Tuscaloosa Opens New Fire Station to Serve Mercedes Vehicle and Battery Plants

The city of Tuscaloosa on Friday celebrated the completion and opening of a new, state-of-the-art fire station that will serve two massive Mercedes-Benz plants.

Although the MBUSI plant is 20 interstate miles from Tuscaloosa City Hall, city leaders annexed the property in 1994, so their automotive factory - now boasting over 6 million square feet and almost 1,000 acres - is part of Tuscaloosa, not Vance.

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In 2022, the city council, Mercedes and the state of Alabama reached a joint agreement to build Fire Station 11, which will serve not only MBUSI but also the one billion square foot electric car battery plant in neighboring Bibb County.

On Friday, Tuscaloosa, state and company leaders cut the ribbon at the new station.

“This new fire station, and the increased public safety that comes with it, is a testament to what can be achieved for our community when we work together,” Mayor Walt Maddox said. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the partnership between the amazing team we have at the City, the State of Alabama, and MBUSI. I can’t thank these partners enough for making this day possible.”

Per the 2022 agreement, the state provided $10 million for building the station, and a new ladder truck, a new pumper truck and other equipment. Mercedes will give the city funding to employ 12 new TFR staff at the new facility for the next 20 years.

"Today, we celebrate not just the opening of a new fire station, but the City of Tuscaloosa’s commitment to safety, innovation, and community service,” said Federico Kochlowski, President and CEO of MBUSI.  “We appreciate the brave firefighters who embody the spirit of courage and dedication, and we thank you for helping to ensure a brighter, safer future for this community. Thank you to both the City of Tuscaloosa and the State of Alabama for making this day a reality."

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey also praised the collaboration on this project in a press release distributed by the city.

“From the beginning, the teamwork of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, the City of Tuscaloosa and the State of Alabama has brought greater opportunity for this community,” Ivey said.  “It is in that spirit that we have recommitted resources to ensuring that our first responders have the tools they need to better safeguard local lives and property. The dedication of the well-equipped Fire Station 11 is the realization of this commitment.”

For more coverage of news in west Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.