Fire rescue crew workers will continue to sleep in a small on-site trailer at the Orchid Fire Rescue Station 11 for the balance of Hurricane Season while an overdue remodeling project drags on with no end in sight.
The station, located on Route 510 at the east end of the Wabasso Causeway, handles fire and medical calls in Orchid, Summerplace, Windsor, Ambersand Beach, Sea Oaks, plus the Wabasso area and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. Station 11 fire-rescue and medical crews also provide mutual aid to Indian River Shores Public Safety officers in the event of a structure fire or serious traffic crash.
Faced with yet another change order this month from the remodeling contractor, frustrated Indian River County Commissioners voted unanimously to recall the bond and terminate the contract with InterTech Construction Company of America of Coral Springs.
The renovation began last year and should have taken 120 days to complete, but delays caused by labor shortages on the job site, change orders and water damage have left fire-rescue crews working in conditions far from optimal.
County officials complained about visiting the site multiple times and finding no one working.
“We have other fire station projects and we can’t settle for mediocrity and false promises in dealing with getting the job done,” said Commissioner Joseph E. Flescher. “This is not just a building. This is a place where our fire-medics live for a period of time while they await that 911 call.”
Chair Susan Adams agreed, saying, “It’s been in this state for entirely too long,” blaming the contractor’s hands-off approach. “They’re basically subcontracting out the work and not overseeing it.”
The kitchen, two restrooms, a dormitory, and a day room are being renovated, while the air-conditioning system and old copper piping are being replaced.
For now, instead of preparing meals in a new kitchen featuring a commercial stove and three pantries, or showering in one of the renovated restrooms, the two-person crews spend their 24-hour shifts in a metal trailer propped on cinderblock and set in one of the bays.
The trailer is furnished with two beds and other necessary supplies. It is protected from storms and possible hurricanes but not from the dust from the ongoing project.
“I fully support the decision of the County Commission to pull the insurance bond of the underperforming developer responsible for the disrepair of Station 11. Chief Johnson and County Administration have been working diligently to resolve the issue,” said Indian River County Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2021 President Christen Brewer, a 24-year veteran of the department.
“Our main concern has been for the men and women living in the station throughout the entire process. Our firefighters and paramedics deserve a safe and functional work environment, and I am hopeful that this action will expedite the necessary repairs to get the station back in working order for our first responders,” added Brewer, whose rank is Fire Medic Engineer.
Commissioner Joe Earman, a retired 35-year county firefighter, remembers what it was like to work in similar conditions. During his tenure at Station 8 in Sebastian, he endured a mold remediation project and a construction project.
“I feel for them,” he said. “Those projects did not take as long as this project is taking. I think it’s time we move on. It’s time to get somebody in there that can do the job. Whatever we need to do to get it done.”
