By Meghan Muldoon

WESTPORT — The public got a first look last week at plans for a proposed state-of-the-art public safety complex that would integrate the town’s police, fire and emergency medical services under one roof.  

While the project is currently only a concept, Fire Chief Nicholas Marsan told Westport Journal that the town’s Fire Department would greatly benefit from a centralized facility that streamlines operations, enhances response times, and ensures long-term sustainability. 

“A public safety facility touches everybody,” said Marsan, who is also the town’s emergency management director. “Everybody has a stake in this. It’s important. And I think looking long term strategically, at Westport’s growth and our future, it certainly makes sense.”

Police Chief Foti Koskinas also supports planning for a consolidated complex.

“Housing police, fire and EMS under one roof fosters better collaboration, faster response times and more efficient operations,” Koskinas said in a statement issued before last week’s public forum on the plans.

“A project of this nature will strengthen public safety and ensure that we are well-equipped to serve Westport now and into the future,” the police chief added.

Some proponents of the public safety complex say there is another possible benefit from relocating Police Department headquarters from its current downtown location on Jesup Road. That could free up space for additional parking, a chronic issue in the town’s core commercial district.

Fire station issues growing

As for the town’s four existing fire stations — two are over a century old — the facilities face numerous challenges, including space constraints, outdated infrastructure and increasing operational costs. 

According to Marsan, renovating or replacing these fire stations would cost an estimated $70 million, while a consolidated facility would address these issues more efficiently and with a longer-term strategic vision.

While the preliminary cost estimate for the facility housing the three emergency services stands at $92 million, which doesn’t include furnishing expenses, the town’s fire chief emphasized that consolidating emergency services into a single center would yield long-term savings through improved efficiency and shared operational costs. 

Moreover, funding opportunities through state and federal grants could help offset the cost, particularly for a fortified emergency operations center.

Marsan pointed out that several state communities, including Greenwich and West Hartford, have already adopted similar models. However, plans in nearby Ridgefield to build a nearly $86 million consolidated public safety complex were narrowly rejected by referendum voters last week.

According to Marsan, a key component of the proposed 100,000 square feet facility is its emphasis on firefighter health and safety. Firefighters are at an increased risk for different types of cancer due to the smoke and hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in the line of duty.  

The new complex would be designed with enhanced ventilation, designated decontamination areas and clear separation of living and workspaces to mitigate the health risks associated with repeated exposure to harmful contaminants from the firefighters’ clothing and equipment. 

Additionally, Westport currently lacks a dedicated fire training facility. The new complex would include a training tower, improving readiness and efficiency while reducing the need to rely on outside locations.

Selecting the site a challenge

Marsan acknowledged the challenge of finding a property that offers the required acreage, while being centrally located to preserve emergency response times.

The site under consideration is on the Sherwood Island Connector, adjacent to state-owned property. This location poses regulatory hurdles, as it includes the historic site of the West Parish Meeting House, which was burned by the British during the Revolutionary War.

“There’s only so many spots in town where this could go and meet those requirements,” Marsan said. “We have no other place. There’s really no other spot.” 

Gaining the necessary approvals will require extensive collaboration with regulatory agencies, historical associations, conservation groups and neighbors, the fire chief said, stressing that community involvement is paramount to accomplishing the initiative. 

The fire chief added the proposed facility will be “fully green” and environmentally efficient with geothermal heating and solar power.

“We wanted to be and will continue to be as thorough as possible and try to dream up whatever unintended consequence might come from any decision we make,” Marsan said. “The important part of that is really involving the public in every step of the process.”

The town remains in the early planning stages for the project, with no immediate construction timeline.

“We’re so far away from any type of implementation of any of this,” Marsan added..“We’re not putting a shovel in the ground anytime soon.”

Meghan Muldoon is a freelance writer.