Escambia County invites the community to a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the start of construction for Escambia County Fire Rescue's new Myrtle Grove Fire Station 11.

The event will take place at 7209 Lillian Highway, which is the site of the existing Myrtle Grove Fire Station 11 and the location where the new station will be constructed. One or more Escambia County Commissioners will be in attendance.

"I'm excited to break ground on this incredibly important public safety project in District 2, which will provide a state-of-the-art fire facility and enhance fire protection service for Myrtle Grove residents," District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler said. "Public safety is always my top priority for Escambia County, and this new fire station will ensure that our ECFR firefighters can respond as quickly and efficiently as possible to help keep our residents safe when seconds matter most. I appreciate all of the hard work by county staff that made this project possible, and I look forward to seeing it come to fruition for the residents of Myrtle Grove and District 2."

The new Myrtle Grove Fire Station 11 is funded by the Local Option Sales Tax, or L.O.S.T., which generates revenue for capital projects and infrastructure needs for Escambia County, including public safety, fire trucks and ambulances, fire stations, park improvements, road resurfacing, sidewalks, drainage and stormwater enhancements, and more. 

The project will include the demolition of the existing fire station, site development, and construction of a new approximately 12,780-square-foot, three-bay fire station. As an essential public safety facility, the station has been designed to meet current operational requirements, resiliency standards, and applicable stormwater management criteria.

Due to the age and condition of the existing facility, Station 11 has been removed from active service, requiring neighboring fire stations to absorb the Myrtle Grove response district. ECFR has continued to provide fire protection service through mutual aid from surrounding stations, but restoring a permanent station in Myrtle Grove will improve emergency response times and strengthen ECFR's overall system resiliency for the Myrtle Grove service area. 

The new fire station is designed to accommodate 10 emergency response personnel, with features including three 75-foot apparatus bays with hurricane-rated doors, an administrative office and public reception area, bunk rooms and associated living quarters, commercial kitchen, radio/watch room, fitness room, laundry facilities, and more. 

The facility will also feature emergency standby power generation with automatic transfer equipment, and all associated infrastructure necessary to ensure continuous operation during emergency events.

Construction of the new Myrtle Grove Fire Station 11 will begin in November 2026 , with an anticipated completion date of fall 2027.