A new era began at Highlands Fire and Rescue on Friday.
With a large crowd of supporters gathered in the parking lot, the new fire station on Franklin Road was officially dedicated and opened for business.
“This is a great day for the fire department, and the town as a whole,” Mayor Patrick Taylor said. “This building will serve Highlands many decades into the future and allow our fire department to continue to grow as the town grows.”
Taylor noted that he occasionally gets asked about the number of fire trucks and emergency vehicles Highlands has at its disposal. His answer is to recall a recent emergency in Sagee Woods.
“As most of you know there was a massive fire in a very large home just a couple of months ago,” Taylor said. “When I saw all the smoke from that blaze, I thought something in our commercial district was on fire, so I rushed into town. I got to the fire station and every truck was gone. Every piece of equipment we have was used in fighting that fire and it made me realize exactly why we have so many trucks and why we need a proper station to house them.”
Taylor thanked the town board and town staff for their work taking the new fire station from a talking point for several years to actual construction in 2022.
The new station, which came with a price tag of approximately $8 million, features 12 truck bays, sleeping quarters for as many as five firefighters, a fitness room, meeting room, training area, offices and a commercial kitchen.
“Today is a very special day, because it only happens every 50 or 60 years,” Highlands Fire Chief Ryan Gearhart said. “To see this new station open and functional is a tribute to all the people who made it possible. From the contractors and subcontractors, many of whom were local, to the volunteers who helped us move equipment, to the town and county employees who worked on all aspects of the funding, design, permitting, construction, etc. A lot of people had a hand in this project.”
Taylor also took time to thank the late Jane Woodruff for her willingness to work with the town on the purchase of the property.
“I remember we went to Miss Jane’s home, myself, Ryan, and (town manager) Josh Ward, and we sat down and explained we wanted to buy this property and use it for a new fire station,” Taylor said. “Miss Jane was immediately on board, her only condition was that the fire station we built needed to be the best looking station in North Carolina. I think we accomplished that, and she’d be proud to see what this property has become.”
Ward informed the crowd that the town has started a search for six new firefighters to man the station 24/7.
“Highlands has gotten to a point where we need to have fulltime fire coverage,” Ward said. “And of course those firefighters don’t just respond to actual fires, they respond to traffic accidents, searches, rescue operations, medical emergencies, and any number of other calls related to their role as first responders.”
Following the dedication ceremony, members of Highlands American Legion Post 370 raised a new American flag outside the station and community members got the chance to tour the facility.
“We are really proud to have been involved in this project and to see it completed is special,” Ryan Bryson of Bryson’s Grading said. “I think everyone who lives in Highlands wants what’s best for the town and this new station is an incredible addition that will be in use well into the future.”