Jefferson County Fire and EMS threw open its doors Friday night, inviting the community inside for a first look at a newly remodeled and significantly expanded fire station — a project funded by a bond that county voters approved in recent years.
Families packed the open house to tour the upgraded facility, with children getting the chance to climb inside fire trucks and explore equipment on display. Interim Chief Kasey Skaar greeted guests and walked them through the improvements.
From a Volunteer Station to a 24/7 Facility
The original station was built in 1989 as a volunteer facility, Skaar explained — a design that no longer fits the demands of a department that handled more than 3,000 calls last year.
“There was not a lot of people that stayed here 24 over seven,” Skaar said. “Today it’s a completely different operation.”
The remodel adds approximately 6,000 square feet to the station’s footprint. Among the new spaces are expanded crew dormitories, additional work areas, a gym, and a dedicated equipment room.
Safer Gear Storage, Cleaner Air
One of the subtler but meaningful upgrades is where and how gear is now stored. Previously, firefighter turnout gear sat on open racks in the apparatus bays, exposed to exhaust and sunlight — both of which degrade materials and can contribute to carcinogen exposure over time.
“All of these used to be on racks out in the bays, which are out in the sun and exhaust area,” Skaar said. “So now we have a cleaner room. We have filters in these to help filter through the air and have a clean air.”
A Community Investment
Skaar credited Jefferson County voters with making the project possible and said the open house was a chance to give something back.
“Without the community, we wouldn’t be here. I cannot thank enough for our community, our people that work here and our partners that we have to help support us.”
The Jefferson County Fire and EMS district serves a large geographic area of the county, responding to medical, fire, and rescue calls across Madras and surrounding rural communities. With the expanded station now operational, the department is better positioned to house crews around the clock and respond to the growing call volume the county has seen in recent years.