New city-owned Menifee Fire Station 7 opens for service

A large crowd gathered at the new Menifee Fire Station 7 Wednesday for its grand opening and ribbon cutting. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

The long-awaited new Menifee Fire Station 7 was opened to considerable fanfare on Wednesday, with City and Fire Department officials joining a large crowd in touring the $4 million facility on Bradley Road.

The station is Menifee's first public facility owned and operated by the City. It is more than twice as large as the old Station 7, operated by Riverside County and located farther north on Bradley Road, near McCall Boulevard. It will house a crew that works the busiest firehouse in Riverside County.

"This new station will provide more equipment space and will improve response times," said Josh Bischof (right), Ballation Chief, during the dedication ceremony. "The City of Menifee is a very public safety-minded city. The City Council has committed to the safety of their citizens and their firefighters."

Fire Station 7 was built on part of the lot formerly occupied by the Kings Inn, a landmark structure in the early days of the Sun City community, on Bradley Road south of Cherry Hills Boulevard. A commemorative plaque stands in front of the fire station, which sits on a 2.1-acre lot and includes an 8,173-square-foot facility with 3,805 square feet of administrative and living space and 4,368 square feet of a detached apparatus bay.

The design of the station includes stucco walls, a stone facade and a window-covered perched tower entry. The energy efficient building uses LED lighting and other features to reduce electricity usage, as well as water efficient fixtures. The living quarters accommodates an eight-person crew with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, Captain's quarters, a full commercial kitchen, state-of-the-art workout room and space for the city's Emergency Operations Center.

"This facility will dramatically overcome limitations that existed in the old fire station," said Greg August, City Council member representing District 1, the Sun City community in Menifee. "This station will provide the needed space and increased living and equipment facility that will benefit the city for years to come."

Menifee Neil Winter also praised the new facility.

"This represents a lot of foresight -- not just for the present City Council, but for all the citizens of Menifee," Winter said. "You all asked for two things -- good roads and a safe community. This represents another step toward a safe community."