BAKERSFIELD, CA - One of Bakersfield's oldest stations is about to get some much needed renovations. Fire Station 8 is on Mount Vernon Avenue across from Bakersfield College. It has the most costly and comprehensive need for upgrades.
The station is a home away from home for nine city firefighters, who work in shifts of three. "Firefighters live here for 24 hours. They sleep here," explained Battalion Chief Anthony Galagaza.
"It's imperative that they have what's necessary to live and function and also to respond Code 3 to any incident that may come up," he continued.
Station 8 is falling apart. It was built almost 60 years ago. "It's been serving the city of Bakersfield since 1956 and being that it's been that long, we have old plumbing and electrical that needs to be addressed," said Galagaza.
The plumbing system is corroding and contaminated. While the water may be safe for fighting fires, it's not safe to drink. "It was showing levels of iron and zinc and minerals inside the water," he noted.
The roof is rotting and leaking. "It's a flat roof building. The drainage is not as good as it should be," explained Galagaza.
Inside the fire station, firefighters are cramped into one room. "We have male and female firefighters. There's privacy issues, and it's important that they have that separation," he said.
The electrical system isn't up to date and the air conditioning system is antiquated. Both could be replaced during a $1.6 million renovation.
"There was a recent court judgment that involved litigation between cities and counties and the state of California regarding property tax administration fees," said City Manager Alan Tandy. "The cities prevailed and a couple months ago we got a check for about $3 million."
Since it's one time money, city staff decided the dilapidated station was a top priority. The plan must be approved by the city council before construction can be begin.
Construction would take six to nine months to complete. No word on where the firefighters would stay during that time.