Brookings Fire Department Plans New Downtown Station After 65 Years of Service
- Steve Jurrens
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Brookings, SD - After 65 years of service, the Brookings Fire Department’s Main Fire Station is preparing for retirement. Built in 1960—the same year Elvis Presley was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and John F. Kennedy was elected president—the downtown station has long stood as a pillar of public safety. But according to Fire Chief Troy Hughes, the time has come for a modern replacement.
“Unfortunately, it is outdated and no longer meets the operational, health, and safety needs of a modern fire service,” Hughes said.
To engage the community in the planning process, the department will host an open house on Saturday, September 27, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the current Main Fire Station, located on the south end of the Brookings Public Safety Center at 307 Third Avenue. There will be no formal program; residents are invited to come and go as their schedules allow. Hughes and fellow firefighters will be available to discuss the project and share preliminary plans for the new facility.
The preferred site for the new station is City-owned property just west of the existing location, a choice Hughes says will allow uninterrupted fire protection services during construction.
“The proposed location west of the current station is ideal because it allows continuity of service,” Hughes explained. “It also ensures continued fire protection services for downtown and the northwest part of the city.”
The new station will be designed with a focus on health, safety, storage, training, and long-term adaptability, reflecting the evolving needs of a growing Brookings community.
“Our growing community needs and deserves this,” Hughes said. “A new downtown fire station is essential for the future of public safety in Brookings.”
While the project remains in its early planning stages, Hughes hopes it can be put out for bid next spring, pending the results of site evaluations.
On Sept. 9, the Brookings City Council unanimously approved a $100,000 budget amendment from general fund reserves to support engineering and soil testing at the proposed site.
