Officials approved two new fire stations and three new apparatus for a Texas fire department this week.
"It’s going to really help our department give the citizens of Midland and the citizens of Midland County much better service …,” Midland Fire Chief Charles Blumenauer told KWES-TV following the city council's OK on Tuesday.
The city is now waiting on construction bids for the new stations. Midland's Fire Station 5, a 50-plus-year-old firehouse, was demolished at the end of last year, and crews now work out of another station.
The new station, which will stand on same site as the old firehouse, will be a two-story, 11,000-square-foot facility. The city also will be building a new 13,000-square-foot firehouse, Fire Station 11.
Along with the stations, the city approve three squad apparatus to be added to the department's fleet. A $900,000 donation from Midland County will go toward paying for the vehicles.
“Squads are our little light rescue vehicles that have our extrication equipment," Blumenauer told KWES. "We also use those vehicles to go on EMS calls instead of sending the fire truck which is a lot heavier, more expensive piece of equipment.
