PAPILLION, Neb. --
The Papillion Fire Department is planning for a big growth spurt in the coming months.
The city plans to add nine more full-time firefighters, bringing total staff to at least 30. Fire Chief Bill Bowes said he hopes to build an additional fire station by 2009.
Response times in Papillion average less than four minutes. In the past several years, the fire department has had higher call volume and greater demands as the city has grown.
"Response times is what we're measured by," Bowes said. "The quality of our work and how fast we can get there, and the only way to improve response times is to open up a second fire station as we're working towards, and having more crews available to respond to the calls."
Bowes said a second Papillion fire station is planned for a spot at 108th Street and Schram oad.
"Obviously, the new high school is out that way, a lot of traffic, a lot of congestion during the school year, the new amphitheater is right down the road, and the direction of growth is along Highway 370 and just south of there," Bowes said.
A federal grant is helping pay for six of the nine new full-time firefighters.
"The federal government will pick up 90 percent of the first year and then gradually decline for the next four years. The overall savings to the city will be about $630,000," Bowes said.
Papillion Mayor James Blinn said that income from new commercial projects, including Market Pointe and Shadow Lake, has also helped keep costs down.
"Our response times have dropped over the last several years, our capability has increased, and our taxes have gone down," Blinn said.
The fire station is expected to cost up to $5 million. Blinn said the City Council has already approved $250,000 for construction. A vote on an interlocal agreement with the rural fire department is expected in April, and Blinn said he hopes construction will begin soon after.
