The Burlington Fire Department's mission is to be the premier emergency response agency in southeast Iowa, a goal that would be helped by a new fire station and training facility.
Addressing the Burlington City Council on Monday, Deputy Chief Nathan Toops laid out the department's plans for a new fire station that will serve the northwest portion of Burlington that lies outside of the four-minute drive time from Central Fire Station and Station 2.
"We're trying to be the fire department of choice," Toops said. "When someone calls 911, we want them to want to call BFD."
Toops and others within the fire department, as well as city officials, for months have been laying the groundwork for the construction of a new station, complete with a four-story training facility.