EASLEY – The Crosswell community celebrated on Tuesday with the grand opening of the $600,000 Crosswell Fire District Station. Representative Rex Rice, Senator Larry Martin, Easley Mayor Larry Bagwell, the Crosswell Fire Board and Crosswell firemen met together to hold a hose ceremony symbolizing a job well done.

The station will cover approximately 22 square miles between Easley and Greenville.

Alvin Duncan, a member of the board since 1981 was recognized for helping with the vision of the fire department.

“Thank you for all you’ve done and for sticking to the vision,” chairman of the board of governors for the district Jeff Lee said. “The planning for this fire department was started almost 30 years ago. Over the past 10 years, the board worked hard, getting to know Easley city officials well. It was a pleasure to work with them.”

Lee also thanks the Easley Fire Department for helping over the years, helping them order a truck and the county council for all they did during the planning period.

“We placed the station in the center of the community hoping it will strengthen the community,” Lee said.

Lee asked Tom Ponder, Pickens County Councilman to say a few words because he was a “big motivator” for the fire department.

“People have been waiting for this for decades,” Ponder said. “If someone’s house caught on fire, it burned. It is important to provide the type of service these folks need and now we can. It’s a great day for this community. But I think this is just a place to start. We don’t need to stop here. We should continue to provide good service to these folks.”

The grand opening ended with Duncan uncoupling a hose to symbolize a ribbon cut