In one of his last official acts as mayor of Franklin, Jack Horton cut the ribbon on the Franklin Fire & Rescue substation.
“We dedicate this today, not to ourselves, but to the people we serve,” he said as he snipped the red ribbon on Nov. 18. The substation is located at 301 NP&L Loop Rd., off the 441 Bypass.
“The people who live in this area are going to see a sizeable decrease in their home insurance,” Horton said.
“The addition of the substation allowed for an improved fire insurance rating for approximately 900 parcels, resulting in lower premiums,” said Town Manager Amie Owens.
Sen. Kevin Corbin and Rep. Karl Gillespie assisted the town in getting a $400,000 state grant that helped pay for the work on the interior living space.
Horton said the need for the substation was a topic for the Town Council when he joined the board in 2019.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Fire Chief Ben Ormond.
The station includes three truck bays, a large commons room with a kitchen and lounge area, four separate sleeping rooms, two full bathrooms and a laundry room, plus space for IT and mechanical equipment. There is a generator for power backup.
Ormond said the substation will not be fully staffed at this time, but it will serve as a base for firefighters to respond from. The town eventually hopes to have full-time staffing there. Ormond said he has looked at a live-in program that other towns in North Carolina have used that allows volunteer firefighters to live on site in exchange for their service to the department.
“It can be a successful program,” he said, adding it is something the department would have to work with the town staff to develop with the Town Council’s approval.
Currently there is one truck stationed at the substation. When the department gets its new fire truck next year one of the older trucks will be moved from the main station on Maple Street to the substation.