RANDOLPH, Maine — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R) joined Randolph officials, firefighters and residents Saturday to celebrate the opening of the town’s new fire station, marking the completion of a project local leaders pursued for more than a decade.
Collins attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony after marching earlier in the day in the Moxie Festival Parade in Lisbon.
The new Randolph Volunteer Fire Station will serve not only the town’s residents but also surrounding communities through mutual-aid agreements. The department provides assistance to Pittston, Farmingdale, Chelsea, Gardiner, West Gardiner, Hallowell and the Togus VA Medical Center.
Collins, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $2.6 million in federal funding in 2024 to help support construction of the facility.
“The people of Randolph worked together for more than a decade to make this new fire station a reality, and I was proud to support their efforts by helping secure $2.6 million in federal funding,” Collins said.
“This beautiful new facility reflects the town’s careful planning, dedication, and commitment to its first responders, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to strengthen public safety in Randolph and throughout the State of Maine,” she added.
Randolph’s former fire station was built approximately 80 years ago and suffered from serious structural problems. The building was also too small to properly accommodate modern fire apparatus, creating challenges for the volunteer department and the communities it serves.
The new station includes three bays designed for modern fire trucks, along with a community meeting room, a dedicated firefighter training area, showers and restroom facilities.
The facility will also serve as Randolph’s emergency shelter, providing the town with a centralized location during severe weather, extended power outages or other emergencies.
Saturday’s ribbon-cutting brought together town officials, first responders and residents to recognize the years of planning and cooperation that went into replacing the aging station and strengthening the town’s emergency-response capabilities.
