City breaks ground for new fire station
Two of the busiest fire stations in the city of Cape Coral are stations 2 and 5, and as the city continues to grow in the Northeast Cape, the workload for both is getting heavier.
A new fire station will be coming online by the end of the year to lighten the load on those two stations while allowing quicker response times to residents.
Ground was broken Thursday on Station No. 13 on 2025 N.E. 6th St., with city dignitaries and Cape Coral Fire Department Chief Ryan Lamb throwing dirt after the short ceremony.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth here in not only residences but businesses, so it’s important to match those services with the growth,” Lamb said. “We’re seeing an increase in the demand for services here and it’s located between two of our busiest zones. It will cover almost to U.S. 41. And we need to give our residents proper coverage.”
The construction of Station 13 is part of the city’s plan to improve public safety and response times in areas that need it most and meet its goal of responding to an emergency (from call to front door) within 10 minutes or less 90 percent of the time, whether it be a fire or cardiac arrest.
“Time matters. Seconds matter. The quicker we can get out and provide that service. It’s important for not only the distance we cover but the number of calls,” Lamb said. “Last year we had another 11 percent increase in call volume. We’re seeing exponential growth.”
The total cost of the building is $7.4 million. It will have 9,161 square feet of space on a 1.25-acre site. It will also house a four-person fire engine that provides fire suppression and advanced life support services. It is expected to be completed by December.
It is also the fourth station to be built in the city in the past five years as population continues to explode in the city.
Mayor John Gunter has seen them all go up and said it’s important for public safety to keep up with the growth.
“In my time here, I’ve always put safety first. This is an example of that. Fortunately, the councils I’ve served in also put safety as a priority,” Gunter said. “That’s why you see the growth in the fire department that you see.”
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com