The decision Monday by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to buy 2.2 acres off Berryman Road for a new fire station represents forward thinking on the board’s part, but there is still a lot to be considered before we see the trucks sitting at a new, state-of-the-art building.

One issue is when the board will decide to build the new facility. There is no argument the commercial growth on the east side of Vicksburg points to the need for a new fire station, but at the moment the money to build it is lacking. True, the city allocated $1.6 million of its $9.2 million bond issue toward a new fire station, but $400,000 of that was used to buy the property for the station. And $1.2 million will not cover the cost of a permanent fire station.

Also, the city is presently faced with the problem of having sufficient firefighters to adequately staff the stations they have, even with the recent hire of seven new firefighters who are presently on restricted duty until they can attend the state Fire Academy in Pearl.

Another is equipment. One of the reasons for putting a station in the East Clay Street area is the number of multi-story hotels there. Another reason was to get closer to Interstate 20 to better respond to crashes and other hazardous situations on the highway. It means the new station, when it’s built, will require special equipment to meet the new challenges brought on by its location, like stationing a second platform or ladder truck at the east Vicksburg station and having ambulances and rescue trucks to be able to respond to the problems on I-20.

Chief Charles Atkins said the purchase of the property “puts us one step closer” to a new station and expressed hope its construction will soon come to pass.

We commend the board for looking to the future, but we caution the mayor and aldermen to be prudent when it comes to planning and not rush to build a station just to put something on the site. But at the same time, the proposed station should not go the way of the sports complex, where there’s been a lot of promise that “it’s just around the corner” but nothing substantial.