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The Winchester Fire Department currently has three stations, with Station 1 located at 44 N. Main Street, Station 2 located at 1325 Fulton Road, and Station 3 located at 1100 Fortune Road. 

Plans for changes were discussed at the recent Winchester City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

A facilities study performed by GRW Engineering – a full-service engineering, architectural, and geospatial consulting firm from Lexington – was spoken of. 

While a representative from the company intended to be present, they were unable to due to illness.

However, based on the study, certain recommendations were suggested for all three stations.

“This is something we’ve been talking about…prior to [City Manager] Bruce [Manley] even being here,” said former City Manager Mike Flynn. “This kind of goes hand-in-hand with what [Winchester Fire Department] Chief [Chris] Whiteley had put together in his strategic plan as far as moving the department forward.” 

According to a document sent to Manley, these recommendations included renovations of the Administration and Shift Staff Operations wings of the building for Station 1, construction of a new Station 2 on a new site to allow for a larger facility accommodating the city’s growth and response to demands on the west side of town, and renovations on Station 3 focused on life safety upgrades and minor site and building repairs, plus a limited building addition that accommodates an increased fire department decontamination process and facilities. 

Renovations of the existing fire house at Station 2 were deemed infeasible due to flooding and site size accommodations, while safety upgrades and repairs for Station 3 include adding a back-up generator in addition to HVAC, electrical, upgrades to room and equipment storage, and ADA upgrades. 

The process would take place in multiple steps.  

“We knew going into this that monetarily-wise, it would be very expensive to provide these improvements,” Flynn added. “In so doing, we asked them…to look at it from a phased approach. That’s very important.” 

At a cost of just over $118,000, Flynn recommended that the Commission go forward with Phase A of the project authorized by GRW Engineering. 

He spoke further about the study. 

“Response times and department runs as part of this study [are] very important,” he said. “I think this goes along with our strategic planning. I think this goes along with what you approved in your budget. I think this goes along with what you approved in your financing as well.”

It was also mentioned by City Commissioner Shannon Cox that certain upgrades – such as electrical – were of more immediate urgency. 

Winchester Mayor JoEllen Reed agreed that comprehensive upgrades are necessary. 

“I think it’s been way too long [since] a lot of things were done at several of our stations,” she said.  

She asked that City Manager Bruce Manley put the item on the agenda at the Commission’s next meeting on Tuesday, November 19, for further discussion and to be voted on.