A new fire station, long in the works, is now underway in Lake Havasu City. City officials, first responders and community members joined Willmeng Construction to break ground on the new Fire Station No. 7 in Lake Havasu City’s fast-growing southeastern neighborhood.
Fire Station No. 7, located at McCulloch Boulevard South and Sloop Drive, is a priority investment designed to boost emergency coverage for the community. The new station has been in the city’s long-term plan for nearly 20 years and is now becoming a reality. The station will serve Area 7, a response district encompassing the Havasu Foothills Estates, where residential subdivisions have rapidly expanded into the surrounding hillsides.
“Fire Station No. 7 will become the newest addition to a department that has proudly served Lake Havasu City for generations and it reflects our community’s commitment to ensuring that as our city grows, the services our residents depend on grow with it,” said Lake Havasu City Mayor Cal Sheehy. “Communities are measured by how well we care for the people who live here and investments in public safety help ensure that we remain a safe and welcoming community for everyone who lives and visits here.”
“This station is essential infrastructure for Lake Havasu City, based on our growth,” said Lake Havasu City Fire Chief Pete Pilafas. “We have done the data analysis and this is the perfect location to provide the kind of service and response times our community deserves. This is going to be a beautiful station to blend into the community. It is for the dedicated men and women that are going to serve this community and I’m really excited about it.”
By positioning emergency crews closer to these newer hillside streets and cul-de-sacs, the city aims to significantly reduce response times that have historically been hindered by distance, winding routes, and steep roadway grades. The added capacity will also ease the pressure on existing, centrally located fire stations during busy weekends and peak tourism periods.
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Designed by Perlman Architects, the modern facility will span approximately 12,000 square feet. The station will be built to house a minimum of six firefighters and up to six firefighting or medical apparatus to support both structural firefighting and emergency medical responses. Key features of Fire Station No. 7 include; living accommodations and physical fitness areas for on-duty crews; multiple apparatus bays with flexible space for future technologies and specialty units; specialized mechanical support spaces for cleaning and drying firefighting equipment and energy-efficient utilities designed for a building lifespan of 50 to 60 years.
“This is a way for us as a construction company to be able to do our part in providing quality facilities for these brave men and women who protect us,” said Willmeng Vice President James Crean. “There is a lot of excitement in the community for this and we’re going to make sure that we earn the trust that the city officials, the Mayor and council have placed in us.”
