Salisbury firefighters are expressing their gratitude for the new fire station that has recently been opened. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new building took place on a Saturday morning. Abby Brewer, the sole female member of the team, highlighted the absence of a women’s washroom in the old station. Having volunteered at the department for four years, she emphasized the significance of now having her own washroom, a luxury that was lacking in the previous setup.
Brewer also pointed out the enhanced facilities for training and responding to emergencies in the new station. She recalled the cramped conditions in the old station, where maneuvering around the trucks and gear racks was challenging and chaotic.
The construction of the new Main Street fire station came at a cost exceeding $7 million. The upgraded features include showers, an indoor gym, kitchen/lounge area, offices, shared working spaces, and improved washing facilities for firefighting gear. Brewer expressed her delight at the transformation, likening the new station to a “mansion.”
Fire Chief Bradley MacLeod shared his satisfaction at having a designated office space in the new station, as opposed to using a small kitchen area for departmental tasks in the old setup. He highlighted the benefit of having dual entry and exit points for the trucks, a significant improvement from the previous design.
MacLeod also mentioned the addition of seven extra lockers in the new location, which allows for an increase in the number of firefighters beyond the previous cap of 27 due to limited locker space in the old station.
Despite the positive changes, MacLeod acknowledged that cell coverage remains a challenge in the area. He noted that the Wi-Fi signal weakens outside the building, hampering communication during emergencies. Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin attended the opening ceremony and acknowledged the progress made in improving services but recognized the need for additional cell towers to address the ongoing connectivity issues in the region.