Rural Development’s $1.6 million investment will assist local firefighters in their efforts to respond to emergencies
NASHVILLE, N.C., Sept. 13, 2025 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD) Neal Robbins and RD State Director for North Carolina Robert Hosford participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Nashville Fire Department today.
Rural Development invested a total of $1.6 million to assist with the construction of the 9,500-square-foot fire station. The town of Nashville, North Carolina, received RD’s Community Facilities program grant funds for the new fire station. Through the agency’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program, RD partnered with the Edgecombe-Martin EMC in Tarboro, North Carolina, to also provide financial support for the project. The new Nashville fire station will greatly improve emergency response times to the growing areas surrounding Nashville.
“The city of Nashville will see improved safety and lower costs of living as a result of this important investment by the Department of Agriculture and our partners at Edgecombe-Martin EMC,” said Robbins. “Public safety is critical to promoting economic growth in rural areas and the Rural Development Community Facilities grant program plays an important role in making projects like this a reality.”
According to Nashville Fire Chief Chris Joyner, the truck bay is large enough to house four firefighting vehicles. Its six bedrooms can accommodate up to 18 firefighters and there’s a spacious kitchen, well-appointed bathrooms, a dayroom, dining facilities and a laundry room. The work areas of the fire station include a communications area, a workshop, offices for supervisors, a training room and numerous storage areas in which gear can be stowed neatly.
The new firehouse is strategically located across the railroad tracks from the old location. This new site will cut down six minutes, on the average, on response times.
“Nashville is growing and needs this infrastructure to support an increasing population,” said Hosford. “This new firehouse will have the ability to support the latest technologies in firefighting and lifesaving, which will benefit the town and surrounding areas.”
USDA Rural Development provides financing to develop essential infrastructure in rural areas. To learn more about USDA Rural Development programs, visit RD.USDA.Gov/NC.
###