The City of Tulsa broke ground Thursday on its newest fire station.
Fire Station 33 is at 41st Street and 134th East Avenue. Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker said a close study of call data led them to that location.
"Primarily because Fire Station 27, which is at 31st just to the east of Garnett, is our busiest station and has a lot of workload. So, that contributes to firefighter fatigue, risk of injury, potential for delayed response times," Baker said.
Mayor G.T. Bynum said support from Fire Station 33 will keep overall response times within a range that qualifies the Tulsa Fire Department for the highest-possible insurance rating, which keeps residents’ rates down — but east Tulsa also just needs more firefighters.
"That’s another driver for this station, is that the population in east Tulsa has boomed over the last decade. And so, there’s an increased need for service, and this station is going to serve it," Bynum said.
For some east Tulsa Census tracts, the population boom goes all the way back to 2000, with populations nearly doubling in the first decade of the 21st Century.
Funding for the he $5.3 million fire station was included in the 2006 Third Penny Sales Tax, and the public safety sales tax included in the 2016 Vision Tulsa package will cover staffing costs.
Fire Station 33 is expected to open in December 2021. It will have space for expanded fire crews if needed over time.
