City’s Largest Fire Station Opens in West Hills Area
The city’s third and largest fire station opened Friday, ending a long wait.
The 5,200-square-foot station in the West Hills development had been needed for years, city officials said.
“Every fire chief for the last 33 years talked about wanting to open a new fire station and today it’s finally become a reality,” Battalion Chief Larry Romaine said. “It’s been a long time coming but we’re very glad to have this fire station.”
Because La Habra could not afford to build the station, the West Hills developer was required to pay for it as a condition for constructing 156 homes there. So, Chevron Land and Development Co. picked up the $620,000 tab on the spacious four-bedroom station.
The city spent an additional $32,000 to furnish the facility, but no new firefighters had to be hired and no new fire engines had to be purchased, City Manager Jerry L. Bankston said.
“We had an overcrowded condition in the other two fire stations, basically,” he said. “This new station will enhance response time significantly.”
Bankston said response time to the West Hills area, located on the Fullerton border, will be cut by at least two minutes.
Station 3, at 1000 Risner Way, will be staffed by three firefighters and one truck will be stationed there.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
