By Jamie L. Costa
The Eagle-Tribune
DERRY, N.H. — The new Central Fire Station on Rockingham Road is nearing completion while town officials prepare for full-scale operations next month, just two years after contractors first broke ground on the site in 2023.
Back then completion was expected by Sept. 1, 2025, with a target date for full operation in early October.
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“We had set some timelines and goals for the contractor but just coordinating with all of the different trades, we didn’t want to open the building prematurely, so our thought process was just to push it into October to make sure all was done,” said Town Administrator Michael Fowler. “When all is said and done, it’s a really beautiful building.”
Right now, the town, fire administration and contractors are working through the final checklist with a substantial completion date on or about Oct. 20 . Once the town accepts the building, the Fire Department will start moving over equipment, communications and staff sometime in November.
“The main thing is communication; we want to make sure everything has been tested so when a call comes into 911, we feel confident we can make the transition,” Fowler said. “From there, we will operate out of the new station.”
Unlike the old Central Fire Station, which first opened in the early 1970s, the new building has a life expectancy of 75 years, he continued. The 20,500-square-foot build includes modern amenities to meet all communication needs and personnel needs that will help the department attract and retain firefighters.
The $21.5 million project is designed with longevity and sustainability in mind and has been built to withstand a growing department and evolving weather conditions. Additionally, there will be room for administrative offices and training spaces that the current building never had.
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“The existing building is very cramped and energy inefficient,” Fowler said. “The new building has all the modern technology that the firefighters need to perform their job at peak performance whether or not it’s the simple things like the garage doors going up without any opportunity to have them fail.”
Additionally, the new station will help the department improve response times in the southwestern parts of town and address physical deficiencies like a lack of storage and decontamination areas, ADA compliance, air circulation, hazardous interior conditions and a compromised roof.
“We’re really happy to be moving into this,” Fowler said. “It’s a modern facility in a great location that will serve the town for many, many years once up and running.”
The other three stations in town will remain open and relatively unchanged, Fowler said.
A grand opening and ribbon cutting for both elected officials and the public will be announced soon for the first or second week of November.
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