The Northampton Fire Department recently made public its plans for an addition to its Lerchenmiller Drive fire station.

After more than an hour, fire department personnel agreed to a concept plan that will go to borough Manager Gene Zarayko for review and further action.

"We expect that the addition could be constructed later this year," said fire Chief Robert Solderich.

Councilman Keith Piescienski, also a firefighter and officer, attended the session and agreed with the need for the addition which will provide a larger training room and three more bays.

Funds for the addition will come from a $1 million bond that borough council has agreed to move forward with this year.

Solderich said he was informed $400,000 will be allotted for the fire department expansion. The present fire station is 100 by 100 feet and was dedicated in August 1996, consolidating smaller stations across the town. The present structure costs $400,000.

In the plans outlined by Solderich and fire department personnel, which will be submitted to engineers and then go out to bid, the addition will be erected on the north side of the current structure.

Northampton has one of the largest volunteer fire departments in the region, Solderich said. The present training room is too small to conduct training sessions, leaving some individuals sitting on sofas in the back of the squad room.

The addition would be 90 by 30 feet. For the first time, there would be a bunk room. The weight room, which firefighters use on the second floor, would be moved to the addition. Fire police, stationed on the south end of the station, would be moved to the north end.

The training room would comprise some of the area now utilized as the office for the fire chief and officers, with such quarters moving to part of the current training room. The new training room would measure approximately 45 by 25 feet.

"It mostly is only steel and concrete," Solderich said of the proposed addition.

The fire station houses a communications center, a tower fire ladder truck, fire trucks, water rescue equipment, a rescue truck and fire police truck.