Panama City Beach Fire Rescue has a a number of construction projects underway.
Two identical stations that are being built include some long-awaited features.
“This station’s roughly 5,000 square feet larger than our previous, and it’s hurricane rated, meaning our first responders don’t have to leave the island or seek another place to go shelter during a storm. We can immediately respond after a storm,” Panama City Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ray Morgan told WMBB.
“Response times are critical, so if our assets are not able to stay here safely, then they can’t adequately get to the call as needed in a proper amount of time. This is a direct correlation with the service that we provide our community,” Morgan said.
The department also is waiting for its new training tower behind Station 30.
“It’s a four-story training tower. We’ll be able to do live burns. We’ll be able to do rope rescue off of it. We can simulate residential and commercial style tactics, and because of its location, and our agreements that we have with the county, any surrounding agency can come training with us. It’s a great resource for the area,” the chief explained.
