CAPE MAY, NJ - Dozens of firefighters, elected officials and residents gathered for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of Fire Station 51 at sunset on Nov. 29th.

The new $5 million facility replaced a pole barn structure that shook in high winds and had inadequate sleeping facilities and ventilation. The building may be the finest firehouse in the history of a city that values its fire department following devastating fires in 1869 and 1878.

Fire Chief Alex Coulter said the new fire station represented nine years of hard work and seven years to get ground broken for the project. He said the city administration and residents realized conditions in the old firehouse were deplorable and moved the project forward.