History: The first Station 22 opened on July 31, 1998, at 9350 Durant Road in the Neuse Crossroads community. Engine 22 was placed in service with a 1985 Pirsch pumper. Land for the station was donated by the Mallinckrodt Corporation. The $850,000 facility was dedicated on August 5, 1998. The 5,222 square-foot, one-story facility was designed by Cherry Huffman Architects, and built by SAL Construction.

Truck 22 was placed in service on August 14, 2001, with a 1988 Pierce articulating aerial platform. It was renamed Ladder 22 on August 21, 2006, and renamed Ladder 5 on July 7, 2009. Ladder 5 also staffs a haz-mat decontamination unit.

As early as 2000, the city was notified about the impacts of a future rail crossing project on Durant Road, just east of the station site. The plans would impact the fire station site and the city began planning to relocate the fire station.

On August 15, 2017, the relocation project was first presented to and approved by City Council. In the fall of 2018, temporary quarters were erected at 10301 Falls of Neuse Road, the water plant. On January 31, 2019, the deed to the property was transferred to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

On February 5, 2019, Station 22 was closed and Engine 22 was relocated to temporary quarters at the water plant at 10301 Falls of Neuse Road. Ladder 5 and Haz-Mat 4 were relocated to Station 25. The haz-mat unit was housed outside the station, under a metal shelter installed at the site. Demolition of the Station 22 started on March 23, 2019, and was completed by April 23.

On December 1, 2020, the city awarded the construction bid, for a new station planned at 10050 Durant Road, on a parcel of land previous planned for use as a park. The two-story building was designed by Davis Kane Architects.

The facility was completed the summer of 2022.

Last updated: July 18, 2022

Mike Legeros photos

Lee Wilson photos

Mike Legeros photos