A 1960s-era fire station in Fletcher Hills is finally getting the overhaul it needs. El Cajon's City Council voted unanimously this week to approve budget revisions funding a $7.2 million reconstruction of Heartland Fire's Station 7 — one of the oldest fire facilities serving East County.The funding package includes a $1.5 million grant from the San Diego River Watershed, $2.5 million from the city's general fund, and $3.2 million in Proposition 0 funds. Construction is slated to begin in November and is expected to be completed by October 2027.The original station was built with only a single apparatus bay — a significant limitation for a region that has faced increasingly severe wildfire seasons. The rebuild will add a second bay, allowing a second fire truck to be stationed there, improving first responder coverage and wildfire response capability for Fletcher Hills and surrounding East County neighborhoods.The project will also expand the station from its current 3,488 square feet to 5,000 square feet, upgrade dormitories and staff facilities, and install a new solar battery and energy storage system — a nod to both operational resilience and sustainability.For East County residents who have watched fire risk intensify year after year, the added fire capacity in Fletcher Hills is a meaningful step. Station 7 serves a hillside community with limited road access that has long been identified as vulnerable in major fire events.