ATLANTA -- Some Atlanta firefighters claim their fire station is dangerous to their health.

The firefighters said fire station 12 on the corner of DeKalb Avenue and Candler Street is falling apart.

A 20-year fire department veteran showed CBS 46 a home video showing problems including a cracked window and graffiti on the walls.

"Morale will always progressively go downhill as these things get worse and worse and no one hears," said the firefighter, who did not want to be identified.

"One of the biggest problems we have is the plumbing, we have rotted pipes," he said.

The video shows a broken-down urinal covered in police tape. "That's kind of a joke, I guess," the firefighter said.

What's not a joke, the firefighter said, is the conditions firefighters are forced to live in.

The firefighters' biggest concern may be the tiles in the kitchen.

"They're just falling apart and when they do fall apart, not too many of them get replaced," the firefighter said.

The firefighter also said what's above their heads is just as dangerous.

"We've had either rat or squirrel droppings all above our heads," he said. "With that in mind, it's a health issue."

The firefighter then issued a plea to Atlanta residents.

"I'm speaking for all of the guys here at this station and other stations in Atlanta," he said. "It's time to be heard and I really want the public to please come visit your fire stations."

The firefighter did point out that not everything in the station is falling apart.

But someone is anonymously handing out flyers asking for the public to "adopt a tile" to help pay for replacements and repairs inside the station.

The mayor and fire chief could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

But the fire department issued a statement on behalf of the city: "Obviously, we are concerned about the quality of life of our firefighters and the conditions of all of our facilities. The good news is there are four new fire stations slated to be completed in 2008."

Republished with permission from WGCL-TV Atlanta