Woodson County Fire Station

Kansas Commerce awards KAN STEP grant for new fire station in Yates Center

The Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded a $300,000 KAN STEP grant to Woodson County to construct a new fire station in Yates Center. The County and the Fire Department will construct a modern fire station building to house the fire equipment, provide some administrative space and a meeting space that can be used for training of personnel. The Woodson County Rural Fire Department provides fire protection for a large county. The department is currently housed in an old gas station in Yates Center. The facility is undersized for the number of vehicles currently stored there. Each bay that was designed for one piece of equipment currently has at least two vehicles. There is very little space available for meeting and training and parking space is limited at their current site.

Local volunteers will contribute $257,426 in labor and equipment towards the new fire station.  Zingre’ and Associates, PA, of Fort Scott, KS is the project architect. Grant administration will be by Susan Galemore of the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission. Inspection services and assistance will be provided by Kansas Rural Water.

The new station will include the following:
• An administrative office for the fire chief, small meetings and storage of records
• A training room with space for 50 to 70 people
• A kitchen that is large enough to prepare food and provide space for community dinners
• Restrooms with showers
• Engine bays with room for 7 pieces of equipment
• Storage and mechanical space