By Charity L. Cohen
Special to The Alamance News
Gibsonville’s board of aldermen voted this week to award an $88,000 contract to W.C. Construction Company to build a five-room addition onto the town’s fire station along Piedmont Avenue.
The preliminary plans for what Gibsonville officials have termed the “fire bunk room project” call for the construction of five individual bunk rooms, electrical outlets, and furniture, where firefighters are housed while on duty.
Gibsonville fire chief James Todd told the aldermen this week that most modern stations are designed on a “pod system,” which he said he hopes to model the renovated station on.
“After what we learned about COVID and keeping people separated, [we] figured it was the best thing and also just gives people privacy,” he said.
Gibsonville mayor Leonard Williams worried aloud Monday night about the lack of space at the station to accommodate all of the town’s firefighters.
Todd jokingly replied, “Well, mayor, if you wanted to staff me so that I can have that many [firefighters] there for 24 hours, I’d be glad to take it.”
Todd, however, reassured the mayor and aldermen that the five bunks would provide adequate sleeping quarters for on-duty firefighters, though he said a sixth room, currently used as an office, could be converted to a bunk if needed.
W.C. Construction is based in Winston-Salem.
In other business last Monday night, the aldermen reappointed Steve Harrison to the Public Transit Advisory Committee following the expiration of his previous term. Steve Ellis was also appointed the town’s planning board.
