Forty years ago cow pastures bounded the two-lane roads of 124th and 312th, and King County Fire District 44 decided to build a small fire station on the southeast corner of that intersection to serve the rural residents of Lea Hill.
With all the development and the widening of streets since, the once drowsy juncture morphed into a busy place. For fire engines, just getting out of the tiny station and onto those roads turned into a trial by traffic.
In 2008, the City of Auburn annexed Lea Hill and enfolded the station into the new Valley Regional Fire Authority. And the powers that be on the VRFA board knew that the old station would no longer do.
On Saturday, and much to the delight of hard-working firefighters, the VRFA officially dedicated the new 11,200-square-foot station a couple hundred feet to the south of the old.
“There are smiles all over their faces,” VRFA assistant Chief Mike Gerber said Saturday of the 5-person crew of Station 34. “There’s lots of elbow room, it’s very efficient, they’ve got their own work stations, and separate sleep rooms without being in the group environment. They didn’t have any of those things before.”
Indeed, there’s about 5,000 square feet more of elbow room than at the old station, which had already been at its maximum capacity with a three-person crew. The new station can house eight people — if necessary — at full build out. The added space allows for more fire fighting apparatus.
For Saturday’s event, VRFA provided demonstrations, equipment and safety displays. Kids got to don firefighter gear, build their own fire trucks, tour a fire engine and medical aid vehicle and meet Sparky the Fire Dog and “Pluggie” the fire hydrant robot. Adults tried out a thermal imaging camera, got their blood pressure or blood sugar checked, toured the facility and learned about home safety.
Station 34 is fourth and final capital project financed by a voter-approved bond issue in 2008. That bond issue has since allowed the district to purchase a ladder truck and build or remodel three fire stations.
“With the ensuing development, the old station had to be remodeled to continue to serve the public — the structure itself had deteriorated,” Gerber said. “In the course of developing a remodel plan, we determined that there was going to be so much money invested in the remodel, and that we could actually build a new fire station. We were fortunate to find property just a couple hundred feet down the road. It was a perfect spot at a good price, so we converted our efforts to building a new fire station that will last 40 years into the future.
“…The location is much better for getting out onto the main arterials,” Gerber added. “Effective signals and clear vision in both directions up and down the road as you leave makes it far better for crews to get out.”
The cost of construction was $3 million.
The new station serves primarily Lea Hill but provides additional support into the lower Green River Valley, that is, east north Auburn, where it supports Station 31. Station 34 works with Kent Fire Station 75 and Mountainview Fire Station 92.
Voters approved the funding for the construction of the Lea Hill Fire Station 34 as part of a capital projects funding measure passed in February, 2008. Originally the old Station 34, located at 31204 124th Ave SE was slated for remodel, but constructing a new building was shown to be more cost effective and provide a solution to the long terms needs in providing efficient and effective service to the Lea Hill and VRFA community.
INSET PHOTO: Konner Kuntz, dressed smartly in the regalia of a junior firefighter and flashing his toothiest grin, was so excited about the dedication of Station 34 on Lea Hill, his mother said, that he could hardly sleep the night before.
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Station at a glance
• Venue: Valley Regional Fire Authority Lea Hill Fire Station 34
• Location: 31400 block of 124th Avenue Southeast
• Square footage: 11,200
• Construction cost:$2,989,000, not including tax
• Project owner: VRFA Administrator Eric Robertson
• Owners project manager: Paul Berry, Harris and Associates
• Architect: Ed McManamna, Rice Fergus Miller Architecture and Planning
• General contractor: Powell Construction, Bellevue
