The city’s proposed budget allocates $1.66 million to hire 12 new firefighters for a new Fire Station 8 to be built north of I-4 in Lakeland.
Fire Chief Doug Riley said the city’s Station 3 is handling more than 6,500 calls a year, many of which are in the Kathleen area of the city. Emergency personnel has been faced with extended response times to the area because of the distance, frequent heavy traffic, and other challenges getting to the area.
An exact site for the city’s new fire station has not been finalized.
“We have not entered into a contract on any property,” Sherrouse said. “We have identified some potential sites where a station could potentially be constructed.
Lakeland’s Financial Director Mike Brossart has allocated $800,000 in impact fees for the purchase of land. Brossart said he estimates it will cost the city about $4 million to design and construct the new fire station. A total of $4.8 million can be borrowed by the city, and the estimated annual payment on this debt is factored into the 2023 budget.
Riley said he expects that identifying a good site for the new fire station, design and construction will take two to three years. Yet the city has budgeted funds to hire 12 new firefighters in 2023 for the location.
The city’s 2023 budget contains enough money to cover the full salaries and benefits for the 12 personnel needed to operate the new site, according to Brossart, in case the firefighters are hired early to undergo training.