The City Council, Cathedral City Fire Department and the City Urban Revitalization Corporation (C.U.R.C.) officially dedicated the new downtown Fire Station 411 among a small gathering of key stakeholders who adhered to the latest COVID-19 pandemic protocols. The $8.2 million state-of-the-art fire station replaced the former fire station located across the road, on the southwest corner of Buddy Rogers Avenue and Date Palm Drive, that had outlived its intended usage. The new Fire Station 411 has been designed for the next 50 years of service providing space for a 10-person emergency response crew. It will garage a ladder truck, fire engine, and ambulance. The new station also offers new dorm facilities, kitchen, office space, and fitness center for firefighters to remain prepared for emergency responses.
“This building symbolizes the community coming together to offer a modern structure that recognizes our appreciation for Cathedral City’s dedicated firefighter/paramedics and firefighter/EMTs,” stated Mayor John Aguilar. “We know that with just a single 9-1-1 call, these brave and highly trained professionals will immediately put aside whatever they were doing before and rush to our aid. They will rush to a car accident, rush to extinguish a house fire, or rush to put out a raging wildfire. Repeatedly, they do this day in and day out even if it puts their own lives at risk.”
Funding for the fire station came from land sale receipts in the downtown area with a large portion provided by Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians’ purchase of nearly 13 acres of land at the northwest corner of Date Palm Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive (HWY 111). The tribe is currently building a mixed-use gaming and entertainment center that will include restaurants and retail uses with plans to open later this fall.
Mayor John Aguilar presented Tribal Vice Chair Reid Milanovich with a ceremonial key symbolizing the transition of the land where the former Fire Station 411 resided. Additionally, the small gathering of people was able to see the new $700,000 plus fire engine that went into service earlier this month and will be assigned to the new fire station. The firefighters held a traditional ceremony of pushing the new fire engine into the fire station for its first call of service.
The City plans to host a Grand Opening for the fire station that will allow the community to share in the celebration once the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us and restrictions are lifted. The entire dedication has been filmed and will be released later this week on the City’s media and social media channels.
