Pratt County awarded KAN STEP grant for new fire station in Sawyer

A $297,971 KAN STEP grant to Pratt County Rural Fire District #11, Kansas will provide funding to construct a new 7,200 sq. ft. fire station in Sawyer. Sawyer is a community of approximately 190 persons located in south-central Pratt County, eleven miles south of Pratt.

The county and the fire department will construct a modern fire station building to house the fire equipment, provide administrative space and training room that can also serve as a storm shelter. The facility will have five truck bays and storage space. The design also includes a wash bay. The existing fire station in Sawyer is undersized for the number of vehicles presently stored there. There is very little to no space available for meeting and training.

Local volunteers will contribute $287,142 in labor and equipment towards the new fire station. The project architect is Dan Hall with BG Consultants, Manhattan. Grant administration will be provided by Rose Mary Saunders of Ranson Financial Consultants, LLC, Wichita. The volunteer "co-sparkplugs" are Jamie Miller and Merlin Kessler. The Kansas Rural Water Association will provide inspection services and technical assistance to the volunteers.