Big crowd attends fire station dedication

The mayor, fire chief and nearly 200 others attended the dedication of a new, state-of-the-art fire station in Crown Hill this afternoon.

The new facility at 15th Ave. and 87th St. replaces the old Fire Station 35, which lacked earthquake reinforcement and was built for horse-drawn engines.

“It took the citizens of Seattle to ensure that your firefighters would be available, that they’d be here if there’s an earthquake,” said Fire Chief Gregory Dean, standing in front of one of the station’s first “horseless” engines from the 1920s. “As you walk around this fire station, you will see the ingenuity to make sure our firefighters are safe,” he said.

Beyond the safety features, the environmentally-friendly LEED “silver” facility is a big upgrade in amenities for firefighters, from a gym and entertainment center to a small outside deck with a BBQ. This is the “beanery,” or kitchen. (For a video tour, see our earlier story on the facility.)

Many families brought their kids to today’s event, and they enjoyed climbing on Engine 35 and taking a tour of the new station. For the time being, only Engine 35 is housed at the station, with a crew of 4 firefighters on a shift.

Artist Kay Kirpatrick was on hand to talk about her creation, called “Rescue,” which marks the entrance to Station 35. It’s an abstracted ladder adorned with a neon crown and the number 35, designed to reflect the neighborhood’s 1950’s architecture. (And it looks pretty cool at night.)

Folks from the Last Resort fire department attended the event, showcasing that old engine from the 1920s. They also showed photos of the earliest engines, including this hose wagon from 1924 just outside the old Station 35.

Today’s dedication comes after Mayor Mike McGinn held a walking tour of the Crown Hill neighborhood with a small group of community leaders.