Construction began last week on the long-awaited replacement of the south-end fire station, Station 92 by demolishing the existing 50-year-old structure.

When it was built in 1962, FS92 was staffed by volunteers and had no need for housing or a kitchen; by 1984 those facilities were necessary for the paid crews, but their addition made space very tight.

More than ten years ago, studies revealed that the building was seismically unsound and would potentially be unable to deliver emergency services during catastrophic events. Last year, plans and funding were finalized. The new station is scheduled to be complete this fall.

Fire Station 92 responds to almost 900 service calls per year, providing coverage to approximately three square miles on the southern half of the Island, which contains over 4,100 structures.

The City has developed a special webpage about the FS92 construction process where project photos and video will be posted frequently. For updates, go to www.mercergov.org.