Station 53 is located in the Progress area near the Washington Square Mall. In addition to responding to the District’s largest commercial development, this station serves well-established neighborhoods in eastern Washington County and is “first-in” on a significant volume of motor vehicle accidents on Highway 217. The station is also home to one-half of the District’s Hazardous Materials Team.

A new 11,800 sq. ft. station is proposed for this site. While the current location works well from a response perspective, concerns about soil stability, building layout, apparatus bays that are too small for standard units, dated mechanical and electrical systems, and a lack of compliance with local building codes and state seismic requirements make the current facility unworkable and a liability in case of a major earthquake.