Columbia Fire Station 11

Located at 6909 Scott Boulevard in southwest Columbia, Fire Station No. 11 relieves the emergency call load on some of the surrounding stations, which have seen an increase in call volume. The department has seen a more than 22% increase in calls during the past five years, according to former Fire Chief Clayton Farr, Jr. The station predominantly serves areas north, east, south, and southeast of its location, reducing fire service response times from around six to eight minutes to a target of four minutes.

With the city anticipated to grow to the west, Farr said the new station provides service in that direction. The addition of the new station maintains the department’s Insurance Services Office fire rating at class 2 and may even improve it to class 1. A lower rating impacts commercial insurance rates in the area and possibly residential insurance rates as well.

The building spans about 11,000 SF and includes three apparatus bays, training and exercise areas, work, sleep, and living areas, and a police substation. The department broke ground on September 27th, 2022, and the station went into service in October of 2023.
The exterior of the station is designed to match the residential style and scale of the neighborhood. Exterior materials used include fiber-cement siding in two colors and styles, exterior insulation and finish systems, and cultured stone wainscoting. Exterior lighting is low-level with cutoffs preventing spillover to the property.