South Australian tradies will buckle up their tool belts this week to begin construction on a mega Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) command station in the southern suburbs that will feature as a dual-purpose emergency services hub to safeguard the community.
The Marshall Liberal Government's $9.05 million Noarlunga Command Fire Station project will create approximately 50 jobs and is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2022, replacing the nearby Christie Downs Fire Station.
Minister for Emergency Services, Vincent Tarzia, said the Noarlunga Command Fire Station will be built to specification to last 50 years, securing community safety well into the future as southern suburbs population and development continues to expand.
Minister Tarzia was joined by MFS Chief Officer Michael Morgan in marking the key milestone with a turning of the first sod at the Beach Rd site.
"The new Noarlunga Command Fire Station will serve as a major emergency services hub in the southern region when complete," Minister Tarzia said.
"The purpose-built station infrastructure gives capability for a major incident management team to operate from Beach Rd, meaning responses specific to the region can be handled on the ground and in proximity.
"This almost $10m project is the beginning of a new and better-than-ever layer of safety and security for the southern suburbs.
"The new station has been strategically situated – close to Noarlunga Hospital, a major shopping centre and the Southern Expressway – to enhance emergency response time to incidents.
"The station will feature a community engagement room, training facility and energy efficient initiatives such as solar panels, battery back-up power systems, recycled water and green construction materials.
"And in additional to boosting community safety, the economy gets a boost too as local trades are put to work ensuring this really is a homegrown build."
The Christie Downs Fire Station will close once the Noarlunga Command Fire Station is complete and existing staff – 32 personnel – will transition to the new facility.
Mr Morgan said the new fire station has been designed with future expansion in mind, ensuring space is available to accommodate a third fire truck and an additional four firefighters to cope with population growth.
"The fire station's design was a collaborative process between the MFS and local firefighters, who are greatly looking forward to seeing the new facility become a reality," Mr Morgan said.
"The fire station will become a major incident hub that allows for collaboration between emergency services agencies during significant emergency incidents in the region, as well as a training hub for MFS firefighters from nearby stations.
The sod turn comes as the Marshall Government continues to rollout new heavy urban pump rescue appliances worth $15m to strengthen the capability of the MFS.
There are 12 state-of-the-art assets being wheeled out for duty. The Marshall Government has committed more than $68m in additional funding to the MFS since 2018.
