Sunday, April 20, 2008

A New Fire Station "9" for Charleston

The City of Charleston will purchase the site of Sofa Super Store fire for a reported 1.85 million later this week. Emotions may rule over common sense most the time in Charleston but there seems to be remarkable support to build a new "Fire Station "9" and Memorial" at the location of Charleston's June 18th tragedy.

A working fire station with the integration of a memorial on the property is a common sense use for the site of one of the most profound tragedies to occur in recent memory.

Consideration should be given to a permanent memorial to the 9 fallen firefighters who lost their lives on June 18th. This memorial would also include tribute to other fallen fire fighters and should be located somewhere within the government complex area of Meeting and Broad Streets.

But from the ashes of the property of the Sofa Super Store, the greatest tribute would be to re-claim the ground by those who continue the tradition of fire department service. Nothing would be more fitting than to have engines rolling and a new station "9" rising from the ashes of that site.

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A new station "9" should be constructed on the site of the fire to commemorate the valor and service of those brave me who died while fighting the Super Store fire on June 18, 2007, their names engraved in a lighted fountain located in the front lawn of the new fire station. The building could also include administrative offices and training classrooms.

Former station 9 would be renamed, the nearby station 11 would be sold and the proceeds used in part to fund the new station.

The new station "9" would become Charleston Fire Department's flagship, having the best equipment, best units, best personnel including a parade ready vintage show truck.

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The station would rival the glass showrooms of area car dealerships and would make a dramatic statement of pride and perseverance, valour and honor to the thousands who pass by each day.

Charleston deserves nothing less.

Other award wining Fire Station designs at 2007 F.I.E.R.O awards.

More about the Sofa Super Store Fire

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is too much trafic at that location for a fire station.Just put a car lot on it a get on with something that matters.I hear enough loud motorcycles and fire trucks as it is and if little joe puts a fire station there i'll be moving.

MADNESS said...

THE IDEA OF PUTTING A FIRE STATION ON THE S.S.S. SITE IS ONE THAT I CANNOT GET BEHIND. WHILE THE DESIGN IS GREAT THE FACT IS THAT 9 OUT OF THE 10 PEOPLE THAT STOP BY THAT STATION WILL NOT BE LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS OR SMOKE DETECTORS. THEY WILL BE WANTING TO DISCUSS THE FIRE AND EXACTLY WHERE THE NINE WERE FOUND AND THE WHY'S AND WHY NOT'S OF THE CHANGES WE HAVE MADE. RE-HASHING OLD WOUNDS IS NO WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

Anonymous said...

DUMB IDEA!! I can't imagine firefighters coming up with this!

Anonymous said...

Only the City of Charleston and the last remnants of the Thomas command could come up with something so stupid. Too bad they will not be around to see anything built on site. How about put a water tower on the site, it needed one on June 18, 2007. Plant rees and grass and stay off the crime site.

Anonymous said...

Same thing happen in Worcester, MA. Six firefighters died at the former Worcester Cold Storage building. The building was demolished and later on a new fire station with a memorial was built on the exact same time. It seems to be a thoughtful idea. All you need to do is have a plaque explaining what happen and people won't ask. I think it's not a bad idea. Takes a firefighter to know one. I wouldn't want some stupid condo built on the site. I think any fatal fire is a perfect example of how it should be dedicated to the firefighters...

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