A fire and rescue study recommended Gorham build two new, modern fire stations – one with Windham and another with Standish.
New joint construction ventures would axe an aging fire station in South Windham and two in Gorham – White Rock and North Gorham, a station Standish shares.
Windham and Gorham are partners at the South Windham station on Route 202. A recently released report of a study, commissioned by the Gorham Town Council, indicated the station is outmoded.
“It’s not adequate for a fire station anymore,” said Windham Fire Chief Charlie Hammond this week.
The study recommended that Gorham and Windham jointly construct a new building, perhaps on state land at the prison in Windham. Windham currently provides fire protection for the state prison. In the study, Gorham Fire Chief Bob Lefebvre said a new station, replacing the one in South Windham, would cost $1.5 to $2 million.
David Tobin, vice chairman of the Windham Town Council and resident of South Windham, said the present station “isn’t in the best location.” Tobin said fire trucks leaving the fire station face going uphill in any direction. He also cited busy traffic on the highway as a problem for fire trucks entering and exiting the station.
Concerning the proposal of building a new station near the prison, Tobin is concerned about whether fire trucks would clear the railroad trestle over Mallison Street. He wanted assurance that the trestle wouldn’t be a problem for modern day fire trucks before he’d vote in support of a new station at the prison.
Tobin praised the longstanding, good relationship of Windham and Gorham. “We’ll work something out,” Tobin said.
Hammond, who thought acquiring land for a station would be possible, said there have been discussions about availability of state land for a fire station. He also said the county owns land near the prison. A station in that area would allow for inmate help with free maintenance of a building and grounds.
The present fire station in South Windham, which is about 40 years old, is built on filled land. It was remodeled once, adding bunkrooms for student firefighters but students have to cross the truck bays to use the bathroom and kitchen. Meeting space is also limited in the station. The accommodations at the station are not suitable for the services the department provides, Hammond said.
Hammond said the building can’t be further expanded because of its proximity to the Presumpscot River. “It was OK in the 1960s,” Hammond said. But now “we’ve outgrown it.”
The South Windham Station houses a truck with a 95-foot ladder that Windham bought jointly with Gorham a few years ago. Scott Mildrum, a part-time Gorham firefighter who bunked at the South Windham Station as a student, said the front of the ladder truck is in the middle of Route 202 before it can make a turn when leaving the station.
The tar apron between the station and the edge of the road is only about 30 feet and the ladder truck is 47 feet long. An addition on the rear of the station was necessary for the truck to be able to fit inside the station.
The Windham forestry truck is at the South Windham Station, along with two vehicles for the Presumpscot Valley Hazmat Team, of which both Windham and Gorham are members. The hazardous materials team stores a squad truck and a bus filled with equipment there. There is no rescue unit at the station, but a future joint venture could include a rescue unit, according to the report.
The report suggests Gorham and Standish collaborate to build one station to replace stations at White Rock and North Gorham The report pegged the cost of a new station combining the two at $1.2 million.
Dolores Lymburner, vice chairman of the Standish Town Council, said that the North Gorham Station is important to Standish. The station provides fire protection for Saint Joseph College in Standish.
“It’s very helpful to us in the White’s Bridge area,” she said.
Lymburner, who also serves on the town’s Public Safety Committee, was glad to learn that the study recommended that Standish be included in discussions because of the importance of the station to Standish. She said that Standish houses a fire engine in the station now and has a live-in student on duty there.
Jeff Richardson, a Standish Town Councilor, had heard talk in recent years about a need for a new fire station in the area of North Gorham. Richardson said that Standish and Gorham had worked well together in the present station.
“It’s been a good venture,” Richardson said.
Richardson is glad Gorham performed the study but he hadn’t seen it. He added the towns needed to continue working together to solve the problems.
“I’m looking forward to working with the town of Gorham.” Richardson said.
The Gorham town council plans to review the final report of the study in a workshop in May. PolicyOne Research, Inc., and Maine Fire Training and Education, a department at Southern Maine Community College, did the study.
A study of Gorham Fire and Rescue has recommended that Standish and Gorham build a new fire station, eliminating this fire station in North Gorham and the one in White Rock.
N.Gorham fire station 2) 
(South Windham fire 1)
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