WESTFIELD–At the Little River Fire Station on Little River Road, you don’t see a lot of emergency vehicles. Instead, you see construction equipment and debris. 
That’s because the fire station is undergoing multiple renovations and upgrades after the Westfield City Council OKed $2.06 million in June for the project. The first portion of the project is scheduled to finish in November, which will allow the department to house their vehicles in there during the colder months.
While construction goes on though, the crews spend their time when not on calls in a house trailer behind the station, along with the ambulance and fire truck. The crews are given the basic amenities there, including a kitchen, bathroom, electricity, air conditioning and sleeping quarters. However, even the trailer could be considered more accommodating to those residing there than what they were dealing with before.
The building was erected in 1973, and in addition to it being antiquated for modern firefighting and paramedicine, it also had no air conditioning, had just one bathroom and needed window and roof repair.While all those issues are going to be addressed, they are also expanding the building to include more, both for firefighters and for the community.
Westfield Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Hart said that the new building will have a community room that will double as a classroom, two bathrooms, an office for firefighter, EMT and paramedic training and a larger living area so that it can one day house more personnel.
The current staffing has been relegated to two firefighter personnel per shift at the station due to lack of accommodations and space, and Hart said that the department hopes to increase staffing at the station sometime in the future.
Hart said that in spite of the construction and the modifications personnel have had to make, crews are still maintaining good response times to emergencies.
“It’s a testament to the guys doing what they have to do,” Hart said. “They’ve been able to work their way through it and remain professional.”
Hart also said that there have been no complaints from neighbors while construction goes on.
Hart said that the station is important to the city due to its location. It is able to service the outskirts of Westfield toward Agawam and Southwick, where there are many winding roads and are several miles away from the other stations in Westfield.
