New 18,000-Square-Foot Spanish Fort Fire Station Nears Completion After Decade of Planning

SPANISH FORT, Ala. — A new Spanish Fort fire station nearly a decade in the making is close to completion, and firefighters could soon be moving into an 18,000-square-foot firehouse built with the overnight facilities and living quarters their growing department needs.

Construction crews on site Friday said work was not finished yet but should wrap up very soon. The new station sits right next door to the department’s current firehouse, where ground was broken about two years ago.

An 18,000-Square-Foot Station Built for Round-the-Clock Crews

The project has been in development for about 10 years. The new building totals roughly 18,000 square feet and includes modern overnight facilities, living quarters and more.

Those features reflect a major shift in how the Spanish Fort Fire Department operates. When it was an all-volunteer department, firefighters responded from home or work. Today, much of the staff stays at the station for the length of their shifts, which means the building has to work as a place to live as well as a base for trucks and equipment.

Members of the construction crew said they were happy to be working on a building for the local firefighters. Firefighters at the station were upbeat about the project as well. As station tones sounded Friday to dispatch a crew to an emergency call, one firefighter called the new building “great stuff,” while another gave a thumbs-up on the way to the fire engine.

Why Spanish Fort Needed a New Firehouse

One of the biggest reasons for the new station is the department’s growing staff, which has expanded to keep pace with population growth in Baldwin County.

At the groundbreaking, Spanish Fort Fire Chief Roger Few said the city was growing and so was the department’s staff. Unlike in the days of an all-volunteer force, firefighters now stay on site during their shifts. Few said the current station was simply not built for comfort or for live-in conditions.

The department currently has 27 full-time firefighters and about 20 volunteers. Few has said Spanish Fort is one of several fire departments in Baldwin County with full-time, paid positions.

A Growing City on the Eastern Shore

Spanish Fort sits at the northern end of the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, near the Causeway and Interstate 10. The city was incorporated in 1993 and has grown steadily since, adding neighborhoods, schools and retail centers that draw shoppers from across the region.

That growth has brought more traffic, more homes and more calls for service. Growth on the city’s main corridors remains a topic of discussion; the Alabama Department of Transportation has been seeking public input on a plan to widen U.S. 31 to six lanes in Spanish Fort.

When Hurricane Isaias brushed the area in October, Mayor Brad Bass said the city’s police, fire and public works departments, along with utility partners, were prepared, and that the storm helped officials identify gaps in their plans. Spanish Fort largely avoided serious damage, with about 700 customers losing power and several large oak trees coming down.

What Comes Next: Training Facility and Public Works

The new station is part of a larger set of changes for public safety and city operations in Spanish Fort:

• Training facility: A new training facility is also in the works nearby, giving firefighters a place to practice skills close to home.
• Public works facility: Once firefighters move out, the original fire station is planned to become a public works facility, which would be the first of its kind for the city.
• Move-in: Crews expect construction to wrap up soon, after which firefighters can begin moving into the new building.

Converting the old station into a public works base would give the city a dedicated home for the crews who maintain streets, clear storm debris and handle other day-to-day services, rather than leaving the older building empty.

What the New Station Means for Residents

For residents, a modern firehouse with proper living quarters helps the department support full-time crews who are ready to respond around the clock. Purpose-built stations typically offer better space for apparatus, gear storage and staff, which can help departments recruit and keep firefighters as call volumes rise.

The combination of full-time firefighters and volunteers also gives the department flexibility. Paid staff provide a steady on-duty presence, while volunteers add depth during large incidents or busy periods.

From Volunteer Roots to a Career Department

Like many communities in Baldwin County, Spanish Fort’s fire service began as a volunteer operation. As the city grew, the department added full-time, paid firefighters, a change that brought the need for a building where crews could eat, sleep and work through long shifts.

The new station is the latest step in that transition. After about 10 years of planning and two years of construction, it is set to give Spanish Fort firefighters a firehouse designed around the way the department works today.

Residents with questions about the new station or the department’s services can contact the Spanish Fort Fire Department or Spanish Fort City Hall.