PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A century-old fire station in Portsmouth could soon be replaced under the city's budget proposal.
The Cradock fire station has been around since 1918. Originally located at Afton Square, the station has operated through two World Wars, but city officials say the current building no longer meets the needs of the fire department.
"The station has kind of seen the ebbs and flows of the city itself," Capt. Anton Pociask said.
Budget Officer Trey Burke said it is time for the station to find a new home.
"The thought is to get into a larger, more modern one on a busier thoroughfare so that they can respond to fires more quickly and efficiently," Burke said.
The city is eyeing the site of a skate park on George Washington Highway for the new station, though the location has not been finalized. It will cost around $14 million.
Pociask said moving the station will help crews reach more neighborhoods faster.
"By getting closer to George Washington, we're gonna be able to get into the Highland Biltmore area, Truxton, and neighborhoods a lot sooner. So if we had a coverage gap, we're gonna be able to get there sooner," Pociask said.
For Lt. John Silva, covering a larger area means making more connections in the community. He has worked at the fire station since 2019. He says the variety of the job is what drew him to it and keeps him coming back every shift.
"It could be a choking baby, it could be a house on fire, it could be helping an elderly citizen off the floor. You never know what it's gonna be. But that variety is what really keeps me coming. And ultimately you always get to leave with a good feeling… you helped somebody," Silva said.
The first public hearing before the budget approval next month is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
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