SINCLAIR, Maine – A little over two dozen residents in the unincorporated village of Sinclair came out to hear a public presentation about a new fire station project. The new station will replace an aging facility that is over 80 years old.
Darren Woods, Aroostook County Emergency Management Director and North Lakes Fire & Rescue Chief, led the meeting Wednesday and explained the history of the project.
North Lakes Fire & Rescue has stations in Madawaska Lake and Cross Lake, in addition to its Sinclair station.
The new facility will have updated wiring, handicap-accessibility, and a new truck bay that can fit modern vehicles. It will also be in a new location. The old facility was built in the 1940s as a local effort from citizens to create their own fire protection district, and it is on land provided by the Catholic Diocese.
The new station will cost $3 million, with $2.25 million covered via congressionally directed spending, and the remaining $750,000 will come from the state’s unorganized territory fund.
Aroostook County Administrator Ryan Pelletier, who attended the meeting, said this will be paid over the next three years, and the first $250,000 is already included in this year’s budget.
Normally, he said that when he and commissioners go to the state legislature to justify the unorganized territory budget, there is usually pushback from some lobbyists, But that was not the case this time.
“There was absolutely no opposition to this fire station from anybody,” he said of their meeting with the state legislature. “So I think that’s a real positive thing for the community.”
And while residents asked about and commented on the project, no one expressed any opposition to the new station.
One resident asked if this project would also include new fire trucks.
Woods said it will not include new trucks, as the two they currently have are in good shape.
“They’re probably two of the best in our fleet,” he said of the trucks. “So we won’t be getting any new fire trucks here.”
Another resident asked if there were any plans for the old station.
Woods said this is a good question, but that he does not have an answer just yet. He said the old fire station is essentially on church land and they have an open-ended deed and lease as long as the station is on that land.
“Once we start building, I’ll be reaching out to find out what the church would like us to do,” he said.
Woods said the recent explosion in Sinclair, which destroyed two homes and injured a 73-year-old man, is a reminder of the importance of having a local fire station.
“They were right on top of it and they were able to respond right away,” he said of the crew.
He also commended the Sinclair community for their response to the incident.
“It’s unheard of that people would come out and put all their patio furniture next to the road so the firefighters could sit down for a bit,” he said. “Or for a town over to have their restaurant bring food, without even asking, and they set up tables and fed the guys all night.”
He said it is because of actions like this that he is working to get the new station.
“It made me more proud and more happy than ever that we were able to do this for you guys, and bring this new building to your community,” Woods said.
