Sahuarita Times: New Rural/Metro station to open in early August

Rural/Metro Fire Department crews will begin providing fire and emergency response services out of Station 82, the provider’s northern Sahuarita station, in early August. Located on Rancho Sahuarita Boulevard and Avenida del Aguacate, Station 82 will serve the northern corridor of Sahuarita, reducing response times to that area. A single station, Station 79 in the Sahuarita Town Center, currently serves all of Rancho Sahuarita, including area businesses and schools.

Development of the new station has been underway since 2013. “Completing the Station 82 project has been a great accomplishment,” says Captain Grant Cesarek. “I am proud of both of the fire stations and the crews providing service from them.”

The interior of Station 82 is approximately 7,000 square feet, with six bedrooms for firefighters and office space for fire inspectors, according to Cesarek. The station can house up to four apparatus inside the bays.

The exteriors of both Rural/Metro stations are designed in the 17th Century Spanish Colonial style of Rancho Sahuarita’s existing architectural theming.

“The new station fits seamlessly into the architectural design of the community and will provide enhanced service to our northernmost residents,” says David Eves, president of Rancho Sahuarita Construction Company. “We’re always pleased to collaborate with Rural/Metro, and expanding facilities for our community’s brave firefighters has been a particularly rewarding experience for our organization.”

The number of homes served by Station 82 will be optimized through a series of tests and computer modeling. “There will be a defined area in our dispatch system creating what is known as a ‘first due’ for the new station,” says Cesarek. “The area will be based on response times suggested by our computer system and tested in trial runs. The great thing with two stations is that if we need to adjust things, we can, and public safety will always be ensured.”

In addition to emergency response services, Rural/Metro will hold open houses and safety education events at the new station. A similar event at Station 79 drew great attendance in February, and Cesarek anticipates community events will be held more regularly at both sites.

An official grand opening and ceremonial flag raise at the new station is planned for mid-September. Visitors can expect a barbecue and tour of the station and equipment. Organizers also plan to introduce the firefighters who will be assigned to the new station. Residents are welcome to take tours of Station 82 at other times, as well.

“This is a community station, and tours are available of Station 79 currently, and will be for 82. These are iconic structures in the community and we want everyone to enjoy them,” says Cesarek.

Unlike areas within the City of Tucson, Sahuarita residents do not pay for fire and emergency response services in their property taxes. Fire protection is provided on a per-household subscription basis. Rural/Metro Fire Department is the fire and emergency service provider for the northern portion of the Town of Sahuarita, including all of Rancho Sahuarita. Service with Rural/Metro is established through an annual subscription. For more information or to purchase fire and emergency protection for your home, contact Rural/Metro’s main headquarters at (520) 297-3600.