Mayor Ballantyne Announces Opening of Assembly Row Fire Station

Moving season is in full swing in Somerville, not only for residents, but for the Somerville Fire Department, too. You won’t catch the usual move-in sights like futons, bean bag chairs, and crates, but instead a new fire crew, new equipment, and a full Fire Engine are moving into Somerville’s first new fire station in a half-century.   

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Fire Chief Charles Breen are pleased to announce the informal opening of the Assembly Row fire station. Though some additional outfitting and organizing is still underway inside, the station went into service on Wednesday afternoon. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place later in September. 

“Minutes matter when it comes to saving lives during a fire, and with the opening of this new fire station, not only the growing Assembly neighborhood but our full city just got safer,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “I want to thank our Capital Projects team, planning and development staff, the Fire Department, and our community partner Biomed Realty for collaborating to make this long-needed station a reality – and for creating a space that not only includes leading edge safety features for our firefighters but sets the standard for a 100% fossil-fuel-free facility.” 

The Assembly Row station is located on the corner of Middlesex Avenue and Foley Street in Assembly Square. It will house Engine 2, operated by a crew of 3-4 firefighters, and will primarily serve the growing Assembly Square area and the Ten Hills neighborhood. The approximately 10,000-square-foot station was created via a public-private partnership as part of a larger development owned by BioMed Realty.  

A joint project by the City’s Department of Infrastructure and Asset Management and Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, along with the Fire Department, the Assembly Row station is Somerville’s first newly constructed fire station in roughly 50 years. Fire Headquarters on Broadway was the most recent new station, built in 1974.  

“The new fire station will greatly improve response times and provide critical public safety services to the rapidly growing Assembly Square neighborhood,” said Chief Charles Breen. “In addition, this state-of-the-art station is proof of the City’s commitment to improving the quality of life for our dedicated firefighters.”  

The Assembly Row station is designed for the safety and wellbeing of the firefighters living and working within. It includes a decontamination area, which has specialized equipment for firefighters to clean protective gear and a dedicated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to keep contaminants out of the living areas. The station also has a dayroom and kitchen, a fitness room, and individual bunk rooms.  

The building itself is completely fossil-fuel-free. It is 100% electric with heating and cooling via variable refrigerant flow (VRF), similar to a ductless mini-split system. Other features include apparatus bays with exhaust systems and carbon monoxide monitors, a backup emergency generator system, the PURVIS Fire Station Alerting System, internet connectivity and Wi-Fi, and ample storage space. Click here for photos of the new fire station.

Stay tuned: A ribbon-cutting ceremony and official grand opening will be held later this fall. Additional information will be shared via somervillema.gov and City social media as it becomes available. 

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