Members of the Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department are working in a new station.
Fire and Rescue Station 5 has opened.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held recently, according to a release from Prince William County.
“I want to thank everybody for being here today and thank you for allowing me to enjoy this celebration with you. This is a great celebration for our community,” Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson said in a release.
The station replaced an older one.
“We’re sad to see the old station leave,” Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Silva said in a release. “There were a lot of memories there. It served the county for 50-plus years, but I have no doubt that this station here will serve the county 50-plus years again; and we’ll make new memories here.”
Spanning 18,330 square feet, the facility can sleep up to 19 people. A kitchen, a community room, an exercise room and office space are among the features.
It also has an engine, an ambulance, a reserve engine and ambulance, a tanker and a brush truck.
Housing emergency equipment, however, isn’t the building’s sole purpose.
According to Prince William Fire and Rescue Department Assistant Chief Matt Smolsky, it represents many characteristics, including safety, courage and trust.
“I would describe it simply as a cornerstone of the community – the foundation of strength in protecting the community,” Smolsky said in a release.
Officials spent $9.5 million on the project, which includes the cost of construction, information technology (IT) infrastructure, and furnishing.
