Work on Murfreesboro's newest fire station located on city land at Blaze Drive and Fortress Boulevard near Blackman High School is moving to the interior, with completion anticipated in mid-spring. Firefighters could begin responding to calls from their newest $4.468 million station in May 2020. 

"With all the growth in the Blackman area, we anticipated needing a fire station at this location near the high school and residential and multi-family housing expansion," said Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. "Work on Fire Station 11 has transitioned to the facility's interior, where walls are being painted, plumbing and electrical fixtures are being placed and kitchen cabinets installed."  

The new location will cover calls in the entire Blackman community as well as portions of the Gateway.  It adds to the latest stations built and opened in the growing city: Station 4 in February 2019 on Medical Center Parkway and Station 10 in August 2016 on Veterans Parkway.

The three-apparatus bay, 14-room, 10,422-square-foot station is under construction on nearly three acres of a 28-acre city-owned tract at the intersection of Blaze Drive and Fortress Blvd. The station is situated on Blaze Drive directly adjacent to the Blackman High School property.

The city will not need to add additional firefighters to open Station 11, but will instead move equipment and personnel around to facilitate better response times and operational capabilities for the department. 

The new station is part of a strategic plan and accreditation model to improve response times to calls and meet national standards of less than four minutes, 90 percent of the time.

"We've been looking for some time now at how to provide the best response times and the best locations for our fire stations amid the rapid growth in our city," said Foulks. "When we locate stations, whether Station 4 on Medical Center Parkway for improved aerial apparatus response or the newest Station 11, it is to improve response times. Better response times have been proven to enhance outcomes no matter the type of emergency."

The new stations include the newest designs, safety measures and upgrades, including fire suppression, vehicle exhaust systems, decontamination area and enhanced station alerting. The new Station 11 is also currently designed to include space for MPD to enable police officers to complete documentation, use the restroom, and handle other business at this location. It will not be open for the public to file reports. 

Features of the new station include: 

• Multiple station design components to help decrease response times and enhance firefighter safety.
• Station will house the Hazardous Materials response component of Special Operations.
• Designed to accommodate up to ten MFRD personnel.

"When it comes to life-saving measures, it's critical to the community that our fire department and its stations can respond to an emergency in the quickest and most efficient manner," added Foulks. "The location of Station 11 offers numerous operational advantages. The location enables us to achieve Insurance Service Office (ISO) credit for achieving response within 2.5 miles."

The Murfreesboro City Council voted June 6, 2019, to approve $3,948,000 million for construction of a new Fire Station 11 on land near Blackman High School.  Council authorized a contract with Boyce Ballard Construction, LLC to build the station from funds appropriated in the 2018 and 2019 Community Improvement Projects bond issue.

The city contracted with Boyce Ballard Construction of Murfreesboro, which submitted the low bid, to build the station.  Johnson + Bailey Architects, P.C. was the architect for the project.

The Bid Opening for construction of the new Fire Station 11 was conducted with Boyce Ballard Construction, LLC submitting the low Base Bid of $4,017,800.

Architectural services, approved by the Council in November 2017, were provided by Johnson + Bailey Architects P.C. in the amount of $160,000. 

The Murfreesboro Planning Commission approved the site plan for 10,422 square feet for Fire Station No. 11, June 11, 2018.

Construction began in late August 2019 with completion slated for Spring 2020.  An "Official Ceremony" will be announced in the spring along with Open House opportunities for the public after Station 11 opens.