Oak Bluffs Fire Station 2015

OAK BLUFFS FIRE STATION PROJECT
Oak Bluffs back in time had at least four fire stations. Engine 1 and 2 shared a house on Lake Ave near the harbor and the Flying Horses. Engine 3 had a single house over on Church Ave. Engine 4 was in a single house on Dukes County Ave. The Ladder was in a single house next to the Police Station near the ferry.

In the 1970s, a single station was built at the intersection of County and Wing Roads. The apparatus and companies maintained their individual identities, but all shared the same house for the first time. It wasn't long before additional bays were added to that station for the Rescue company, and then for ambulances.

By the 2000s the need for EMS personnel on duty required more space. Once the space inside the station was maximized, the department opted to add a trailer outside.

In 2013, voters approved a new Fire / EMS facility to be built. It was determined that the new facility should go at the same County & Wing Road location. That would require moving the department off site, so the old station could be torn down and a new station built. Apparatus was moved to the DPW garage and department offices moved into a building next door to the old station.

The new station was completed and moved into on December 6, 2015. The steel frame building includes living space for crews, office space, and 12 bays for apparatus going out two sides of the station. The $8.3 Million station has approximately 20,000 square feet.

Oak Bluffs Fire Station
The new Oak Bluffs Fire Station has been completed and the department
moved into the new $8.3 Million, 20,000+ square foot, 12 bay station
on December 6, 2015. The station is located on the site of the previous
station at Wing Road and County Road. Construction took just 1 year
while the department worked out of the DPW garage and other temporary
quarters. The station has been dedicated the Nelson W. Amaral Fire/EMS
Station in memory of the retired chief who served the department for
54 years, 34 as chief. The station is equipped with essential office,
living, classroom, and other space that the previous station lacked.

OAK BLUFFS FIRE HEADQUARTERS
Voters in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard approved the construction
of a new Fire Headquarters in 2014.

The present facility (shown above) will be torn down in the Fall of 2014
and apparatus will be relocated for about 1-1/2 years while a new fire
headquarters is built on the same site.

Oak Bluffs Fire Department
The Oak Bluffs Fire and EMS Department moved out of their
Wing Road & County Road headquarters in the late Fall of 2014.
Apparatus was relocated up the street to the DPW.
The space metal type former station was then torn down
to make room for a new facility (shown above).

The "old" station, built in the 1970s had already been added
onto several times and EMS crews were operating from a
trailer parked on property.

Oak Bluffs, much like Provincetown, at one time had
at least 4 small or single company fire stations to
protect the very congested community.
They were all combined into one in the 1970s.

Construction on the new building is expected to take about
a year with occupancy planned for late in 2015.

Voters approved a new building in 2013.

Update March 2015

READ ARTICLES

MV TIMES NOV 19, 2014 ARTICLE

VIEW CURRENT PLANS

SEE OAK BLUFFS ARTICLE

MV TIMES ARTICLE

MV TIMES NOV 19, 2014 ARTICLE

The new Oak Bluffs Fire Station begins to rise on the site of the old station
May 11, 2015

The new Oak Bluffs Fire Station was approved at Town Meeting in 2014.
Since the new station was to be built on the same site as the old station, the department
had to make a number of moves. One was to move the administrative offices off site.
The next was to move apparatus off site to the DPW garage.
Photo May 9, 2015

The administrative and EMS offices were able to move right next door.
May 9, 2015

The Oak Bluffs DPW garage on County Road served as home to apparatus while the new station
was under construction.

Early plans called for a station similar to this with the old station to be torn down.

At one time, Oak Bluffs had several smaller stations.
The Station of Engine 1 & 2 was down by the harbor
at Lake Ave & Central Ave.

The Nelson W. Amaral Fire station was named for the long time chief.
Fire Attack 1 moved from the harbor to the new station
at County & Wing.