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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency Services ... Criticism prompts arts group to put 'Gather' on hold ... Fire District 3 weighs options on future station site ... Emergency Services ... Criticism prompts arts group to put 'Gather' on hold ... Fire District 3 weighs options on future station site ... PUBLIC SAFETY Fire District 3 weighs options on future station site By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 22, 2015 @ 12:17 pm Updated at 4:55 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 22, 2015 @ 12:17 pm Updated at 4:55 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Jackson County Fire District 3 will station an engine company at a warehouse just northeast of Central Point for up to two years to see whether the location is a good fit for a future fire station. The property, at 5195 Table Rock Road, just across the street from the Oregon Department of Forestry's southwest Oregon headquarters, will be occupied by an engine company from the Central Point station sometime before year's end. District officials will analyze whether the location helps reduce emergency response times. Several other sites also will be analyzed, but the Table Rock Road warehouse is the only spot where crews will actually set up shop. "We could run models for days, but the real-world data is what we really need," said Fire Marshal John Patterson. Other sites for a new station, which fire officials say will have a 50-year shelf life, are being considered along Upton and Gebhardt roads. It will cost about $60,000 to operate out of the Table Rock Road station for that two-year period, according to Chief Dan Petersen. Petersen said no matter where the station ends up, its location should help improve the agency's response times to eastern parts of Central Point, which include neighborhoods along Wilson and Gebhardt roads. According to agency data, firefighters are able to get on scene for west-side calls within five minutes and 56 seconds about 80 percent of the time. For east-side calls, that number jumps to 8 minutes and 17 seconds, as there is the delay of having to travel through downtown Central Point and over I-5 to the other side. "All of the calls that are in that (east side) area, we normally can't meet our goal," Petersen said, adding future development for the Central Point area likely will push eastward, making quick response times that much more urgent. "We're trying to get ahead of the power curve. "We should bring the east side down into that five- to six-minute range with the new station." Fire District 3 covers Central Point, Eagle Point and White City. Jackson County records show the fire district has owned the property since December 2004, when it was purchased for $480,000 from GMW Logging Inc. Since then, it has served as a storage site for equipment, Petersen said. Crews have relocated the equipment, installed new bay doors and upgraded power and water systems. A mobile home will be brought in to provide living quarters. Petersen said the site has its drawbacks, including that engines will have to pull out on a busy thoroughfare when responding to emergencies. The new station will be the district's eighth. The estimated cost of that future station was not immediately available. "It's too early," Petersen said, adding he hopes to get costs and a layout plan locked down by next year. "We'll be working this year on the planning side." Fire officials added they have been saving as much as they can in their capital account for the project. "We're not going to be going to the voters (for) additional money," Petersen said. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 22, 2015 @ 12:17 pm Updated at 4:55 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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