GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids officially opened its new Kendall Street fire station on Friday, marking a significant milestone for the city's fire department and Third Ward residents.
The new Station 12 is a 12,600-square-foot, two-bay facility designed to serve the Third Ward for the next 75 to 100 years.
WATCH: Grand Rapids leaders hold ribbon cutting for new fire station
"Dispatcher, please show Station 12 and Engine 12 in service and available," came the call over the radio during Friday's ceremony.
"Message received, Chief 2. Station 12 is officially open and Engine 12 is in service and available," was the response, followed by applause from the gathered crowd.
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The Kendall Fire Station is the first new station in the city in 37 years.
The modern facility includes private dorm rooms, modern kitchen and dining areas, a fitness room, a community meeting space and drive-through apparatus bays.
Grand Rapids Fire Department Chief Brad Brown said the new station will help relieve pressure on the city's busiest engine, Engine 4 at Kalamazoo and 28th Street.
"I can tell you that sleepless nights take a toll on our health. Yet our crews have remained vigilant and professional, always protecting our community and putting Grand Rapids first. As of today, Engine 4, help is on the way," Brown said.
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Brown emphasized the broader significance of the new station during the dedication ceremony.
"Today is more than just a dedication of a fire station. It's a promise. A promise that every resident of Grand Rapids will be safer and that our city will be stronger and more resilient because of what we're celebrating here today," Brown said.
The new station features a unique touch of local history: a handcrafted conference table and feature wall made from a 140-year-old white oak tree that previously stood on the lot where the new station now sits.
WATCH: How Grand Rapids firefighters preserved a piece of history inside new fire station
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