- Sandy's new Fire Station 31 replaces a 40-year-old facility.
- The $21 million station enhances firefighter safety with decontamination showers and other cancer mitigating features.
- A grand opening celebration will be held Saturday.
SANDY — The city of Sandy is gearing up for a momentous occasion this weekend as it celebrates the grand opening of the new Fire Station 31.
Sandy Fire Chief Ryan McConaghie said they've outlived their previous location at 9010 S. 150 East, which was built 40 years ago. The former building had fallen into disrepair and was in need of a myriad of modern upgrades, according to city officials.
In 2022, Sandy residents voted in favor of a $21 million bond to fund the construction of a new fire station, just a few blocks away from the old one. The voters' approval garnered 67% support of funding of the project from all the planning and designing, to the actual construction, and now a ceremonial opening celebration to be held on Saturday.
"I think we made a good case for why we need it, where we've grown out of our current situation, and need more offices, more bedrooms, more base space," McConaghie said.
The new Fire Station 31 is located at 9295 S. 255 West, near America First Field.
McConaghie said the new facility is designed to maintain efficient response times, with bedrooms flowing directly into the bay.
It also offers enhanced training and living spaces with decontamination showers, which will aid in removing hazardous substances from firefighters' skin and clothing to prevent harm after exposure to toxic chemicals.
"It just allows for greater mental health in the downtime — you know, resiliency of just being able to decompress between calls," he told KSL.com.
McConaghie said he's grateful to have a new facility that will help in reducing cancer risks among firefighters.
In addition to decontamination showers, other preventative features in the fire station include an airlock between the bays and living spaces with positive pressure air flow that reduces potential carcinogens and diesel exhaust from circulating in areas where firefighters seek rest and relaxation.
There's also amenities for the community, including a modern training room and a hands-on simulator where children of all ages can learn how to respond safely in the event of a fire, a press release states.
To commemorate the opening of the important public safety facility, Saturday's grand opening celebration will include a pancake breakfast with firefighters, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house where attendees can get a first look at the new fire station and learn about the city's history in fire response, as several decadesold memorabilia are now on display at the new Fire Station 31.
"This grand opening celebrates both our community's legacy and our shared commitment to safety and progress," Mayor Monica Zoltanski said in a statement. "We're proud of this investment in public safety and grateful to our residents for making it possible with their overwhelming support."
McConaghie acknowledged and thanked the many voters who supported the new fire station and recognized the need for it.
"It allows us to train, prepare and to be able to respond even at a higher level than we have historically," he said.
Saturday's event gets underway at 8 a.m, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony set to take place at 10:30 a.m.
