The new Ribaut Road fire station for the Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department is on target for a November completion and it should be filled with firefighters and a new truck before January 1st.

“Even with all the rain and rain delays, the construction and site work are on schedule to finish on time, and we are on schedule to finish on budget,” Beaufort Senior Project Manager David Coleman said.

Engineers and crews from Beaufort-Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority helped city leaders resolve a water line issue at the fire station site, located at 1120 Ribaut Road. Additional site work this month is expected to improve drainage issues in the surrounding area, including the adjacent bowling alley parking lot.

A new fire truck being built for the Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department is scheduled for delivery to Beaufort later this fall. It will be housed at the new station to improve firefighting capabilities to that geographic area, Beaufort Fire Chief Sammy Negron said.

The total cost of the fire station project, including land, furnishings and technology, is $3,299,837. Costs include storm water improvements for the immediate area. Fraser Construction is leading the work on the new facility.

“For the Town of Port Royal, this new fire station will provide additional support to our residents and businesses,” Town Manager Van Willis said. “It’s great to see it moving ahead on schedule.”

“This is a major project that will allow Beaufort and Port Royal to continue to provide a high standard of fire protection,” Beaufort City Manager Bill Prokop said. “Now that we are getting the fire station’s exterior sealed in, we won’t be as much at the mercy of the weather. We’re looking forward to completing the work.”

In the time since the city bought the original property at 1120 Ribaut Road property in September 2013, it also acquired a smaller parcel adjacent the Love House Ministries’ bowling alley. The additional land addresses road access, storm water management and other site conditions. The fire station will be accessible from Bowling Alley Lane, a street to the rear of the property.

Fire Chief Negron said the new Ribaut Road location offers:
<ul>
	<li>Direct access to the main artery between Beaufort and Port Royal</li>
	<li>Easy and efficient travel times to the entire coverage area for this fire station</li>
	<li>Excellent geographical positioning to reinforce and enhance the ISO 2 rating that helps reduce commercial fire insurance premiums</li>
	<li>Limited impact on neighborhoods</li>
	<li>Located where fire operations are not a distraction to nearby schools</li>
	<li>Smooth traffic flow for fire vehicles, including direct access to the rear of the facility (eliminating fire trucks having to back into the bays).</li>
</ul>