The public will have a chance to see inside the new fire headquarters and emergency operations center Wednesday following an 11 a.m. ribbon cutting.

A brief tour of the new facility, located at 411 E. 12th St., will take place following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to Rome-Floyd Fire Chief Gordon Henderson.

The facility, funded by a $4 million earmark in the 2009 special purpose, local option sales tax, is the new permanent home of the fire department headquarters, backup 911 center and emergency operations center.

The facility is big enough to accommodate current and future needs.

“We tried to plan ahead and make it as versatile as we could and look ahead to future expansion in the department,” Henderson said.

According to Henderson, community and educational needs were also addressed in the planning of the facility.

Henderson used a large, 200-capacity upstairs board room as an example of space that can be used to meet multiple community needs. “We can make it a shelter if we need to or set it up classroom style,” he said.

Station 1 is temporarily operating out of the new facility until renovations to the floor of its downtown facility on West First Street is complete, Henderson added.

Wednesday’s festivities will include light refreshments and snacks.