Construction of the new fire station on Elbo Lane should be complete in November. The projects costs $4 million.

Construction of the $4 million fire station on Elbo Lane is well under way, on schedule for completion in November.

The steel framework for the two-story, 24,000-square-foot building went up in January, and construction workers in hard hats were cementing beige blocks on the exterior this month.

Floors have been poured and electrical supply lines, plumbing and heating have been installed.

"We're looking at late September or early October to move into the fire station part of it," said township Fire Chief William D. Dukes Sr.

The new Station 363, known as Birchfield Station, will be attached to fire department headquarters next door. It will have larger bays to store equipment and apparatus, a new hose tower and will house a fire training center on the second floor. Private sleeping quarters, a new kitchen and other amenities for firefighters will be provided.

It's part of a long-range plan to expand and modernize the growing fire department's facilities, Dukes said.

"By year's end, we will have 44 career staff members and we hope to have 100 volunteers," he said. That's up from 60 volunteers and 33 paid staff members just a year ago.

The extra manpower is necessary due to an increase in the town's population, which has bumped up the number of fire calls by an average of 10 percent annually since 1998, Dukes said.

According to fire department statistics, there were 2,718 fire calls last year, or an average of 7.4 per day. That's an increase of 14 percent from 2001. "We'll be hitting 3,000 very soon," said Dukes, who added the department is often called to neighboring towns for backup. "There are considerably more working fires," he said.

only one in town getting a facelift. The newly renovated Station 361 on Masonville-Centerton Road reopened in February and is staffed 24 hours a day.

Station 361 serves the northern end of the township, while the remainder is split between the Birchfield Station and Station 362 on Church Road in the Fellowship section.

The fire department is planning a celebration later this year to showcase the renovations and mark several milestones in the town's history, Dukes said. "It's a big anniversary year - Masonville is 90 years old, Fellowship is 60, the fire department is 50 and the fire district is 20," he said.

Dukes said he expects the event will be held during Fire Prevention Week in October.