Councilors Kim Rafferty, Sheila Tyson, and President Pro-Tempore Steven Hoyt all spoke out about the issue, saying that the stations should be at the top of the city's list of priorities.

Rafferty points to three places in particular: stations 21, 25, and 28. Those stations, she said, have seen severe roofing problems over the years, and are in dire need for repair.

Don Baker, President of the Birmingham Firefighters Local 117 said that he was one of the first firefighters that had to begin using plastic garbage bags to catch a yellow liquid that would come through the ceiling when it rained.

"We've got a sickness with our buildings," Baker said, "And it's almost to the point where they're not going to be recovered; they're in such disrepair. I can tell you, you're looking at the station behind me?" He pointed to Station 21. "You're looking at potential here. This is what's going to keep happening to fire stations, and that's dangerous for the city and the citizens of Birmingham. We've got a station [Kingston station 8] closed over there, and it prolongs the response time."

While Rafferty and Baker agree that the biggest priority for the buildings is roofing, they also both acknowledged that the problems didn't stop there.

Baker pointed out buckets and tarps in the photos that catch and redirect leaks. Ceiling tiles are crumbling away or are completely missing. Baker is concerned about the possibility for mold and the health of the firefighters that work-and live-inside the stations.

At Tuesday's council meeting, Mayor Bell told concerned council members that his office is planning to meet with architects–both on the Kingston Fire Station and for assessments of the other fire stations.

The Spring Lake Fire Department could have replaced its 1988 pumper five or six years ago.

"But we kept pushing it back because it ran so good," Sipe said.

That allowed funds from a millage to build up enough to cover the cost of the new truck, and helps when it comes time -- at least 5-6 years down the road -- to replace the next truck.

During its last annual maintenance, inspectors determined that the frame on the truck now being replaced was starting to crack, so the department began the process of getting the new truck.

Once a decision was made on the needs of the department and community, a contract was signed and the new truck's construction began about 10 months ago, Sipe said.

Officials decided to go with the rescue/pumper, though slightly smaller actually has more capacity to serve most of the Spring Lake department's needs.

The smaller truck will be easier to maneuver in driveways, yet its water tank is only slightly smaller than the truck it is replacing. Because of new technology, the water tank is molded around storage areas, giving the department places to hold emergency medical supplies and a booster wheel with a smaller hose already attached to fight grass fires.

Wireless headsets and cameras mounted on the side and back of the truck allow firefighters to move around it and see what's happening on the back or passenger side. New touch-screen controls allow operators to turn on all of the lights with one touch, rather than flicking a lot of switches or turning a lot of knobs.

Emergency crews are also starting to use more battery-powered equipment. This means that ventilation fans can go inside the buildings, instead of just in doorways (gas operated).

Pneumatic-powered (air hose) tools such as the Jaws of Life won't have to be tethered to their power source, allowing firefighters more flexibility with their operation. It's really useful if a car is down an embankment and the hoses don't reach, Sipe said. The batteries will last up to about 30-35 minutes, he said.