After about four years of planning, firefighters at Station 1 will move into their new living quarters on Friday. The $2.7 million addition and renovation will provide a safer, better workspace for firefighters and a better response time to emergencies.
The small, almost apartment-sized kitchen that had served the station will be replaced by a new institutional-style kitchen with a large island, window and storage space to house enough supplies to take care of a group of hungry firefighters.
The open-concept kitchen is connected to the department's new living space that includes a dining table and comfortable chairs for relaxing, Wisconsin Rapids Interim Fire Chief Todd Eckes said.