Work is getting serious on the new fire station.
A crew from MTA Engineers of Little Rock has been taking soil samples at the site, west of the west end of Morgan Street on Highway 49, to test soil strength.
According to Mizan Raman, president and CEO of Little Rock-based ETC Engineers and Architects, the actual design of the building has already been in the works for the last three months.
"We stared with user [i.e. Fire Department] input," he said, "based on user need, for what they will want now and in the future."
Having received the input, Raman said, ETC has now finished its last revisions.
"The users have looked at the floor plan," he said, "and are satisfied that they have gotten what they want. So now we will do the soil analysis, heating and ventilation requirements, and we are now in full design mode."
Paragould Fire Chief Kevin Lang said the department is still "tweaking" the interior. The building is to have five drive-through bays for fire engines, plus one smaller bay for trailers.