NORTH AUGUSTA - Station 3 has been online for a month, and North Augusta Public Safety wants to celebrate.
Chief John Thomas, North Augusta Public Safety's director, said the plans for an additional station began 18 years ago.
"We knew with the annexing and growth of the North Woods II and Lakes and Streams area, Old Sudlow Lake Road and the expansion of I-520, that this is an area we would need to be," he said.
Thomas said in 2009, the Insurance Service Organization inspected North Augusta's first department. Some of the service area was more than five miles from a fire station.
Thomas said the inspection changed that area to a class 10, which means the area doesn't meet the organization's minimum criteria, and plans began immediately to build a new station.
"In 2010, we submitted a preliminary site plan to the SCDOT for their recommendations," he said. "At that time, we learned that in order for the station's entrance to be above the 'controlled access point,' we would need to acquire some of the adjacent property."
Two years later, Public Safety began seeking a qualified architectural firm. In July 2013, a resolution was passed by City Council to award the contract to Johnson, Laschober and Associates P.C., of Augusta.
"We began meeting with JLA and their team, Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects to design our station," Thomas said. "In February of 2014, John W. Spratlin and Son LLC was awarded the construction bid. Construction began on the station in late April of 2014, and was completed April of 2015. Our first day of operation was April 27."
Public Safety will hold an open house for the new station from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday as part of a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"We are so thankful that Council approved this construction, and are thrilled at the quality of fire service that this station will aid us in providing to our citizens," Thomas said.