Gentry Fire Station Beginning Construction

After extensive work to prepare the land, construction set to begin on the Gentry Fire Station.

Putnam Fire Chief Jeff Hicks said the main section of the building should be fully erected in the next few weeks. Hicks said their goal is to have a workable station there by the winter.

“Functioning’s what it’ll be first,” Hicks said. “They’ll get temporary power on it and they’ll have the concrete and the doors and the driveways in, and they’ll do the live-in portion last. That way if they run short we can still function out of the building. And that’s the goal, that way we can put a truck in there.”

Hicks said once the primary portion of the building is complete, contractors will add plumbing, concrete, and electrical systems. Hicks said they already have a tanker they got through a grant that will go in the station once it’s ready.

“Once we get the truck in there, we’ll notify ISO, get that ball rolling,” Hicks said. “And that’ll take probably three to four months before they’ll actually get out here and inspect it and recognize it as a station.”

Hicks said the new station will improve the ISO fire rating of everyone within five road miles of it from ten to nine, saving them money on their insurance.

“They’ve never had ISO-recognized fire protection in that area of the county,” Hicks said. “If they’re with five road miles and they have a hydrant within a thousand feet of their house, they’ll be a six, which will give them even more savings.”

Hicks said the building will have a single bedroom set up as the fire station’s living quarters.

“It’s actually been a long time coming,” Hicks said. “We actually had this approved a couple budgets ago. Of course, with the opposition of the community center and trying to find land, this project’s been dormant for a couple years. So it’s awesome to finally see it coming to life and moving forward.”