A new fire station is under construction in Gadsden that will replace the existing Fire Station 8 on Rainbow Dr.
“The current Station 8 doesn’t meet our needs anymore,” said Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford. “There’s simply not enough space, and for years, we’ve had to use a shed to help house our equipment.
The current Fire Station 8 is 2,500 square feet, and uses a makeshift lean-to on the back of the station because the newer fire trucks, which are three to five feet longer, do not fit in the bay. It was constructed in 1963, according to Fire Chief Vance Brown.
The new station will be a two-story, 7,500-square-foot building featuring red doors and a slide for quicker access to the truck from the second story.
“This new station will have enough space to house our fire trucks, along with improvements to the living quarters for firemen and a police precinct,” Ford said.
The facility will be the third new fire station for Gadsden in recent years. Station 7 opened at Banks Park in 2022, and a new Station 5 opened at Noccalula Falls last Spring.
“I want to thank Mayor Ford and his administration for their continued support of the Gadsden Fire Department and our first responders,” said Gadsden Fire Chief Vance Brown. “This is a much-needed new building that will help our ability to respond to local homes and businesses.”
The bid was awarded to Boatner Construction for $3,427,992.60 on March 10, which was the lowest responsible and responsive bid, according to a resolution from the City Council of Gadsden. Funding for the station will come from the recent RISE Project bond issue.
Boatner has worked with the city projects such as Noccalula Fire Station 5, the Gadsden Senior Wellness Center and the Moragne Park renovations.
The new station will be located at the intersection of Riley St. and Rainbow Drive, near the existing station and is expected to be completed in Spring 2027.
The next major project for the Fire Department will be a waterfront station that will combine Central/Downtown Station 1 and North Gadsden Station 6 in the coming years.
