By Ashley McLeod, Staff Writer
Nov 7, 2014, 09:59
PRINCE GEORGE — A new chapter has begun in Carson as community leaders gathered Wednesday, October 29, to break ground on the new fire station set to be built in the area.
“Today is a testimony of what great things can come about from a partnership,” said Brad Owens, director of Fire and EMS for Prince George County.
The construction of a new fire station in Carson comes following hard work and cooperation between the Prince George Board of Supervisors, the Fire and EMS department, as well as political leaders and community members.
The new station is being constructed following the Board of Supervisors’ approval of a plan, which called for maintenance and updating of seven fire stations in the Prince George area in order to meet current standards of safety and to make sure the stations are up to date.
“The leadership of this county is progressive, and it’s done a great job of investing in the future, in needed infrastructure,” said J Peter Clements, president of the Bank of Southside Virginia, which is located in Carson.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, a moment of silence was held to honor Clements’ father, John Clements, who passed recently. John Clements was a pillar in the Carson community and was the first president of the fire department there.
“Dad’s heart and soul was Carson, Virginia,” said Clements.
Clements spoke about a huge fire in 1953, which spared the bank, his family home, but destroyed their family store. The fire department used more than 300,000 gallons of water-saving the small community.
“It could’ve wiped the entire community out,” said Clements. ”This is a tremendously effective and cohesive firefighting unit, and it means a lot to everyone here.”
The site for the new Carson fire station is located not too far down the road from the current station in Carson, located at 20015 Halifax Road. The location for the new fire station is on the site where the old Carson Elementary School was located.
The new location for the fire station brings up past memories for many of those involved in the community and holds a lot of Carson history in the land.
In September of 1912, a high school opened its doors on the property. The school served the community until the building burned to the ground in March of 1927. By September of 1927, a new school was built and opened. In the spring of 1953, the last senior class graduated from the high school, and the school was then used as an elementary school until June of 2003 when Carson school was closed.
A bus shed located on the property was the first home for the Carson volunteer fire department in 1962, and was located there until the fire department moved to their current location.
“We’re finally coming home to where it all started,” said Scott Campbell, chief of the Carson Fire Department.
Campbell was born and raised in Carson and joined the fire department in 1985. His father and brother were also a part of the department, and both also served as chief of the department. The department has been a large part of his life.
“I was able to know most of the founding fathers of the fire department, and was able to spend time with them,” said Campbell. ” Our founding fathers would be proud.”
The new fire station brings the department back to where they began many years ago in a bus shed, and once constructed, will be a focal point of community activities for the area. The fire department will also have a community room, which can hold up to 100 people. This will allow community members to have a place to gather for several types of events or meetings.
The new station is set to be completed in October of 2015 and has an allowable budget of $2,195,000.
