BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 13, 2004 — After years of war and neglect, the Amariya Fire Station celebrated the completion of a major effort to restore it to a fully functional firehouse replete with fire trucks.

Soldiers from the 425th Civil Affairs Battalion and Company A, 91st Engineers, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division along with Amariya firefighters and members of the Baghdad press club officially marked the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 5.

Capt. Marc Chung, team leader, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, said the fire station is the most important project to date because it is the only one in an area that serves all of the west side of the Tigris River.

“We have spent about $70,000 of Commanders Emergency Relief Program funds to get this station to where it’s at today,” Chung said. “The building has been completely reconditioned, but it is a work in progress.”

“The current emphasis is on fixing the trucks and building a room for unexploded ordinances that are found and turned in by the local people. Right now there are only three trucks that are fully operational, but there are five more being worked on,” Sgt. Levy Dalhstrom, project coordinator, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, said.

The project took a local contractor two months to complete, while the station has grown from 24 to 54 firefighters and administrative staff, added Dalshstrom.

“In the future, we would like to get them more equipment, like oxygen masks, and training,” Dalhstrom said.

In addition to the project, Chung praised the efforts of the 91st Engineer Battalion, for providing the necessary security so that the renovation could proceed unhindered.

“We feel like part of the 91st team,” said Chung. “They have really gone out of their way to help us on this project by providing security escorts for us, whenever we’ve needed one, and by helping to dispose of the [unexploded ordnance.]”

Built in 1985, the firehouse has been fully operational, but seen few repairs and suffered a good deal during the war, said Col. Waleed, Amariya fire chief.

“I really appreciate what the coalition has done for us,” Waleed said. “ Last year we put out 800 fires, even though we did not have much to work with…and during the war, we stayed at our post without pay to protect the people as best we could with what we had to work with.”