ODESSA, Texas — A new fire station has been built in Odessa on Penbrook Street.
Being on Penbrook Street allows Odessa Fire Station 6 to get access to more locations at the same pace they did at their old location.
"The area that this is going to cover is really going to give us better access to 42nd Street. We are moved a little but more north than we wanted too, but again it gives us that access to 42nd, and that gives us access to either East or West 42nd and access to Grandview," said Fire Chief John Alvarez.
Currently, 18 employees and a battalion chief are employed at the fire station.
While it only opened Tuesday, crews are already operating out of the station.
"Usually our time frame, our benchmark for responses is usually about five minutes and 20 seconds. And I think this station and where it is located will help us do that in other areas of the community," said Alvarez.
Alvarez said that he wants Odessa to feel like the new fire station is a part of their community, inviting citizens to the ribbon cutting ceremony being held next week.
“We are going to have our ribbon cutting ceremony next Wednesday at 10 a.m. here, and so we are inviting the public to join us and be able to be a part of that," Alvarez said. "This is their fire station, it’s part of their community and so we wanna make sure that the neighborhood is aware that we are having this here."