New Hanover County dedicates Castle Haines fire station in $10 million push to modernize emergency response

New Hanover County officials and firefighters gathered to dedicate the new Castle Haines fire station, a multimillion‑dollar facility intended to modernize emergency response and firefighter safety in the northern part of the county.

Board of Commissioners Chair Leanne Pierce said the station replaces a 1983 facility and represents “a $10,000,000 investment in public safety,” and noted crews began 24/7 operations on Jan. 5. County leaders said the project is the first of two new stations due to come online this year, with a Gordon Road station expected to follow.

The station was described by Chief Donnie Hall as designed to address modern operational needs and firefighter health. “This building is for you,” Hall said to the crews assigned to the station, and he highlighted features such as modern apparatus bays and decontamination areas “that help reduce exposure to carcinogens.” Hall said the facility is intended to support firefighters who work long shifts and to serve the community for decades.

Project partners who spoke included Brent Moretti, site superintendent for Samet Corporation, who thanked trade partners and described construction choices such as armor‑tough apparatus flooring with a lifetime warranty, and Gregory Scott of Stewart Cooper Newell Architects, who said the station was built to last and listed support spaces including bunk rooms, an exercise room and a public lobby with clean water.

Officials repeatedly framed the project as an investment in people as well as infrastructure. Vice Chair Scalise praised firefighters and their families for their service, while other county officials thanked staff and design and construction teams for delivering the project on time and within budget.

The dedication concluded with two ceremonial items typical to the fire service: a flag raising and, instead of a ribbon cutting, the uncoupling of a section of fire hose to symbolize the station being placed in service. Attendees were invited to tour the facility following the ceremony.

Details reported during remarks include a stated project cost of $10,000,000 and two different square‑footage figures recorded in the event transcript (11,500 and nearly 12,000); the transcript also references the successor Gordon Road station as opening later this year. Specific dates for the dedication and some name spellings in the event transcript were inconsistent; this article attributes direct quotes only to speakers as named during the ceremony.