tempt to first determine, and then respond to, growth patterns for the area and thereby develop a site that serves the needs of the community and the fire department itself.
Indeed, Gallagher (1989) argued that when a new fire station is being considered, the justification for expansion should be based on objective data. An expanding community vis-a-vis population or annexation, changing community land use patterns, an obsolete or aging existing fire station, and an increased number of alarms are among the issues that directly impact upon the decision to construct a new fire station. The chief fire officer must, says Gallagher (1989), assess and anticipate future needs via an analysis of data, determining where services are used currently and where service needs are likely to occur in the future.
Further, a number of factors must be considered when considering a specific site for a fire station location (Gallagher, 1989). No single site is perfect, necessitating prioritization of different points to identify the optimum location. Among these points are response times to the designated service district, ease of development, cost features,
availability of public utility services, potential community response to the creation of a new public service facility, and zoning and land use regulations. As Gallagher (1989, p. 36) put it, "The fire department must educate its neighbors and the community about the advantages of the proposed stationà" (and) "be prepared to present facts about the station and its anticipated run frequency while listening openly to community concerns."
In other words, a city or town considering construction of a new fire station must take into consideration a wide range and variety of issues, among which achieving widespread community support for a costly initiative of vital importance to public safety is paramount. Gallagher (1989) affirmed the importance of obtaining community input in the s...