WILLIAMSTOWN — The Williamstown Fire District's new $22 million fire station on Main Street is in the final stages of construction and is on track to open early in 2026.

The construction of the new Williamstown Fire Station on Main Street continues as workers are seen at the front of the building. The project broke ground in September of 2024.

The new facility will replace the fire station at 34 Water St., which was built more than 70 years ago. The new station at 560 Main St. (Route 2) is two stories and 22,000 square feet, enough space to house modern fire trucks.

The new station at 560 Main St. (Route 2) is two stories and 22,000 square feet, enough space to house modern fire trucks.

The fire station will meet modern safety standards, providing proper decontamination areas and eliminating hazards that currently force firefighters to decontaminate themselves in the driveway after fighting a fire. The facility also will have adequate space for on-site training and vehicle servicing, reducing barriers to certification and improving overall safety.

The new fire station will be equipped with showers and the proper washing and drying equipment for decontaminating protective clothing and firefighters' self-breathing apparatuses.

It is also Williamstown’s first major municipal project designed for net-zero carbon emissions, as it will be powered almost entirely by on-site solar energy.

Fire Chief Jeffrey Dias said the new station’s capabilities will lead to “substantial” improvements in post-fire safety, upgrades he called “crucial” for proper decontamination. It will be equipped with showers and the proper washing and drying equipment for decontaminating protective clothing and firefighters' self-breathing apparatuses. And unlike the current station, it will have a separate sink for washing aside from the kitchen sink.

The new fire station is Williamstown’s first major municipal project designed for net-zero carbon emissions, as it will be powered almost entirely by on-site solar energy.

"Firefighter safety is probably the greatest concern and it is one of the most significant advances by moving into this new facility," said Dias.

The lack of showers at the current station makes it hard to follow the rule of thumb after a fire, which is to "shower within the hour," Dias said. About 30 firefighters currently share one washing machine in which to wash their protective clothing after a fire. They have no way to dry or store that gear.

"It will take the better part of a day to get gear washed and several [days] to dry because we don't have any dryers," Dias said.

Dias said decontamination is important because studies show an elevated risk in certain cancers for firefighters. A Harvard research study from 2017 examined Boston fire station designs and found that pollution was highest in truck bays and that station age and layout affected how effectively truck exhaust and pollutants were vented.

The construction of the new Williamstown Fire Station on Main Street continues. The project broke ground in September of 2024.

A burning building exposes firefighters to higher levels of pollutants than being in a fire station, but firefighters spend so much time in the fire stations that lower-levels of carry-over exposure can be hazardous.

The Prudential Committee, the body that oversees the Fire District, set a total cost ceiling of $22.5 million for the project. As it nears the final construction stages, Dias said the project is projected to stay on or under budget. He wasn't sure of an exact date, but he said they were hopeful to be fully operating out of the new station by end of January or early February.

Construction of the new Williamstown Fire Station on Main Street is projected to stay on or under budget.

The transition to the new station will start this month and the Prudential Committee is currently working with the town to list the current station property, at 34 Water St., for sale.

Fire Chief Jeffrey Dias hopes to be fully operating out of the new station by end of January or early February.

"At the end of the project, timelines start to get fuzzy because sometimes they get done a little quicker or a little slower," he said. "We just want it done correctly."

Williams College has pledged $5 million toward the new fire station's cost, and the Clark Art Institute has pledged $500,000.

The town issued a $21,140,000 bond on July 2 to pay for the project. According to Williamstown Fire District Treasurer Billie Jo Sawyer, residents will see the tax impact of the station in 2026. In fiscal 2024, the fire district tax rate was $0.54 per $1,000 of valuation and $0.66 in 2025. In 2026, the rate goes up to $1.24.

Sawyer said the bond was "structured specifically to keep the tax rate stable over its 28-year life."

The Prudential Committee and the new station's Building Committee began developing plans for a new station in 2021. Because it required bond financing, passage required a two-thirds majority vote at a special meeting.