The Reno County Commission has approved Reno County Fire District No. 3 hiring an architect to explore remodeling or replacing the aging fire station in Nickerson.
The board on Tuesday OK’d the hiring of Landmark Architects, 1020 N Main St., for a not-to-exceed cost of $5,300 to develop proposals for the station and preliminary design.
There was no indication of how long the study would take.
The existing fire station was formerly a gas station, originally built in 1965, which the fire district purchased in 1982. Photos that Fire District 3 Chief Bob White shared with the Commission showed deteriorating exterior sheet metal walls, duct-taped electric wiring and corroded plumbing. The roof has several leaks.
A hallway in the 3,672-square-foot building leading to non-handicap restrooms and a cinderblock training room was just three feet wide, with the restroom door only 28-inches wide.
“Our main concern there is if there were a medical emergency,” White said.