By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

EDGARD — Plans for a state-of-the-art firehouse with advances in fire fighting and apparatus equipment moved closer to fruition for LaPlace residents this week.

Designed by Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects Regional Design Group LLC, the new station will be a 13,000-square foot facility comprised of two floors of administrative space, a mechanical shop, fitness space, sleeping quarters and a decontamination room.

After meeting with architects and members of the volunteer fire department, Fire Chief Cain Dufrene said he is looking forward to the new station and additional space.

“The added space will allow for numerous advances in fire fighting and apparatus equipment, new trucks and other equipment that will better serve the needs of our residents,” Dufrene said.

The station will be constructed at its original location on Hemlock Street in LaPlace and is funded through sales tax and revenue bonds for the LaPlace Volunteer Fire Department.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Finance Committee approved the advertisement for construction of a new $3 million Hemlock Fire Station at Monday’s meeting.

The Committee also approved a study to explore a cheaper way to treat parish wastewater as Meyer Engineer LTD was awarded a $114,360 engineering contract to perform an Ecological Baseline Study.

Funded through the $1.5 million Environmental Protection Agency Wastewater Grant, the study is part of the development of the Za Road wastewater oxidation pond for a wetlands assimilation project, which will analyze the amount of treated wastewater flow that can be discharged to treat nearby wetlands.

Parish Engineer C.J. Savoie said the study would explore a cheaper way to treat wastewater.