Garden City Fire Department opens Station 3; department reports training and community outreach

Garden City Fire Department Lieutenant Cooper Wilson told the Finney County Board of Commissioners that Station 3 is now operational and the department continued training, technical exercises and community outreach in May and June.

Wilson, acting training chief, said personnel attended specialized training sessions including lithium-ion battery response in Dodge City, technical extrication training led by an instructor from Wichita, and firefighter assessments that resulted in promotions. He said crews participated in a community college scenario day with Garden City Community College construction trades students and hosted station tours and school spray days as the school year ended.

Wilson said the department conducted facility familiarization tours at Tyson and other major industrial partners to improve response planning and firefighter safety. He said station crews worked daily to prepare Station 3 for operations and that, while some apparatus are still in production in Wisconsin, the department has a backup engine in place and is using an existing ladder from Station 2. Wilson described a mix of apparatus assignments across stations, including tenders and skid units.

When commissioners asked about training hours, Wilson said June totals were lower because crews were dedicating time to preparing Station 3 for opening. He also noted the department used a sign-language presentation for first responders as part of inclusive service training.

The commission had no further questions and thanked Wilson for the update.