Fort Mill Town Council broke ground Thursday, Aug. 27, on the town's third fire station at 1655 Masons Bend Drive.

The Town of Fort Mill said on X that shovels scooping dirt were followed by cheers at the 10 a.m. ceremony. The 10,000-square-foot station, located near the Catawba River, is expected to open in fall 2027.

As we reported Aug. 26, the project has been in the works as Fort Mill's population growth strains its two existing stations at 121 Tom Hall St. and 1245 Fort Mill Parkway.

Leitner Construction, based in Rock Hill, is building the station. Impact fees are funding construction, and the land was donated to the town as part of the development agreement for the Masons Bend neighborhood, according to the town's Aug. 14 press release.

The station will initially house four full-time firefighters, with capacity for eight as staffing needs grow. Its two bays can hold up to four engines. The facility will also store water rescue equipment and include features for confined space rescue and firefighter bailout training, along with offices, bedrooms and a kitchen for on-duty staff.

The site's proximity to the Catawba River factored into the location choice, the town said.

Fire Chief Chipper Wilkerson said in the town's Aug. 14 announcement that the station will cut response times in a growing area. "Improving firefighter/EMT distribution throughout the community reduces response time by minutes when seconds save a life," Wilkerson said.

Mayor Guynn Savage also praised the effort in that announcement, thanking Wilkerson for his leadership and Town Council and staff for their support in making the project possible.

The town expects the new station to improve the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating for nearby properties. A better ISO rating can lower homeowners insurance premiums. The station will also provide backup emergency operations capacity if Town Hall or the other two stations are affected by a disaster.

In October 2024, the town received a $4,223,398 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant from FEMA to hire 15 new firefighters. That grant has covered salaries and benefits since March 2025. It funds staffing, not construction.

Residents can expect construction activity on Masons Bend Drive through fall 2027.