City to breaks ground on new Fire Station 10

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The City of St. Joseph is one step closer to beginning construction for its new Fire Station 10 on the city's South Side.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday afternoon at 303 E. Hyde Park Ave.

The project is expected to cost $6.2 million and is funded through the City's Capital Improvement program.

The new station will replace the century-old facility currently located at 101 Illinois Ave.

According to the city, the Hyde Park location was selected because it is expected to provide a quicker response time for the surrounding area compared to the current station.

"We have clear and concise radio equipment to deliver the message. We have easy access on one story to get to your vehicles," Fire Chief, Ivan Klippenstein said. "The vehicles are spaced well within the station, and there are large doors to exit. The location is the best to reach the most places at the south end as possible."

The old station is small, and not able to fit a lot of equipment. The new station will feature a brush truck, a F-500 trailer and a ladder company.

"The truck barely fits in and out of the station. There’s not much space on any of the three sides," Klippenstein said. "We intended to add other equipment that we don't have because there's no room into this station."

The new station will feature several amenities designed to improve firefighter safety, training and general operations.

When firefighters return from a fire, their equipment must be properly exhausted out. There will be an extractor to clean the equipment

Klippenstein hopes the new station will be able to serve the community for the next 100 years.

"Not only it's location but how it's built. That's what we're shooting for. That $6.2 million would be an investment large and bigger that we thought," he said. "This will really solidify the opportunity to have the space, training area and living quarters that these firefighters deserve."

Construction is expected to be completed in the late fall to early winter of 2027.