The fire department has moved in to a new fire station well not brand new at 801 Walnut St. (Station 52).

This fire station was built in 1969. It is staffed with two firefighters for 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The plan is for this station to be staffed 24 hours in 60 days.

The plan is to do a little remodeling because right now there are no sleeping quarters and the building need to be updated.

We are excited to start staffing this station because it gives us another location in the parish that we can respond faster to emergency calls.

We currently staff two other locations, 1703 St. Andrews Blvd. Station 53 – this is a 24 hour station – and 1401 Belle Pointe Station 55 – this also is staffed 24 hours.

Hopefully in the future we will be moving into other stations throughout the parish. If you are in the neighborhood please stop in and say hello and meet the firefighters.

Michael Heath is president of the St. John Professional Firefighters Association.