Wide Enough for a Fire Truck??
Wide Enough???
This past week the office of the current fire station was demolished. The empty space to the left of the remaining bays is where the driveway will be, serving as both the entrance to and the exit from the new fire station.
If you will notice, there is a large old oak tree in the pathway of the proposed new driveway. A call to the fire station revealed that no decision has yet been made as to whether or not that tree will be saved.
There was a division on Council with half of Council wanting the entire station demolished (bays and all) and half wanting the bays left standing. The Mayor wanted the bays left because he wants to use them to store public works equipment in (tractors, bobcat, etc.), so he broke the tie dismissing the public safety issues that were raised by Council members Massey and Whitehead (who is a firefighter for San Antonio), and the bays will remain standing.
The Fire Chief wanted a 24-foot wide driveway for the safety of all concerned. It is obvious that since the bays were left standing this will not be possible, and that was one of the concerns expressed by the Council members. They felt that this area was not sufficiently wide to provide the visibility necessary for the safety of the firefighters or the driving public.
What do you think? Will this space be adequate? Should the Mayor and the Council listen to what the Fire Chief wants?
(For more information on this issue, read “Red Flag Raised in Fire Station Construction Plans” on this website under the heading of “City Hall.”)
Who better than the Fire Chief to know what is required of the driveway for safety and serviceability? If the council can not respect and adhere to the recommendations of the Fire Chief, they have no business serving as representatives of Helotes. Why they believe they are better qualified to determine the correct needs of the fire department defies rational thought. This move by the Council and Mayor is another example of their incompetence and power grab. It seems they will never learn and are only ego driven.