DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Florida’s second oldest operating fire station is getting a facelift and new location.
Daytona Beach received a $10 million state grant to relocate and replace the nearly 100-year-old historic Fire Station No. 1.
Receiving over 4,500 calls for service last year, it is Volusia County’s busiest station.
Fire Station No. 1, currently at 301 S. Beach St. along the Halifax River, has served the community since 1925.
The new fire station will sit on a 3.6-acre site at 420 S. Ridgewood Ave. — just half-a-mile west of where it’s currently located.
(City of Daytona Beach)
Daytona Beach’s grant submission ranked second among the 197 eligible projects submitted for the competitive grant administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection.
According to the city, the relocation addresses current vulnerabilities and allows the city’s emergency services to meet the demands of the growing community.
The new facility will be positioned on higher ground to safeguard against flooding and sea level rise, which will help maintain services during severe weather.
The city said emergency operations were hindered in 2022 during major storms because of its vulnerable waterfront location.
(City of Daytona Beach)
The new two-story, 31,000-square-foot facility will be fortified to withstand hurricane winds up to 150 mph and have advanced green infrastructure like solar panels.
It will also feature a modern design with a roof contoured like a wave, red accents, floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed steel supports, the city said.
The firehouse also includes:
A working station complete with four double truck bays for fire apparatus and accommodations for up to 14 firefighters
Office space to bring all administrative personnel under one roof
An 80-seat community room, which could double as a secondary Emergency Operations Center
Museum space to showcase the department’s history and permanently feature Rosie, a 1952 fire engine in service through 1987
Solar powered and wired for future EV fire engines
Groundbreaking for the project is expected in December.
(City of Daytona Beach)