Garden City Fire Department reports Station 3 operational; training and outreach highlighted

Garden City Fire Department Lieutenant Cooper Wilson told the Finney County Board of Commissioners that Station 3 is now operational and department personnel focused on training and community outreach during May and June.

Wilson, identifying himself as acting training chief, said crews participated in specialized lithium-ion battery training in Dodge City, conducted bucket and rescue training at Sunflower Electric, supported a Garden City Community College (GCC) scenario day for construction trades students, and attended technical extrication training presented by an outside instructor. He said command staff completed emergency fire dispatch training and that B shift attended a sign-language-for-first-responders session taught as a school project.

Wilson said crews performed facility familiarization tours at Tyson and at other industrial partners to improve response planning and firefighter safety. He described an "all hands on deck" effort to ready Station 3 for its grand opening; while Station 3 is operational, some apparatus remain in production in Wisconsin and the department is using a backup engine and Ladder 2 out of Station 2 in the interim. Wilson said there are brush/skid units distributed across stations and a new tender is in service.

Commissioners asked whether Station 3 is fully operational; Wilson responded that the station is in service though a few apparatus deliveries are pending and that existing engines and ladder units are covering operations. No formal actions were taken on the report; the board accepted the update.