Edmond Firefighters Asking $26 Million For New Equipment

Fire Chief Jake Rhoades has presented city council members with the department's long-term challenges that need to be dealt with as the city continues expanding.

The department has request more than $26 million worth of improvements, most of which will focus on station improvements.

The city of Edmond has already purchased two properties. The lot on the north side of 15th Street at Renaissance will be used to relocate Fire Station 2. The relocation will help reduce overlap. Chief Rhoades also said he wanted to add another company at the station.

There are also plans to build two additional stations in the city to combat increased response times to some of the outlying areas.

"Have to think of new methods of service delivery, such as emergency response vehicles," said Rhoades. "Instead of running a big red truck, a four man company on medical calls, it might be a smaller version of a vehicle, maybe a Tahoe or something along those lines, a small rescue that is more efficient, more effective."

Rhoades said these moves would take care of the city for the next 15 to 20 years.