New Bradenton fire station could make a big difference for residents, officials say

The city of Bradenton has approved plans to build a $7.9 million, two-story fire station in an effort to cut emergency response times.

Bradenton Fire Chief Tim Geer said the new fire station will shave off about two minutes of travel time to the eastern and southern parts of the city. That reduction could be the difference between life and death, officials said.

“That’s pretty significant when you’re trying to get to an address within four to six minutes,” Geer said.

The 15,930-square-foot fire station will begin to rise this summer at 2229 Manatee Ave. E., near Braden River. It will replace an older station, which is about three times smaller, at 1401 Seventh Ave. E.

Mayor Gene Brown said it was important to move the fire station to a central location in the 14.4-square mile city. He hopes it will be used for the next 50 years.

“It becomes more of a neighborhood fire station because sometimes the older part of our city doesn’t always feel the love,” Brown said. “This is saying, ‘Hey we do care about our whole city.’”

New Bradenton fire station on Manatee Avenue

Geer said firefighters will be quicker to respond to calls in the 27th Street East corridor, where new neighborhoods are popping up. He added that he wants residents to be proud of the new fire station.

“It’s right on the main thoroughfare coming into the city and we hope to brighten that area on the east side, beyond making it a good, safe place for anybody in that area to come to 24 hours a day,” Geer said.

Brown pointed out that firefighters will also be in a better position to respond to wrecks on Manatee Avenue East.

Geer said it was time to move on from the current fire station, which is about 50 years old and no longer meets building or fire codes. It was cheaper to build a new fire station than to renovate the old one, he said.

“We’ve outgrown that station,” Geer said. “This station is going to be significantly larger. As the city grows or we expand services, this station will be able to accommodate that in the long run.”

City Administrator Rob Perry, who expected the city to spend between $7 and $9 million on the new fire station, was pleased that it landed in the middle.

The new fire station will include six dorms, showers, a kitchen and dining room, laundry areas, a fitness room and a fireman’s pole that runs down to a 4,500-square-foot fire truck bay. Some features, like the fireman’s pole and countdown clocks, will help firefighters get on the road quicker.

Faster response times

“In the world we live in today, every minute counts,” Brown said. “If we can shave two minutes off, that could be saving somebody’s life.”

Construction is expected to start in June and take about a year to complete. The former station will close once firefighters move into the new one, officials said.

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