The Strathroy-Caradoc Fire Department is getting used to its new facility, as its old 50-year-old firehall is knocked down.
Demolition of the former Fire Station One, off Zimmerman Avenue, started on September 22.
The facility served volunteer firefighters and the community since 1975.
"For almost five decades, this station was home to the crews and equipment that answered emergencies and carried out our commitment to public safety," the municipality said in an update to the community. "Although the building is being removed, its importance in our story will not be forgotten. The site will soon be transformed into the rear apparatus apron and parking area for the newly constructed Fire Station One."
The fire department started operating out of its new, state-of-the-art, facility on Metcalfe Street East on September 13.
The new building -- which serves as headquarters -- was a long time coming after a review by the Office of the Fire Marshal recommended replacing the hall in 1990.
The new station incorporates a properly vented room, where bunker gear can be laundered, dried and returned to service.
It also includes a separate room to hang gear for firefighters' easy access for calls, and limits the exposure of toxic fumes to other areas of the fire station.
The $9.1 million fire station is designed to meet the growing needs of the fire service for the next 50 to 70 years and has the potential to accommodate full-time firefighters in the future.
An official grand opening has yet to be announced.
