Fourth fire station in DeKalb? $4M proposal could improve response times, city staff say

DeKALB – A fourth fire station could be coming to DeKalb, after city leaders said an uptick in 911 calls has lead to increased needs in DeKalb’s 4th through 7th wards on the southwest side.

City staff estimate the cost to be $4 million for a proposed city-owned site on South Malta Road, according to city documents.

A consideration is up for DeKalb City Council discussion during its regular meeting set for 6 p.m. Monday at the DeKalb Public Libary, 309 Oak St. A new fire station also would address what city staff say is a need to decrease fire department response times. More staff would mean calls can be responded to more quickly and not take away first responder staff from other surrounding fire stations, city staff argue in documents release ahead of Monday’s meeting.

With fiscal 2024 budget talks expected to begin in August, city staff are asking the Council to consider prioritizing funds to build a fourth fire station.

Preliminary plans show a fourth fire station could be built within five years. A design would be approved this year, with construction beginning in 2024 and a move-in estimated for Jan. 1, 2025, according to city documents which outline a potential 5-year plan for the DeKalb Fire Department.

“The firefighter/paramedics staffing the new station would be able to help shoulder the load of the dramatically higher number of calls being handled by the DeKalb Fire Department,” city staff wrote in a news release Friday. “Calls, which include both fire and emergency medical services, have risen 33 percent since 2017 to more than 7,400, including a 28.5 percent increase in two or more calls happening simultaneously. The addition would allow each station to enhance service in their quadrant, while providing another station to assist all companies when their call volume is high.”

City staff estimate the costs for a new fire station – which could go on city-owned land on South Malta Road near the Schnucks subdivision – would cost $4 million. Once built, the station initially would be staffed by nine firefighters, according to the consideration.

The city would propose a 15-year municipal bond to cover the building costs. City staff said funding for the loan could come from the city’s General Fund, while the city’s Ground Emergency Medical Transportation Fund would pay for staffing, provided the fiscal 2024 budget includes provisions put aside for the plan.

A fourth fire station in DeKalb has been a longterm goal for the city since the 1990s, city staff said.

Department data shows the COVID-19 pandemic continued the yearslong trend of higher calls for service, mostly for those seeking medical aid, records show.

According to the most recent data provided by the DeKalb Fire Department’s 2022 annual report, 81% of calls for DeKalb Fire Department services in 2022 were for medical emergencies. Calls for medical and EMS care have risen steadily over the years, as they take up the majority of most emergency calls across the area, according to DeKalb and Sycamore data. In 2022, 68% of the more than 6,100 calls for medical services included patients who were transported by paramedics to a hospital, the report shows. Data shows 56% of patients received advanced life support and 44% received basic life support.

In 2022, the department had a $13 million budget for its 14 officers and 39 paramedics/firefighters. A fourth fire station would see an increase in staff and, accordingly, a faster response time for increased calls for service, city staff said.

The DeKalb Fire Department operates three stations across the city currently: Fire Station No. 1 at 700 Pine St., built in 1972, serves the central downtown and northeast side of DeKalb, according to the city. Fire Station No. 2 at 1154 S. Seventh St. was built in 1957 and serves the south side of the city. Fire Station No. 3, built in 1994 at 950 W. Dresser Road, serves the city’s northwest and west sides.

The average response time for calls for service is four minutes, according to the DeKalb Fire Department. Data presented by the city shows calls on the city’s southwest side but gaps in service because of the proximity of the other three fire stations from that area.

“Currently, Station 3 on DeKalb’s northwest side often covers the southwest City quadrant either as second-arriving or as first-arriving in the event the Station 2 company is already committed,” city staff wrote. “Theirs is a relatively faster path of travel due south on Annie Glidden Road versus cross-town from Station 1. With the exception of larger, full alarm incidents requiring all engine companies, the tactical need to leave one primary service district to service another would be much reduced with a fourth station.”

Although no vote is expected Monday, the Council will take up the first public discussion on the matter, which could return for further consideration pending budget talks beginning in August.