A sign at the corner of Providence and Blue Ridge roads is advertising the new fire station. The station will be built on the north side to serve people like Brandi Davis.

"I think its a great thing," Davis said of the new station. "I think it will be a sense of urgency thing."

Davis and her neighbors aren't the only ones benefiting from the new fire station. The future location of the fire station will reduce the run time for fire stations Number 1, 2 and 4.

"Right now our goal is to respond to 80 percent of our calls in 4 1/2 minutes," said Steven Sapp, Battalion Chief of the Columbia Fire Department. "We're not meeting our response time in the north central part of Columbia, and so we know it will drop it into that range."

One of the features presented at the meeting was the Quint, a fire truck that performs 5 functions. This truck will compensate for the added costs of staffing the new station.  Yet, people in the area find it reassuring there will be firefighters closer.

"I feel a little safer that there's someone down the street that if my house catches on fire they're right down the street," Davis said.

Columbians approved the fire station in 2005 when they voted for a tax increase. The city is hoping to have the station completed by the end of the year.

Reported by Cierra Obioha