Dallas Fire-Rescue received a cool response Monday to a request for $82 million for new and replacement fire stations. The request is just a portion of the fire department's $220 million needs list.
Of the city's 58 fire stations, 19 are more than 50 years old. The inventory of $220 million needs includes replacing those 19 stations and building four new ones to better serve growing areas.
The $82 million request is six replacements, one new station on Jim Miller Road at Loop 12, and improvements to the fire training and administration complex on Dolphin Road.
"There are infrastructure needs within the fire stations. Some of them are outdated. Some of them have limited abilities to add additional equipment to them," said Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief David Coatney.
One example is Fire Station 31 on Garland Road, built 69 years ago. Firefighters still slide down poles in the two-story building from living quarters to the equipment floor down below. The building has damage from past plumbing problems. There's too little parking and no room for expansion.
Station 36 on Hampton Road in West Dallas is 62 years old. That building has foundation problems. The bays are a tight fit for modern fire trucks. Living and training space is cramped. That site has little room for expansion.
Both stations are on the priority replacement list.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"As the city continues to grow and become more densely populated, we'd like to have the ability to add additional crews in those stations to address the increasing response needs," Coatney said.
Members of the Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee Monday said they recognize the need.
Councilwoman Monica Alonzo said she has visited some of the stations in person and she thanked firefighters for living with the conditions.
"They're not pretty, but they're there. And they're there to serve the constituency and we're very appreciative," Alonzo said.
Yet members were also reluctant to make any promise on when conditions might change. The entire city of Dallas needs inventory is $10.18 billion, with streets, transportation and parks competing for money after years of neglect. City leaders have discussed as 2017 capital improvement bond referendum of no more than $800 million.
"It's just kind of a shame to keep nickel and diming it," said Councilwoman Sandy Greyson. "And yet, we just probably aren't going to have the money to give you what you need to have. I just kind of hate to throw bandages, in a sense, on these stations, when the need is so clear."
With an average cost of $9 million per station for total replacement, Councilman Philip Kingston suggested the city should be investing more money in pay as you go maintenance instead of waiting for capital bond money.
"In the same way we're looking at streets, we need to address problems as they come up," Kingston said. "It seems like you could do an awful lot of renovation for that number."
Councilwoman Jennifer Gates said she agrees money for station replacement will be limited and better building maintenance is needed.
"This is going to impact the way we deliver public safety," Gates said.
Coatney said the current stations are functioning for now until competing Dallas needs make room for improvements.
"When the city does it, some will be new, some will be remodeled," the fire chief said.
