VIDEO: Panama City Beach officials opened a new fire station Thursday after three years of construction, cutting the ribbon on a facility designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes. Fire and city leaders disconnected a ceremonial hose at Fire Station 32 on Hutchinson Boulevard to signal the station is officially open and ready to respond to emergencies.
The new facility cost just over $7 million, with about half funded through state-secured grants. The station is significantly larger than the old Middle Beach station and is built to hurricane standards that will allow firefighters to remain on duty during major storms.
“With it being a storm-hardened station and rated to withstand those hurricane-force winds, means we don’t have to evacuate our area here,” said Panama City Beach Fire Rescue’s Chief Ray Morgan. “In the past we’ve always had to evacuate that station because it wasn’t safe. So, this allows us to stay right here in the house safely, so we can quickly respond to our community should they need it.”
WJHG-TV NBC 7 Panama City
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