The current Fire Station 2 in Dennis on Old Bass River Road.
DENNIS – Officials in Dennis are focusing in on a parcel of town-owned property for a new location for Fire Station 2.
The preferred site for a proposed 14,000 square foot facility is at the corner of Route 134 and Setucket Road.
Dennis Fire Chief Mark Dellner said the location tops the list as it would best serve all of the north side of town.
“At the corner of Setucket Road and Route 134, at this point, offers what we consider to be the best response time in terms of covering that area,” Dellner said.
Selectmen endorsed the construction of a new Fire Station 2 last summer after a feasibility study indicated issues with lot size, zoning and poor access for the current 63-year-old station on Old Bass River Road.
The study also detailed health and safety issues at the current station. It does not include a decontamination room for firefighter gear or protection from toxic gases.
The decontamination areas are gaining in popularity for new fire facilities as studies have shown that firefighters are exposed to conditions that result in much higher rates of cancer.
Dellner said the proposed location also offers opportunities and options.
“It also offers the best in terms of land and what we can do there,” Dellner said.
Dellner said he has heard concerns from village residents worried about the station being moved.
Selectman Sheryl McMahon said things change over time and that there isn’t adequate space in the village for a new station.
“We are not taking this away from the village,” Dellner said. “We are just making it better for everybody. In the village they are going to have that four to six minute response time like everybody else.”
Officials are still also considering a parcel on Paddocks Path at a former sand pit.
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
