Firefighters moved back into the Myrtle Grove Fire Station located at 7209 Lillian Hwy. on Tuesday, April 25. Station 11, which operates as a combination fire service with both volunteer and career firefighting personnel, was closed June 24, 2016 due to a roof leak that resulted in mold issues in the building. Staff worked with the board of directors of the Myrtle Grove Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. who own the building, and the Escambia County Commission voted to make repairs utilizing Fire MSBU funds in February.
Repairs to the building, which was constructed in 1977, totaled $75,838. The work included mold remediation, a new roof, new east and west walls, drywall, and a new gutter system to help ensure against future leaks. The building was then tested to ensure that the mold was abated. During the time the station was closed, the volunteer firefighters picked up their equipment when dispatched from the Lillian location and the full-time staff were housed and dispatched from the Osceola Fire Station on Massachusetts Avenue.
Escambia County Fire Rescue Chief Patrick Grace was enthusiastic about station 11's firefighters being back home, saying, “We are grateful to be back in the center of the fire district. We appreciate the efforts of the commission, county administrator and staff to get the job done as quickly as possible.”
