within the next ten years.

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