Mandan Fire Chief Steve Nardello said a $1.04 million fire station in southeast Mandan will be completed by the end of January, about one month ahead of the planned schedule.

Nardello said Station No. 2, south of Kist Livestock at 2009 40th Ave. S.E. in the Lakewood Subdivision, should be ready for use by mid-February. "We still need to pour the concrete in the apparatus area. That will take at least two weeks to cure," he said.

"(To)bolster the staff at the station, we've done some adjustments to our membership application," Nardello told the Mandan City Commission last week. "We've opened it up to jurisdictions other than Mandan. We try to keep members within a few miles of the station."

He said a junior firefighter program also has been implemented, and the department is working out giving compensation to firefighters who stay overnight at the station.

"We've had interest from other jurisdictions to become volunteers from Mandan," he said. "We'll take as many volunteers as we can, not just for this station, but our downtown Collins Avenue station."

The new station is intended to speed up response time to fires in the southeast portion of the city.

Construction began last summer on the 7,740-square-foot building that will feature three bays and a living quarters for at least two volunteers to stay overnight.

Nardello said there has been a healthy response to the request for volunteers, and many have already signed up to stay overnight at the new station.

According to Nardello, the fire station will be equipped with a reserve engine and two support engines.

Those wishing to become a volunteer for either of the Mandan fire stations may find the application at the Mandan Web site at www.cityofMandan.com, or may call 667-3288.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckrot@;bismarcktribune.com.)