By Alan M. Petrillo

The Naples Airport Authority and the City of Naples (FL) Fire-Rescue Department recently opened a new $5.8 million Naples Airport Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station/Naples Fire Station No. 3 with a hose uncoupling ceremony.

Kerry Keith, senior director of development and facilities for the Naples Airport Authority, says the new state-of-the-art facility replaces the airport’s original station built in 1989. “The old station was past its useful life,” Keith observes. “It was built at a time when we had a lot less activity and staffing needs were different, so there was sleeping quarters for only two persons, the rooms were small, and the general layout of the station was not conducive to spending 24 to 48 hours there.”

Keith notes the new station was built to withstand a Category 5 hurricane to ensure continuity of service, and has a conference room with large flatscreen monitors for weather and communications information to allow it to serve an emergency operations center (EOC) to assist with Collier County response efforts. Besides the conference room, the station has three dorm rooms for firefighters, unisex bathrooms, a chief’s office and bedroom, a large exercise room that could be converted to a bunk room in an emergency, a kitchen/dining/day room area, and a patio with a barbeque grill off the kitchen.

According to a report on LaCrosseTribune.com, the Preservation Alliance of La Crosse (WI) released plans that aim to allow for the existing Fire Station No. 4 to remain alongside the new facility the city plans to build in the coming years.

The idea, released Thursday after community members raised concerns about demolishing the historic building, is to flip the site plan so that the new facility would be built on the south end of the lot and no changes would need to be made to the existing building, the report said.

The city is currently waiting for the La Crosse Common Council to make a final vote on whether to shift funding from the Station No. 4 project to instead begin work on Station No. 2 while officials work out the historical kinks. If the move is approved, a new station can still break ground within the year, according to the report.

Fire Station No. 4, built in the 1940s, was intended to be demolished later this year to break ground on the new facility, budgeted at $2.4 million, the report noted.

According to a report on LaCrosseTribune.com, the Preservation Alliance of La Crosse (WI) released plans that aim to allow for the existing Fire Station No. 4 to remain alongside the new facility the city plans to build in the coming years.

The idea, released Thursday after community members raised concerns about demolishing the historic building, is to flip the site plan so that the new facility would be built on the south end of the lot and no changes would need to be made to the existing building, the report said.

The city is currently waiting for the La Crosse Common Council to make a final vote on whether to shift funding from the Station No. 4 project to instead begin work on Station No. 2 while officials work out the historical kinks. If the move is approved, a new station can still break ground within the year, according to the report.

Fire Station No. 4, built in the 1940s, was intended to be demolished later this year to break ground on the new facility, budgeted at $2.4 million, the report noted.

Fire photographer Tim Olk recently shared some photos from the ribbon cutting ceremony for Engine Company 115, the largest station in the history of the Chicago (IL) Fire Department.

According to the Public Building Commission of Chicago, the 27,000-square-foot, single-story fire station will be a home-away-from-home for approximately 20 firefighters/EMTs and eight officers: housing sleeping quarters, locker rooms, a workout facility, full-service kitchen with pantry and dining area, day room, laundry, and wellness room.