Vallejo Fire Department’s Glen Cove Fire Station 26 reopened on Saturday, 11 years after city budget constraints cut the fire service team in half.
Amid bankruptcy, the city of Vallejo closed four out of the eight fire stations in the city in the matter of a few years. Each closure was estimated to save an additional $1.9 million a year, the city’s finance department projected during financial cutbacks.
Fast forward to this August, and the Vallejo City Council approved Station 26’s reopening. The decision came after the fire department received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that can increase staff numbers up until 2025.
Alongside the reopening, the City Council also granted a portion of American Rescue Plan federal stimulus funds for a new fire engine and brush truck.
Equipped with a fire captain, engineer and paramedic, the station will respond to calls in Glen Cove and surrounding areas.
“The mission of the Vallejo Fire Department is to ensure a safe community through exceptional, professional fire service. Reopening this fire station honors that commitment,” said Vallejo Fire Chief Kyle Long in a statement. “The reopening of Station 26 ensures Vallejo citizens continue to receive top tier fire and emergency services.”
Residents can celebrate Station 26’s reopening during an upcoming grand opening ceremony, planned for 9 a.m. on Nov. 6.