Richland County officials break ground on new Station 21 in Ballentine

Richland County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new fire station at Station 21 in the upper Ballentine area of northwest Richland County, saying the facility will include living quarters that enable 24/7 staffing and should improve emergency response times.

Presenter said, “we'll be able to keep 24/7 staffing here on site, which should improve emergency response times.” The presenter introduced the site and framed the new station as an operational upgrade for the area.

Agency official emphasized the need for resources to match the new facility, saying, “We got to make sure that we got enough station. We got enough firefighters, got enough resources to make sure that we can respond to these calls.” The official described the project as important to the neighborhood and praised Richland County government for coordinating the investment: “I'm excited to see when the government is able to make specific investments that benefit the area where I happen to live and represent, which is northwest Richland County.”

Officials said the new station will provide a permanent presence in the area and called it a symbol of the county’s investment in northwest Richland County. The speakers did not specify a construction timeline or provide a funding breakdown during the remarks.

The ceremony focused on the expected local benefits of Station 21, including on-site living quarters and continuous staffing; additional implementation details were not provided in the recorded remarks.