Construction is beginning this spring on the new firehouse for Lancaster Township Fire Department (LTFD). The new Station 66, located across Millersville Pike from Manor Shopping Center, will replace LTFD’s two 70-year-old stations in the Bausman and Hamilton Park neighborhoods. The building is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.
The single centralized location will shorten response times. “Having all of our trucks in one place will enable our volunteers to answer emergency calls more quickly and efficiently,” says LTFD Chief Steve Roy. “When someone calls 911, every second counts.” The department responds to about 500 emergency calls each year.
All-Volunteer Department
“Our 30 active firefighters and 20 support personnel and fire police are all volunteers,” says Roy. “Thanks to them, our department is one of the most robust in the county. The new firehouse will make it easier for the volunteers to continue serving Lancaster Township for years.”
The new station will be a pre-engineered steel building with concrete block internal walls. Roy explains, “Our design priorities were high quality, low maintenance, and long life.” The station will accommodate all of LTFD’s trucks in nine bays, and it will include a locker room for turnout gear (coat, boots, helmet), dispatch and radio rooms, offices, and a large multipurpose room with adjacent kitchen for meetings and training.
Fundraising Not Done Yet
The building’s total cost is $5.8 million. The department is contributing $2 million from past fundraising efforts and has secured a $2.4 million low-interest federal loan. A special campaign committee of community volunteers is helping to raise the remaining funds by the opening of the new firehouse. As of March 1, the campaign had raised just over $910,000.