Medford, OR. — Medford Fire Department crews have moved into the newly rebuilt Fire Station 15 as construction enters its final phase, city officials announced.
Crews began operating from the new facility earlier this month while Outlier Construction completed remaining interior and exterior details. The move ended firefighters’ use of temporary housing and an apparatus bay installed at the site during construction.
The temporary modular housing unit has since been relocated to the Fire Station 14 training grounds. The department plans to use it for scenario-based firefighter training.
Removing the modular unit also cleared the way for contractors to finish paving and landscaping around the new station. Once that work is completed, the temporary apparatus bay will be converted into a logistics facility for department equipment and operational support.
The rebuilt Station 15 replaces Medford’s oldest fire station, which served the community for more than 50 years. The city said the former facility had become outdated as Medford’s population and demand for emergency medical services increased.
The new station was designed to provide a safer and more functional workplace while supporting firefighter health, training and emergency response. It will house one of the department’s three emergency medical service squads.
The EMS squad model allows designated crews to respond to medical calls while keeping fire engines available for fires and other emergencies.
Funding for the project includes $4 million from city reserves, revenue from a 50-cent increase in the public safety portion of Medford’s utility fee and approximately $300,000 annually from local marijuana taxes.
The city said the project remains under budget and is expected to be completed ahead of schedule. Department logistics employees are scheduled to move into the converted logistics center in September, followed by a community grand opening anticipated in October.
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