Copyright 2006 Tower Media, Inc.
BY JIM SKEEN
The Daily News of Los Angeles
ROSAMOND, Calif. — Kern County officially welcomed its new Rosamond fire station on Monday, a building that will make life easier for firefighters.
In a brief ceremony, county officials marked the opening of the $2.1 million fire station on 35th Street West just north of Rosamond Boulevard. The 5,600-square-foot station is a replacement for a station that operated out of a World War II-style Quonset hut.
“The old Quonset hut was outdated years ago,” said County Supervisor Don Maben, whose district includes Rosamond. “This is a smarter and updated facility.”
The Quonset hut station was established in 1967. That building, which is just over 3,000 square feet, is old and cramped, county officials said.
The former station will be used as a base for a search and rescue team, giving them a place to store their equipment and to conduct training. The team’s gear is now stored at various members’ homes.
For now, the station will house one fire company. However, the building was designed with expansion in mind and is capable of housing another fire engine and its crew.
“It’s a much better facility to operate out of,” said Dennis Shoffner, president of the Rosamond Municipal Advisory Council, which provides guidance to county officials on planning issues related to the community. “It’ll certainly cut down on response times for all the new housing developments that are popping up on the westside.”
The fire station joins the Rosamond Library and the new headquarters and operations building of the Rosamond Community Services District. The three buildings are providing the makings of a civic center for the community of about 20,000 residents.
The fire station has been four years in the making. Initially, the project was to be a joint fire station/sheriff’s substation, but those plans fell through because of financial constraints and space concerns.
The sheriff’s substation will remain in a leased building on Sierra Highway for at least two more years. Before the lease ends, the Sheriff’s Department, with input from residents, will study the feasibility of building a new station, officials said.