Firefighting efforts in part of Ventura County got a big boost, with a new fire station replacing a tiny outdated one built more than a half century ago.
Hundreds of people were on hand to celebrate an event which was years in the making. The Ventura County Fire Department opened Fire Station 35, a brand new, 11,000 square foot complex on Mitchell Road in Newbury Park.
Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen says the new station replaces a tiny, 3400 square foot building off of Highway 101 in Newbury Park which was built in 1962.
Captain Joe Williams, who's one of the firefighters stationed at the new $5.6 million dollar facility, says not only is it more spacious, it's a much safer facility. The fire truck garage is designed is a circular drive through. At the old building, firefighters had to stop street traffic so trucks could back into their garage.
The new fire station serves an 11 square mile area, which is one of the busiest in the county for emergency calls.
