Agency issues update on fire station status

The Bureau of Reclamation said Monday that parts of its fire station construction project should be complete by the end of February, but the entire project will take over another year to complete.

"Progress on previous structural, electrical, and mechanical installations at the Grand Coulee Dam Fire Station are ongoing and slated for completion by the end of February 2023," a bureau press release stated. "The next phase of construction involves initiating unfinished construction activities in the fire station. Reclamation anticipates the project will take approximately 12 to 15 months to complete."

"I'm pleased with the progress made to complete this fire station," said Grand Coulee Power Office Manager Coleman Smith. "We've faced several challenges, but in the end, we will have a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance our ability to quickly respond to emergencies in the area. I want to express my appreciation to the greater Grand Coulee community for their patience as we tackled the hurdles placed in front of us."

The original contract for construction was awarded in 2016 for over $13.6 million, to be finished by March 2018.

The contract was terminated in March 2019. The initial termination was rescinded by agreement between Reclamation and the surety, in favor of allowing an approved third-party contractor to take over the project. Ultimately, the third-party contractor was unsuccessful, which resulted in the second termination in February 2021. 

The current contract price is $14,242,563.32

In April 2022, Reclamation reached an agreement with the surety, Berkley Insurance Company, to complete the fire station project. Berkley selected J.S. Held LLC to coordinate the project efforts with National Native American Construction, Inc., who was selected to complete the project.

The 22,000-square-foot fire station will provide space for vehicle and equipment storage along with separate crew areas for sleeping and dining, meeting/training rooms, offices, and a public reception area.

Once completed, the new facility will ensure reliable protection for the Reclamation facilities and lands and assist local communities and other agencies through mutual aid agreements.

The site of the new fire station is located at the west gate to the Grand Coulee Power Office industrial area near the intersection of Highway 155 and B Street.