NORFOLK, Va. — The proposed city budget could bring long-awaited upgrades to Norfolk Fire-Rescue, including a new fire station and updated technology for crews responding to emergencies across the city.
City Manager Patrick Roberts recently presented the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to Norfolk City Council. The proposal includes funding for a new Fire Station 9 near Granby and Thole streets, along with a modern alerting system designed to improve how firefighters respond to calls.
News 3's Jay Greene went to Fire Station 9 — a building that has been in service since 1951 — to take a closer look at what those upgrades could mean for the neighborhoods it serves.
“Station 9 being built in 1951...it’s done its time,” said Carrie Jones, Norfolk Fire-Rescue’s public information officer and a battalion chief. “But modern day needs are much different.”
Jones said the station, now more than 70 years old, is still handling a heavy workload as demand continues to grow.
“Right now, Norfolk Fire-Rescue runs above 50,000 calls a year, but we’re estimating that’s just going to continue to keep compounding,” Jones said.
It was clear how much the job has changed — from larger fire engines to expanded responsibilities that now include emergency medical services and community outreach.
Jones said those changes are driving the need for more space, updated equipment and new technology to help crews respond faster and more efficiently.
“We’re actually increasing our manpower and staffing every day to keep up with the call volume and the needs that the community is asking of us,” she said.
The proposed budget reflects those growing demands. In addition to funding for a new station, the plan includes investments in alerting technology and staffing changes aimed at improving response times and firefighter health.
Just a few miles away in Fairmount Park, the city is preparing to open a new Fire Station 11 — a project city leaders have pointed to as a model for the future.
The current Station 11 dates back to 1925, making it more than a century old. It is being replaced by a new facility just a block away on Lens Avenue, designed with modern features like expanded space, updated equipment and areas focused on firefighter safety and recovery.
During his State of the City address, Mayor Kenny Alexander highlighted those investments as part of a broader push to strengthen public safety.
“Norfolk Fire-Rescue graduated 50 firefighter recruits… hired 27 new full-time paramedics… and we will celebrate the opening of Fire Station 11 in Fairmount Park,” Alexander said.
Back at Station 9, the hope is that similar improvements could eventually make their way to this part of the city.
Jones said modern stations are now built with features that weren’t considered decades ago, including decontamination areas and equipment designed to reduce long-term health risks for firefighters.
“So there’s a lot of cancer prevention modern technology out there that we currently don’t have… decon rooms, washers, gear, locker types,” she said.
For residents in neighborhoods around Granby Street, the question now is not just whether upgrades are needed — but how soon they could become a reality.
Norfolk City Council is expected to vote on the final budget in May.
If approved, the funding would take effect July 1.
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