The City of Palm Coast is looking to make some safety and living condition changes to a local fire station that doesn't meet current code requirements.

  • Station No. 22 is the oldest in Palm Coast
  • Built in 1977, the station doesn't meet current code requirements
  • City will spend $100,000 to make upgrades and improvements

Station No. 22 is the oldest public building in the city, and people who live near it think its age is showing.

"That building has been there for a long time, so it's probably time to do something," said Bob Aiken, who has lived in the area for a dozen of the 40 years the station has been sitting on the corner of Palm Coast Northeast since 1977.

Fire Chief Mike Beadle said the building’s old age calls for some serious upgrades.

"It's just time for a facelift," Beadle said.

Council members toured the station Tuesday. They saw everything from the old kitchen, rooms that are in need of a paint job and an out-of-order bathroom.

The city said health and safety, ADA compliance and energy are the top priorities.

The chief said the station is also in need of a new exhaust system to protect crews and their gear from fumes from the truck. He said the station needs additional space.

"The building was not designed to house five people 24 hours a day," Beadle said. "Volunteers used to be in and out."

The chief said the bays are much smaller than the ones at newer stations within the city, so they have to get custom trucks that fit inside the bays. The proposed improvements would require the station to meet new building codes.

It will cost about $100,000 for the upgrades, but it won't be a permanent fix. The chief thinks it'll buy them about another 15 years before they have to look at rebuilding from scratch.

"This is what started our department, and we want to preserve it now as long as we can," Beadle said.

Aiken just wants the crews to get what they deserve. 

"Firefighters need to have livable conditions, and it'll be a big improvement if they upgraded the property," Aiken said. 

The chief said if they eventually have to rebuild, the cost would likely be around $2.1 million. The city plans to meet with the county to discuss their potential changes soon.