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Contact: Debbie Wilmot Public Information Officer City of Lafayette www.cityoflafayette.com [EMAIL REDACTED] 1290 S. Public Rd Lafayette, CO 80026 Phone [PHONE REDACTED] ext.3455 Page 1 of 2 News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lafayette Fire Station #2 breaks ground on July 30 LAFAYETTE, CO July 31, 2012 – In 1975 an eager young man walked into the Lafayette Volunteer Fire Department, which today houses the WOW Children’s Museum, and signed up to be a volunteer firefighter. Ever since he was a small child watching volunteer firefighters head to a fire, he knew he wanted to be one too. In the 1970’s when the City had 4,000 residents, the volunteer department responded to about 150 emergencies each year and it took them 10 to 15 minutes to arrive on scene to a fire. All 30 of those volunteer fire fighters relied on the outdoor warning siren that sat atop the fire station to summon them to an emergency. That community-minded young man who applied as a volunteer 37 years ago was Gerry Morrell who now holds the title of Lafayette Fire Chief. Today Gerry and his staff respond to approximately 1800 emergencies a year protecting 25,000 residents. On Monday Gerry and his crew were eager to officially mark the groundbreaking of Lafayette Fire Station In 2002 when the Fire Department’s Master Plan was completed, the department recognized there would one day be the need to bring on an additional fire station for the protection of the growing community. A significant amount of Chief Morrell’s attention is spent ensuring average response standards for the Fire Department are met or exceeded. The NFPA standards require crews to arrive on scene at an incident in 5 minutes or less 90% of the time. Those 5 minutes include a 1 minute tone time, the time it takes fighters to hear the alert and load up, and 4 minutes of travel. “The South edge of the City is a challenge for us,” explains Fire Chief Gerry Morrell. “It takes us more than our 5 minute goal to get to the SouthPoint neighborhood near Exempla Hospital.” With the completion of the 225 unit Prana Apartment complex and proposed 2nd complex beginning construction soon, an expanded Exempla Hospital wing, and a upcoming medical complex, all located on Highway 287 south of South Boulder Road, resources were being stretched thin and response times ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 2 City of Lafayette getting longer. So in 2012 the City began the process to form a Special Improvement District that would fund the new fire station. After a period of planning and a bidding process, Lafayette Fire Station #2 was ready to break ground. TC2 of Evergreen was awarded the 2.3 million dollar contract to construct an 11,000 sq ft station. The new state-of- the-art home for Lafayette firefighters will include 3 vehicle bays and living quarters. Fire Station #2 will be the home away from home for the staff of 18 career and 15 reserve firefighters. Station #2’s primary area of responsibility will include areas south of South Boulder Road. Fire Station #2 511 Exempla Circle / Lafayette