New $18M Oceanside (CA) Fire Stations 1 Dedicated

The city of Oceanside dedicated its new downtown Fire Station 1 with a special community ceremony Monday, July 15, that included a procession of pipes and drums from the historic near 100-year old Fire Station on Pier View Way to the new Fire Station 1 at 401 North Freeman Street, nearby.

The city broke ground on the new station in July 2022, to replace the historic station, which was constructed in 1929 and is thought to be one of the oldest operating fire stations in the nation. That building, designed by famed architect Irving Gill, does not accommodate modern-sized apparatus and equipment and requires seismic upgrading. The old station will be preserved for a future community use.

Funding from Measure X, Oceanside's half-cent sales tax, supplied the project's major design and construction costs. Aside from Measure X, the city received a $3.5 million federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program grant - one of only 13 projects selected nationwide. This grant funding helped offset the project's $18 million price tag. Cox Construction Company of Vista, California constructed the facility.

The new Fire Station 1, adjacent to City Hall, has been designed to accommodate larger ladder trucks and crews to better serve residents, businesses and visitors. The station encompasses 20,000-square-feet over two levels. The building's ground floor includes a lobby, training rooms, a five-bay apparatus, and equipment space. The second floor has living accommodations for up to 12 personnel. The station is complete with an emergency generator, diesel fuel tank, and rooftop solar panels. Artwork by Sasha Furlan was installed around the Station's firepole. The art piece has significance to our local fire crews with a nod to the "ghost" of the historic station nearby.