TAYLOR MILL, Ky. — The City of Taylor Mill broke ground on a new fire station Friday morning. The new station will be located next to the Taylor Mill Administration Building on Taylor Mill Road.
“Our new station will feature modern equipment and enhanced living quarters for our firefighters,” Fire Chief General Fernbach said. “This will not only improve the operational capabilities, but it has a crucial role in attracting and retaining top talent. A modern, well-equipped facility demonstrates our commitment to providing our firefighters with the best possible working and living conditions. This is essential in recruiting new members who are eager to serve and to retain the experienced firefighters who currently serve this great community.”
The current fire station is located behind the city building and was designed with a volunteer force in mind, Fernback told LINK nky. As such, it lacks both ADA accessibility and the space for full-time living quarters. The new station, he said, will be about double the size of the current station. The old fire station will be converted into a public works facility once the new station has been completed.
The fire department dates back to the 1950s and was largely staffed by volunteers in its early days.
The new fire station has been somewhat contentious among Taylor Mill residents, with some worrying that the money would be better spent on other projects. Mayor Dan Bell said at the groundbreaking that city was able to secure funding for the new station within its current budget.
“It was somewhat of a divided process,” Bell said, “but I think that we prevailed on the positive side. I want to thank the committee with Commissioner [Ed] Kuehne and the fire chief and CAO Brian Haney and some other folks that diligently made sure that our project came within budget.”
Construction on the station is expected to be completed within the next year.
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