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County Set To Approve $8.44 Million Beulah Fire Station Contract Thursday, Break Ground Friday
May 4, 2022
Escambia County is set to approve the construction contract for the new Beulah Fire Station on Thursday, the day before a groundbreaking ceremony.
The recommended low bidder on the project is Emerald Coast Constructors for $8.44 million. Five other bids ranged from about $10.15 million to $12.45 million. The construction will be funded with Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds.
The existing Beulah Fire Station was built in 1977 and is at the end of its useful life, according to the county. The proposed new facility will be a total of 14,503 square feet area and have four vehicle bays including one for EMS, along with a small community meeting/training room.
The new facility will be constructed behind the current station at 6400 West Nine Mile Road. A groundbreaking ceremony for the facility will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, and the public is invited.
As NorthEscambia.com first reported last month, the new fire station will likely be named in honor of two local heroes.
“It will be my intention to dedicate the facility to two men and their families who have sacrificed so much over the years to this community and this station,” Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said.
He intends to ask the commission to approve the name “The Bradshaw-McNair Fire Station” in honor of Chief Dwain S. Bradshaw who died in the line of duty in November 2019, and Chief Steve McNair who dedicated over 50 years to fire service in Beulah.
A paid fire crew has staffed the current Beulah Fire Station since October 2021 from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Volunteers cover responses at other times.
Comments
13 Responses to “County Set To Approve $8.44 Million Beulah Fire Station Contract Thursday, Break Ground Friday”
I was proud to serve as a volunteer for 12-1/2 yrs. At Beulah n sure loved being there… sometimes 12 hrs. A day! I was so proud to be a small part of Beulah fire n rescue!! Loved the chief McNair ! I consider the people there very special n miss them since I moved!
After spending over 20 yrs in Beulah Fire….. I see few comments here that are productive….. I see a lot that want to gripe and complain!…. I see people that had an opportunity to give their voice and just sat around until its happening!…Then there is complaining!…. HELP OUT OR DON’T!….
I spent 20 yrs leaving family events or getting up in the middle of the night… going to hours upon hours of training to HELP people in my community for NO PAY!
I have been instrumental in the building of the station… and I you know the needs of a new station then just chime right up…… if not then SHUTUP!
The old station is old… and yes…. the cornerstone will be preserved!
If you want to sit on the couch and dictate…. no one will listen!
This has been a 5+ year proccess!
And I am glad ALLthe commerical contract experts are coming out now!
@SueB. Station eight has been on Innerarity Point road forever. Have you seen or researched the design? For those of you thinking you now how the LOST program works, or other funding does please do some research before speaking. Those of us who do know are a bit amused by your replies. Another way to look at this price is to compare it to Station 13. State of the art building. Firefighters and the community they serve deserve the best. For those of you who keep voting the same people in over and over, vote different or run yourself. Do you know what it takes to add a fire hydrant? Draft up a plan and give it to your BOCC rep and Michelle Salzman, Matt Gaetz, even Governor DeSantis.
About time! And for those of you complaining about the price, take a good hard look at your Commander in Chiefs price hikes on everything due to his inept practices. And yes it trickles down.
The price is ridiculous!!! There’s no way that materials and labor would even reach a million dollars, this is thievery at it’s finest!!! When will the state look into the price gouging by construction companies that is taking place in the state, heck the country for that matter.
How nice. I have been asking ECUA & Jeff Bergosh for just one (1) new Fire Hydrant to be installed on the most eastern homes on Ailanthus Court. It’s all about funding. Fire Station leased a building on Bauer Rd for years and now closed because the family would not renew the lease. Fire Station was moved to Innerarity Rd.
Do you know you have to call 911 if you report a fire or complaint of someone burning which includes smoke. 911 Will ask you if you see the flames. Calling the Fire Department want help.
Only 8.5 million for a 4 bay parking garage? What a deal for the tax payers.
Just a quick thought. When the property was donated by the Twilleys, there was a plaque on the corner of the existing building dedicating the property to the county. I would hope that the powers to be would incorporate that plaque into the new firehouse . I’m sure the family would appreciate it!
It was donated to the beulah volunteer foundation who then sold it for profit to escambia County. If I was the twilley’s I’d be a little more upset about that.
The proposed name of the station is fitting and well deserved by both men, but I have little faith in the commissioners to do the right thing. At least commissioner Bergosh isn’t trying to name it after himself like his predecessor did with the boat ramp.
Just a quick thought. When the property was donated by the Twilleys, there was a plaque on the corner of the existing building dedicating the property to the county. I would hope that the powers to be would incorporate that plaque into the new firehouse . I’m sure the family would appreciate it!
I like the European way of taking bids: Throw out the lowest and highest bids, find the average of those bids still in the running. The bid closest to the average gets the job. This way you have a high probability of eliminating lowball bids and extreme sky-high bids. You also have a greater possibility of getting better quality for the money spent.
Hopefully the low bid gives a quality buildout. The low bid isn’t always the best.
Here we go with the “lowest bid” again. Nothing compels an entity to go with the lowest bid. Look at what the lowest bid did for the new jail facility.