The Lake Charles Fire Department could have a new fire station in 2017, according to city officials. The city’s proposed budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year includes $600,000 toward the project, which could cost up to $1.5 million.

City officials said the station would be located at Ham Reid Road and Lake Street.

The concept of building a new station stems from the recent changes in the rating process of the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana, which grades the protection capabilities of municipalities and fire districts.

Fire Chief Keith Murray said that based on the changes, a new station built by Jan. 1, 2017, would keep the city from having to build a another new station for at least 10 years.

Murray said PIAL has changed its rating system from one that focused on fire hydrant counts to one that focuses on departmental performance and response time. Murray said the department is acquiring computer software compatible with the rating system change.

Karen Harrell, city finance director, said the city is pursuing the idea in an effort to be fiscally responsible because building multiple fire stations can be expensive.

“What happens when you build a fire station is you have to have at least one more truck, and you have to have at least nine people to staff that one truck at that one fire station,” she said.

“That’s not to say we would never rebuild an existing fire station in the next 10 years, but we wouldn’t need an additional fire station with additional trucks and additional staffing.”

(American Press Archives)