By Bailey Coyle, Fox23 News
COWETA, Okla. — After decades of planning and years of working out of temporary facilities, the City of Coweta is preparing to break ground on a new, modern fire station aimed at improving public safety and supporting the city’s growing fire department.
The current fire station has been in operation since 1985, and according to City Manager Julie Casteen, the need for a new facility has been recognized for years.
“The fire chief has worked for us for about 24 years, and he was told when he first started that we were in the process of building a new station,” Casteen said. “It’s taken us a little while, but we do have the funding now to do that.”
The new station will be built near Coweta High School, behind the site where Warren Clinic is constructing a new facility. City leaders say the location provides both the space and highway access needed for faster and safer emergency responses.
“One of the reasons we chose this location is because of the highway access,” Casteen said. “It provides a much safer route to respond to emergencies quickly.”
Funding for the project comes from a city sales tax initiative approved by voters in 2022. The original budget was formulated in 2019, and the city also borrowed against future sales tax revenue to help offset rising construction costs. What was once planned as a $7 million joint public safety facility has since evolved into two separate facilities totaling approximately $17.5 million.
The facility will include modern living quarters for firefighters who work 24-hour shifts, along with expanded administrative offices for the fire chief, fire marshal, and training officers. A large training room will also be available for joint training with other departments.
“They live there, they sleep there, they eat there,” Casteen said. “This will give them the space they need to do their job correctly and safely.”
Fire Chief Brian Woodard said the upcoming project marks the end of a challenging period for the department, which has been operating out of a mobile home for the past two and a half years following mold issues at the old station.
“It’s finally happening. It’s real,” Woodard said. “My first day on the job, almost 24 years ago, they told me we were getting ready to build a new station. Now we’re actually about to see it happen.”
While the mobile home has served as a temporary solution, Woodard said it has been far from ideal for a department of this size.
“It’s doing its job, but it’s not built for 10 people living and working in it,” he said. “We’re ready to move into a permanent facility.”
The new station will feature covered ambulance bays, private office space, upgraded technology, and improved training areas. Digital displays and modern alert systems are expected to improve response times by providing real-time information directly to crews.
“Everything about this facility is designed to help us respond quicker and more efficiently,” Woodard said.
The station is designed to accommodate 10 firefighters per shift and four administrative staff members, with room for future growth. City officials say the project is also the first step in a broader plan to expand fire coverage as Coweta continues to grow.
“We are growing, and public safety facilities are our most critical need right now,” Casteen said. “This is just the first step.”
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
