Longboat's north-end fire station renovations get completed

The renovations to  Longboat Key’s north-end fire station are not as elaborate as the complete rebuild of the southside fire station, but $807,000 renovations transformed Station 91 with many of the same up to date features as the new building. 

The Longboat Observer got a tour of the upgraded facilities.

Public entrance

The public entrance on the southwest corner of the fire station has a doorbell and a waiting room.

“We have a lot of people, citizens that will come in, and so we wanted to make sure we separated the office staff,” said Fire Chief Paul Dezzi. 

There are also photos on the wall of the department's men and women.

Treatment room

“This was our report room and treatment room,” Dezzi said. “Now it is our EMS medication area as well as a treatment room.”

The room also features a machine where firefighters can enter their work identification number to access medications they might need to administer to patients such as Benadryl or epinephrine. It also includes heart and respiratory medication.

Garage doors and ventilation system

The reason the renovations at Fire Station 91weren’t done sooner is the town experienced a delay in the delivery of garage doors because of a manufacturing disruption at a plant in Texas. It’s what prompted the later opening of Fire Station 92 at 2162 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

The ventilation system is one of several ways the fire station is designed to combat carcinogens.

Also, the ceiling of the garage is now blue to help keep bugs out. It’s a change the north-end fire station made several months ago.

Classroom

The classroom fits up to 25 people for training, meetings, public announcements and interviews.

“We’ve always had this classroom here,” Fire Chief Paul Dezzi said. “We have chairs, a desk, podium and TV.”

The room got a new coat of paint.

Locker-room style storage for individual fire equipment

Firefighters store their individual equipment in a locker-room style, air-conditioned room. Members of Fire Station 91 have a nameplate marking the area where they can put their equipment.

This room also features the same drying machinery as Fire Station 92 to dry firefighters’ equipment.

Red, yellow and green system for returning firefighters to re-enter the station

Like the south-end fire station, Fire Station 91 also has a new system as part of an initiative of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

The decontamination area allows firefighters returning from a call to clean and shower to do their best to remove possible carcinogens.

However, the north-end station does not have an exterior shower. It requires firefighters to take a longer shower once they’re inside after stripping their gear and putting it into the wash.

Five bedrooms and three bathrooms for firefighters

Each bedroom has a desk, a twin bed and a locker for each of the department’s three shifts. 

Dezzi mentioned the importance of being able to separate the men and women of the department, which the town didn’t do before the renovations.

“Plus, it gives each firefighter an area to study,” Dezzi said.

Lieutenant’s office with bedroom and en-suite bathroom

The lieutenant’s room is similar to the five bedrooms for firefighters. It features a bed, desk, lockers and a en-suite bathroom.

Extra gear storage room

While firefighters’ equipment and gear dries, the Fire Rescue Department has an air-conditioned room with spare uniforms, jackets, pants and gear.

“This turned out really, really well,” Dezzi said. “A big accomplishment for us here.”

The clothing is organized by size, and it feels like a pro sports team store.

Kitchen and TV room

The kitchen features three refrigerators and three pantries, one for each shift. It also has two ovens, a stovetop, a microwave and a dishwasher.

The room also has a wall-mounted big-screen TV with comfy red reclining chairs.

Gym

Fire Station 91’s fitness facility has a full squat rack with an Olympic bar, dumbbells, a treadmill, a stairclimber and plenty of other machinery.

However, perhaps the most competitive part of the gym might not even be which firefighter is most fit. The gym is also where the department stores its ping pong table. Fire Rescue personnel often set up the ping pong table in the garage area for bragging rights.

“That is their afternoon activity,” said Fire Rescue liaison and public information officer Tina Adams.

Report room 

Longboat Key Fire Rescue personnel are required to file a report with the state after responding to a fire or an EMS call.

The area gives personnel a quiet area for their work.