Buffalo Grove to discuss fire station expansion

Buffalo Grove officials are studying renovations to the central fire station on Deerfield Parkway.

The station, home to the Buffalo Grove Fire Department headquarters and fire station 26, is in need of expansion to accommodate a growing number of employees, said village Manager Bill Brimm.

"It's basically the same building that was built in 1980," Brimm said. "It just needs a little bit of modernization, expansion, tidying up and maybe better utilization of space."

Brimm said the village board is scheduled to discuss this issue at its Aug. 4 meeting after board members learn more about the project.

Pending board approval, the expansion would include an addition to the fire station's basement to provide extra dormitory space for the firefighters who work overnight. The current area they are occupying would be converted to offices and other usable space.

"Our biggest issue is storage of equipment and supplies," said Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Terry Vavra. "We want to try to centralize it to make it more efficient."

Vavra said this storage area would mainly hold extra sets of fire gear, prevention records and other items that have been archived.

"As time goes on, everything changes, so what we started off with in the '80s versus what we saw in the '90s and what we see now in the 21st century is different," Vavra said. "We're dealing with more ambulance calls. The whole focus changes so we need to adapt and prepare ourselves as best we can for the coming years."

Brimm said he hopes the expansion, which he estimates would cost $1 million, will begin in the spring of 2009. He said the project would be coordinated with two other projects the village is working on for that time: expansion of the public works building and work on the storm water management system in the Cook County portion of the village.

He expects the fire station expansion would be finished by early 2010. He said the renovation is a "relatively simple project. The building systems are already in place. They just need to be extended."

Brimm said the building would be completely functional during renovations and that nobody would have to relocate. The building would expand to the east and would not displace anything other than a driveway, which would be moved to the west side of the building.

The station is surrounded by residential areas, but Brimm said neighbors do not seem concerned about the possible renovation.

"We're a good neighbor," he said. "(The residents) really don't even know we're there."