New fire building for Homesteaders Gap
Kristen Jones
Farmer Staff Writer
A new equipment building is being built in Homesteader’s Gap through a partnership between the Alexander Fire District and McKenzie County.
The purpose of the building is to house fire fighting equipment in the south-west area of the county to ensure it is available as quickly as possible in case of fire in that region.
When the building proposal was discussed in the Oct. 5, meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), concern was expressed about the length of time it would take for a firetruck to get to that remote part of the county if a fire were to break out.
The closest fire station to the region is in Sidney, which is 35 minutes away, followed by Arnegard, 43 minutes away, then Watford City, 52 minutes away.
By housing a firetruck at the proposed location, if an emergency were to occur, this quick-response unit would be crucial for locals. Local fire volunteers would be able to get to the scene and begin intervening during the time it would take for additional help and equipment to arrive.