Replacing firehouse high on city agenda

Zephyrhills looks at an airport station.

By Helen Anne Travis, Times Staff Writer
Published February 28, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - When City Council member Luis Lopez heard the rain Tuesday night, he started to worry.

The drops pelting the county reminded him of the sudden January storm that flooded one of the city's two fire departments, leaving the building uninhabitable.

Now firefighters work out of temporary facilities at City Hall and in the Zephyrhills World War II Barracks Museum while the city decides what to do next.

One option is a Federal Aviation Administration grant that would help fund a new fire station at the city's airport, Lopez said.

Paying to restore the original station probably won't be an viable option for the city.

"Because of the possibility of flooding again, we don't want to use it," Lopez said.

The 1960s building lies in a flood-prone area. During hurricane season, station staff usually had enough warning to protect it with sandbags. The January storm, however, came out of nowhere.

Replacing the station is the city's top priority, Lopez said. But it could take a year until firefighters have a new home.

Helen Anne Travis can be reached at htravis@sptimes.com or 352 521-6518.

[Last modified February 27, 2008, 21:29:17]