There have been calls for an upgrade since the early 2000s.
A new, long-awaited fire station for one Laois town is almost a reality.
Part 8 planning permission has been approved for the new facility on the junction between Cork Road and Main Street, Stradbally - meaning construction can start as soon as capital funding is secured.
Local councillor Paschal McEvoy has been campaigning for a new building for one of the busiest stations in the county for the last eight years.
The Fianna Fáil rep says the current structure is falling down around them: