INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Indian River Fire Rescue leadership is still working on finding a parcel on which to put temporary firefighter housing for Fire Station 7 on Ranch Road near the Interstate while a new, permanent station can be built, but commissioners Tuesday approved, in concept, moving forward.
Assistant Chief of Emergency Medical Services Brian Burkeen showed the Board of County Commissioners two potential properties that could work. One parcel has water and sewer mains on the same side of the street, while another parcel would require the utilities to be cross-cut across a road.
Each week, staff brings back a status report to commissioners and commissioners repeatedly urge the staff to get moving on getting the stations repaired or rebuilt and the firefighters out. But a project such as bringing in modular housing, the staff says, is complex with many steps that need to be accomplished.
“We’re trying to use taxpayer dollars wisely and not do something hastily just because we have to,” Burkeen said, explaining to the Board why the staff is not yet ready with a plan and a location.
Last week, Burkeen told VeroNews.com that the first modular building is expected to arrive on or about June 9 and that it would take three or four weeks after that for the modular housing to be move-in ready.
The station is being rebuilt and firefighters moving out partially due to the long-standing complaints from firefighters about water intrusion which led to mold, structural issues and rodent infestations in the station.
County officials still deny that there is a mold problem in the stations. County Administrator Joe Baird said in a written statement last week that there is more mold outdoors than there is in the fire stations, Baird citing the County’s hired experts.
The firefighters’ union last week released environmental test results on four fire stations showing mold and bacteria in all the stations and demanded the County move firefighters out of those stations.