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0 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 Oregon looks to go back to running own health insurance exchange ... Central Point teacher pleads not guilty to sex abuse ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area to open Sunday ... Oregon looks to go back to running own health insurance exchange ... Central Point teacher pleads not guilty to sex abuse ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area to open Sunday ... PUBLIC SAFETY Fire District 3 debuts new digs Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Dec. 3, 2015 at 4:24 PM Updated Dec 3, 2015 at 5:59 PM Jackson County Fire District No. 3 unveiled their new temporary station off Table Rock Road Dec. 3. By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Dec. 3, 2015 at 4:24 PM Updated Dec 3, 2015 at 5:59 PM » Social News Jackson County Fire District 3's eighth station is officially open for business, at least for the next two years. The agency debuted the new site, located at 5195 Table Rock Road, Thursday afternoon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The project has been in the works for about a year, and district officials said the new site will help cut down on response times to the east side of their district, and is one of several sites being considered for a permanent station they want to last for 50 years. "The response times on the east side of Central Point are generally two to three minutes longer than they are on the west side," Chief Dan Petersen said. "The choke point of getting over the freeway onto that east side development has been problematic, and we have specific response goals for urban communities, suburban and rural. So this station immediately will help us with the urban areas on the east side of the freeway." Sites near the Jackson County Fairgrounds and along Upton Road also are being considered, but the Table Rock station is the only place fire officials will test with an actual engine company. Property records show the district has owned the building, formerly a maintenance bay for log trucks, since 2004. It was purchased for $480,000 and first functioned as a storage and training facility. The district spent about $188,000 on remodeling and construction on the bay, and on a manufactured home for firefighters, officials said. "It made sense to put some money into it, get that real-world emergency response data on this side," said Deputy Chief John Patterson. "See where the calls are happening, see where we're going to be best able to serve the community from a new location." Engine company 7708, one of two companies previously housed at the district's Central Point station, will occupy the site. Capt. Bryan Cohee said it should help cut response times to the east side significantly, as engines won't have to navigate downtown Central Point. "To get from the west side of Central Point over to the east side was a considerable amount of time," Cohee said. "And then going down Pine Street was somewhat of an inconvenience also. It's a pretty busy street." Fourth- and fifth-grade students from Jewett Elementary attended the opening, helping with a symbolic portion of the event, physically pushing an old fire engine out of the bay, then pushing a new one into its place. "It was really fun and exciting," fifth-grader Violet Nichols said. "I've never been to a grand opening before." Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Dec. 3, 2015 at 4:24 PM Updated Dec 3, 2015 at 5:59 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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