Just over a year from breaking ground, the City of Sanford opened its newest fire station at 3945 Colon Road on November 16, 2024. The station is staffed by Engine 5 and its assigned crew.

Called Fire Station #5, the facility is strategically located to provide fire protection to the northern parts of the city. This is the City of Sanford’s fourth station. However, with the close proximity of Lee County’s Fire Station #4 (the Deep River Volunteer Fire Department), the City decided to skip ahead to #5 to avoid confusion when units are dispatched.

The City held a ribbon cutting for the new facility on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, which was attended by members of the community along with those involved in the planning and construction. The event concluded with tours of the station.

Retired Fire Chief Wayne Barber and Retired Deputy Fire Chief Ken Cotten were instrumental in selecting the site of the new station and ensuring it was built with the future in mind. A building committee was established that included firefighters from across the department. This allowed the committee to share updates and gather feedback from all department employees.

Along with Barber and Cotten, the committee was first comprised of Captain Chris Gaster, Battalion Chief Stephen Cox, and Firefighter Jerome Blue. Later members of the committee were Captain Brandon Chapman, Engineer Joel Johnson, and Engineer Phillip Johnson.

Throughout the process, the committee explored options and considered fire service best practices to provide an innovative facility that can grow with the city. For example, while the station currently has two bays, the infrastructure is in place to expand to a third bay, if needed.

“This state-of-the-art facility is the result of intentional and careful planning,” said Sanford Fire Chief Matt Arnold. “Sanford City Council and the building committee were determined to accommodate and anticipate Sanford’s needs in the most cost-effective and proactive manner.”

At the ribbon cutting, Fire Chief Matt Arnold and Sanford Mayor Rebecca Salmon announced that the facility is dedicated to Barber, who came to the department on February 14, 1975, already having fire experience from volunteering with the Deep River department as a teen.

“It is extremely fitting to dedicate this station to Chief Barber,” Arnold said at the ribbon cutting. “His decades of leadership and steadfast commitment to Sanford started right here in the community that this station will protect.”

Barber retired in 2022 after 47 years of service to the Sanford Fire Department, with 25 of those as its chief. A granite plaque has been placed at the building in his honor.

Cotten was also recognized at the ribbon cutting for his dedication and service to Sanford. Cotten, who retired earlier this year, came to the department in 1986. His tenure was marked by advances in technology and safety. Cotten was recently recognized as a Hometown Hero by the N.C. Automobile Dealers Association.

At the ribbon cutting, Cotten shared how the building committee found ways to honor Sanford in the facility design. For example, they chose to use bricks made in Sanford – once known as the brick capital of the world. And, a team of Sanford firefighters used timber from the facility site to construct a community table for the facility.

“Our firefighters spend one-third of their lives at the firehouse,” Cotten noted. “This is their home away from home. They have a deep and vested interest in both this facility and this community.”

“This building is a landmark for Sanford,” pointed out Carter Keller, managing member of Carolina Commercial Contractors, the general contractors for the project. “The facility not only helps protect our residents, but it also provides the resources our firefighters need and deserve.”

“Public safety is the bedrock of a thriving city,” said Salmon. “Our vision for this facility is to serve as a gateway to Sanford while also meeting the needs of our growing community – now and into the future.”

“Fire Station #5 is critical to the City’s overall vision and will ensure Sanford can grow sustainably for many years to come,” Salmon said. “I am proud of the work our municipal staff, building committee, architects, construction crews, and the community have put in to make this station a reality.”

See a construction timeline and get information about Fire Station #5 and other municipal projects at www.sanfordnc.net/projects.