OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — A new Omaha fire station could be coming to 182nd and Fort. The fire department says it's part of an ongoing effort to improve emergency response services in northwest Omaha.
- Trevor Towey, president of the Omaha Professional Firefighters says this new fire station would help tremendously.
- "The Omaha community continues to grow. The calls for emergency service continue to grow, but we haven't seen a growth in the number of firefighters and or fire stations for decades.”
- If the proposal gets approved by city council, the fire department is helpful to have the station completed by the end of 2026.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's another new development for Northwest Omaha. At 182nd and Fort, the city wants to add a brand-new fire station here. The fire department says it's part of an ongoing effort to improve emergency response services in this growing community.
When seconds matter it's important to the first responders in our community to get to you fast.
For the Omaha Fire Department, the goal is for every fire truck to be on scene within four minutes.
Trevor Towey, president of the Omaha Professional Firefighters says times in the northwest Omaha and Elkhorn area's often fall short.
"The Omaha community continues to grow. The calls for emergency service continue to grow, but we haven't seen a growth in the number of firefighters and or fire stations for decades.”
That's why Towey says this new station will help tremendously.
"It's something that we've been advocating for for many years,” he said.
The fire department identified this site at 182nd and Fort to be the ideal location through extensive analysis of call volumes and response times in the area.
But first, Omaha Fire will have to get approval from city council to purchase the land from the NRD for construction.
"You know this is the first fire station in my career over 25 years that is in addition to Omaha's fire stations right now,” said Towey.
For neighbors like Frank Metz who live in the area, it's reassuring knowing first responders will be close by.
"It gives me peace of mind because I work overnight so I don't have to worry as much if the house catches fire, if your neighbor catches fire, it'll be a faster response for the fire department,” said Metz.
The fire station will have six members on staff, house one fire truck and one ambulance.
“And so, it's really important that we have enough people and enough fire trucks there that we can respond within four minutes and perform the tasks we need to do to keep people safe and to prevent further loss,” said Towey.
If the proposal gets approved by city council, the fire department is helpful to have the station completed by the end of 2026.
