Groundbreaking for a new South Brazos County fire department station

This podcast is the recording of the groundbreaking program of the new South Brazos County fire department fire station one west of Wellborn on Koppe Bridge Road, following by an interview with the president of the commission governing Brazos County emergency services district (ESD) one Rodger Stout and WTAW's Bill Oliver.Brazos County emergency services district (ESD) 1, which operates the South Brazos County fire department, held a groundbreaking Friday morning (September 19) at the site of the new station one located west of Wellborn on Koppe Bridge Road.The commission governing ESD 1 purchased property that included a metal building. The president of the ESD 1 commission, Rodger Stout, said the won't be many modifications to the existing structure other than interior changes. A second building will be constructed to house four fire vehicles.Stout said when construction is completed in the winter of 2026, the 15,638 square foot station will have nine dorm rooms, a kitchen, living quarters, a workout room, administrative offices, meeting and training rooms, and operational space and storage.The new station will include an area to clean and store gear that will be separate from the living quarters and offices. Stout said that is to reduce the risk of cancer that he said is "a huge issue in the fire service."Chief David Cooper said when opened, he wants residents living in ESD 1 to take advantage of meeting rooms. Cooper also promoted property owners to purchase reflecting address signs and sharing codes to open gates in an effort to reduce response time. Cooper said the new station 1 on Koppe Bridge Road will be joined by a new station 6 on Walnut Road in the northern part of the district that is scheduled to open this November, and another new ESD 1 station that will be built along Highway 6 near the Peach Creek Road exit. Along with an existing station in Millican, Cooper said this will result in response times in 90 percent of their calls dropping from 20 minutes to 10 minutes.Stout said the current station one, which is off Wellborn Road inside the city of College Station, will be sold.