Fort Mill breaks ground on Fire Station No. 3; town leaders say station will be staffed next fall

Town of Fort Mill leaders and firefighters gathered on the construction site to break ground on Fire Station No. 3 and mark the start of a roughly yearlong build, Fire Chief Wilkerson said. "I'm fire chief Wilkerson, and I have the privilege to welcome you to the construction site site for Fire Station Number 3," he said, adding the station will be "immediately be staffed by 4 personnel that are already on our staff ready to go."

Mayor Savage called the day "an important day in our community," saying the project rests on donated land and careful planning. "The ultimate meaning of a groundbreaking is not the dirt we turn, but the lives we touch once the walls go up," he said. Officials named ADW Architects, Lightner Construction and Barfield Grading as the primary design and construction partners. Chief Wilkerson said the town hopes to hold a grand opening next fall and thanked staff and volunteers who helped bring the project to this point.