By Ashley McLeod, Staff writer
May 24, 2016, 13:37
PRINCE GEORGE — After almost two years of construction, the new Carson Volunteer Fire Department is complete and ready for service.
On Sunday, May 15, officials from both Dinwiddie and Prince George, as well as community members, and members of fire and EMS teams crowded into the new station for its grand opening ceremony.
Construction on the station began back in October of 2014, following approval by the Prince George Board of Supervisors of a plan to update fire stations in the area, to make sure they were safe and up to date.
The new station in Carson is located just down the street from the old station but is also on the same land in which the very first volunteer fire department in Carson was opened.
Prior to the fire department being located there, the land was the location of a high school, which was active until 1927, when a fire destroyed the building. The school was rebuilt, and in 1953 changed from a high school to an elementary school, which closed in 2003.
The first volunteer fire department began on the property in an old bus shed in 1962 and was located at that site until the fire department moved down the street at 20015 Hallifax Road.
“In 1962, the Carson volunteer fire department was formed. The charter members, along with others in the community, set in motion the processes that led us to this day. While equipment, training, and facilities have changed over the years, the mission remains the same,” said Rob Hawks, a citizen representative who spoke at the opening ceremony.
A few of those charter members who helped create the initial fire department were in attendance at the grand opening for the new building.
“They started right here on this same property, in a bus shed. Those gentlemen are the true heroes,” said Scott Campbell, chief of the Carson Volunteer Fire Department. “They’re the ones who started with nothing and made something. It is what started the Carson Volunteer Fire Department.”
Campbell, who has been a part of the Carson team since 1985, is the third in his family to be chief of the Carson fire department. His father and brother served previously as chief as well. For Campbell, the opening of the station is a start to a new chapter in Carson.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect this. It’s a little overwhelming,” said Campbell.
The new station includes taller and larger garages for the fire trucks, two separate bunkrooms for sleeping, and a training room.
While the building serves as a fire station for the area, it also has a large community room, which can be used by citizens for parties and meetings. The community center also includes a large, fully equipped kitchen, and can hold up to 100 people.
The community room adds another level showing the tight community bonds found in the area, and also how important it is to have that sense of community between citizens and officials.
“This station is what can happen when we invest in our community, and when we invest in our public safety system,” said Brad Owens, Prince George Director of Fire and EMS. “This investment doesn’t just yield a station; this investment yields a renewed commitment to serve our fellow citizens for decades to come.”
