LEBANON — A new substation at Cheadle Lake will open a year later than Lebanon Fire District officials originally thought it would because building cost estimates are turning out higher than the fire district expected.

Perry Palmer, the fire district’s former chief, predicted last August the substation would open by this fall.

Now Chief Dan Woodson said it’s unlikely to open before early 2009.

Woodson said the fire district and architects of the proposed 9,400-square-foot facility need more time to figure out how to keep building costs under $1.8 million.

So far bids have called for approximately $2 million to build the Cheadle Lake substation, and the fire department only has $3.75 million from a 2006 bond to build it and a second substation at Berlin Road and Powell Lane east of Waterloo.

Plans for these substations were crafted to help the fire department meet growing demands for its services.

Woodson said 40 percent of emergency calls originate from south Lebanon and Sodaville alone, and a local substation staffed with fire and medical units will shorten response times to those areas.

At the same time, a rising volume of emergency calls is straining the staff and equipment the fire district already has. Last year it hired three new personnel to staff each shift. Woodson said there are no additional funds in this year’s budget for more employees.

“That’s something we will need to look at,” Woodson said. “Do we hire more personnel and how do we pay for it?”

The fire district responded to a daily average of 11 calls in 2007, which adds up to 4,029 for the year. It’s the highest number the fire department has seen and represents a 12 percent increase from calls recorded in 2006.

Woodson said about 55 percent of those calls are related to medical needs for those over age 60. Out of that 55 percent, he added, up to 15 originate from senior care facilities.

Woodson cites population growth in Lebanon and more traffic as a result for the overall spike in call volume.

Palmer had expected the cost to build both substations to reach around $2 million. Some of that money has already been spent on preparation work at the Cheadle Lake site and three new fire apparatus.

In addition to cutting building costs, Woodson said a construction timeline depends on the schedule of the contractor the fire district chooses.

More will be discussed next Tuesday at a fire district board of directors meeting. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at the main station, 1050 W. Oak St.