Liberty County’s fire services are about a year away from a new home – as is the county’s next fire station.

County officials, firefighters and other dignitaries tossed the symbolic shovels of dirt to commemorate the station’s groundbreaking.

The station, which will be nearly 25,000 square feet, is being built adjacent to Joseph Miller Park on Highway 84 west of Midway.

“I want to thank the team for making this happen,” county commission Chairman Donald Lovette said. “We look forward to what this fire station will do. It’s going to help with medical assistance. It’s going to help with ISO ratings. We could not be happier to know that our citizens will be benefitting.”

County Fire Chief Brian Darby said he approached commissioners five years ago about the need for a headquarters for the countywide fire department.

“I was told we were going to a countywide fire protection plan,” Darby said. “Today is the proof to the community that the commissioners and the county administration are good to their word.”

The new station will have five bays, accommodating seven vehicles, and will house 12 full-time firefighters daily. The other half of the building will be the county fire department’s headquarters and administration.

The station has a projected cost of $8.7 million, paid for through a combination of special purpose local option sales tax proceeds, American Rescue Plan Act funding and other financing.

For more, see the August 17 edition of the Coastal Courier.  

Lewis Levine contributed to this report.