Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann dedicates Saltillo fire station named in his honor
By William Moore
SALTILLO – Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who helped Saltillo secure $1.5 million in state legislative funds for its first standalone fire station, took part in a dedication ceremony Thursday for the facility that bears his name.
“This (fire station) is a vision of what the city will be. It reflects the city,” Hosemann said. “This part of the state is growing so fast. You only have to look at your leadership to see why. They took four years to plan this.”
He noted that by investing in the community and infrastructure, the city will prosper in both the present and future.
Saltillo Mayor Corey Grantham said the fire station was designed to be a second home for the firefighters who work 24-hour shifts.
“It was designed with both comfort and functionality in mind,” Grantham said. “The large double bay also doubles as a gathering place where there always seems to be a breeze blowing.”
The mayor thanked Hosemann, state Sen. Chad McMahan and state Rep. Jerry Turner for their efforts four years ago to secure the state funding that made the project possible. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith appropriated $100,000 in federal funds for infrastructure improvements, and the Lee County supervisors donated the land on which the facility sits.
“This is a prime example of how government should work for you,” Grantham said. “Local, state and federal officials came together to do something that benefits the entire community.”
Lee County Fire Coordinator Marc Flanagan praised both the modern facility and city officials’ foresight in partnering with the county to supplement volunteer fire departments. The 4,500-square-foot fire station on Turner Industrial Park Road houses not only the Saltillo Fire Department but also the Lee County volunteer fire department strike teams. During weekdays, two paid firemen respond to emergency calls in the county to augment the volunteers.
In fact, during the 30-minute dedication ceremony, both the city and county crews had to leave to respond to emergency calls.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for us to work out of this building,” Flanagan said. “Stationing a truck here and responding to calls will allow us to regrade some areas outside the city. They should see substantial reductions in their fire insurance rates.”
Since summer 2001, the Saltillo Fire Department has been housed in a 58,000-square-foot former furniture factory alongside city administration offices and courts, as well as the water, police and public works departments. At more than 50 years old, that building no longer suited the needs of the fire department.
In 2022, Grantham began looking for ways to build a new fire station that was centrally located with better access to major thoroughfares. The supervisors donated the land on the north end of the industrial park that was close to both highways 45 and 145 as well as Mobile Street and Old Highway 45 to get to the east and west sides of town.
With $1.6 million in state and federal funds, the Saltillo Board of Aldermen approved up to $300,000 in general obligation bonds to cover the remainder of the costs.
The Saltillo Fire Department is a hybrid, with a handful of full-time employees augmented by up to 30 volunteer firefighters. In recent years, the number of full-time employees has grown to six, allowing at least one to be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The department has held a Class 6 rating from the Mississippi State Rating Bureau since 2017. In order to drop to a Class 5 rating, the city must staff all three shifts with at least three firefighters. The new station with two bedrooms, each of which sleeps three, will accommodate that switch.