The City of Barnwell has received a Municipal Achievement Award for its Station 1 with the Barnwell Fire Department. The city won in the 1,001 – 5,000 population category.
In recent years, the City of Barnwell addressed many of its facility upgrade needs for water and wastewater infrastructure, or parks and the police department, but a persistent concern remained with its fire department headquarters, an inefficient and outmoded building dating to 1954. The city addressed this critical need with a new fire station, designed not only to house equipment but to accommodate career and volunteer firefighter staff, featuring recreation space, classrooms and physical training space as well as a center for fire service heritage and life safety education.
While planning, the city carefully researched legal requirements and professional best practices, visiting recently constructed fire department stations in other communities. Barnwell also modernized its procurement code to allow for a construction-manager-at-risk project methodology. The city paid for the $5 million station cost using American Rescue Plan Act funds, a portion of the city’s U.S. Department of Energy settlement funds, state grants and a general obligation bond to be paid off with the city’s portion of the Barnwell County capital projects sales tax.
Opened in 2024, the station has five drive-through apparatus bays that can be double loaded, providing space for current and future equipment. It has decontamination facilities and provides space for potential staffing or trainee expansions, as well as dormitory space for male and female volunteers. The station can also serve as an emergency management center for hurricane evacuations.
“The City of Barnwell’s new fire headquarters highlights the success of reviewing your city’s needs and building not just for your city’s current demands, but building with the future in mind,” said Todd Glover, executive director for the Municipal Association.
The Municipal Association of SC initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.
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