BEDFORD, Pa. (WJAC) — A Bedford County Volunteer Fire Department is building a new station, bringing its facilities up to modern standards.

But before construction begins, some of the old structures have to go.

The Fire Department has been operating out of two different stations for years, meaning firefighters would often have to run from one building to the other.

Now with help some from the Bedford Borough Council, the whole department will soon be under a single roof.

On Thursday, crews continued tearing down the remainder of the 1970s building, making way for a new six-bay station.

Fire officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new station Monday.

They say the 1949 station could not support their larger firetrucks, as the weight of firetrucks has greatly increased in the 70 years since its groundbreaking.

Officials say they were also limited by the height of the doors in the 1970s station, a building that’s now almost completely gone.

The Bedford Borough Council helped fund the project.

Bedford Fire Department secretary Michelle Lange says the new station will improve operations.

“It’s going to make everything a lot easier for everybody,” Lange said. “It will make it easier for our fundraising, for us to be able to respond on fire calls and I think the entire department is pretty excited about the new building project.”

The department will continue to use the 1949 station while its new building is constructed.

Lange says the project should be complete by February 2020.

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