Fire Dept. Trailers to be Removed Monday

The two trailers on Sloan Street used to house the fire department during the seven-year renovation of the firehouse are scheduled to be removed on Monday.

According to Fire Chief Jeffrey Markey, the plumbing and power have already been disconnected, and someone was expected on Thursday to remove the skirting from the trailers in preparation for them to be hauled away.

Though the 32-member fire department is still settling into the space (a firefighter set up the coffee maker just this morning), Markey says there's already been a considerable morale boost. The renovated building has a modern kitchen (already stocked with cookbooks), a dormitory that sleeps five and office space. It's also better set up to afford privacy to the department's lone female firefighter.

"The reality of it is, this is their home, so we went to great lengths to see how we could accommodate them and improve the operation of the fire department at the same time," Markey said.

The municipal parking area currently occupied by the trailers will temporarily be used for firefighter parking, according to Village President Douglas Newman. However, the eventual plan is turn that lot over to the Parking Authority—which would likely use it for commuter parking— and renovate the area of the First Street parking lot that wraps around the firehouse at grade level (and had been used by the firehouse contractors as a staging area) for firefighter parking.

Another planned improvement to the First Street lot—uphill from the firehouse and the planned firefighter parking area—is the construction of a shed to house scooters, which local officials have observed in increasing numbers around South Orange. The Village is seeking grants to pay for the building of the shed.

"We think it's kind of innovative to accommodate scooters for commuters," said Newman.