Panama City Beach Fire Station 31 demolished

VIDEO: The 30-year-old Panama City Beach fire station on Back Beach Road is now just a memory. Demolition crews took down Station 31 on Tuesday. Panama City Beach Fire Rescue outgrew the building. Before tearing down the old station, the city auctioned off a lot of the furnishings two weeks ago. The city plans to replace this one with a new, larger fire station. “In the exact same spot that the fire stations are now is going to be rebuilt, they’re going to tear all the concrete and start from the foundation and work all the way up to a bigger, stronger building, more hurricane rated so that we’ll be around for many years to come,” Panama City Beach Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Brandon Mumford said. Construction will take about two years. The city has set up a temporary station for firefighters until the new one is completed.
WMBB-TV ABC 13 Panama City

Follow-up: Owner vows to rebuild after fire destroys part of Atlantic Beach & Tennis Club in St. Augustine

VIDEO: Part of St. Augustine’s Atlantic Beach & Tennis Club was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning. The club’s owner, who lives right behind the club, said he learned of the fire when he woke up at 1:45 a.m. and saw flames shooting through the roof of his business. “I couldn’t believe it,” Bill Brothers said. “I was in shock.” He said he yelled for his wife to call 911, but when they got a dispatcher, they learned firefighters were already battling the blaze on Ocean Trace Road off A1A South. “It makes you sick to put 32 years into something and have it destroyed in just a few hours,” Brothers said, adding that they were about to celebrate 32 years in business next month. “I came over to watch it burn down -- something that you’ve worked on and that you love... But you can’t give up.”
WJXT-TV 4 Jacksonville

’We’re still rebuilding:’ 1 year later, North Port police chief speaks about Hurricane Ian’s impact on first responders

Many across the Southwest Florida region are looking back as we approach the first anniversary of Hurricane Ian. In North Port, where floodwaters took over roads and homes, many first responders were also among the victims. The city's police chief said the recovery has continued well after the storm, and there have been several lessons they have learned a year later. "We're still in the rebuilding process and I still have employees that are displaced because of the storm and as you know, we're working in a building that is still broken," North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said. Along with residents, first responders in communities like North Port are still dealing with challenges caused by Hurricane Ian. Like many homes still covered with tarp, the police station is still in need of some repair.
WTSP-TV CBS 10 St. Petersburg

Man taken into custody after climbing on top of ambulance in Miramar

VIDEO: Miramar police officers took a man into custody Tuesday afternoon after he climbed on top of an ambulance and refused to come down. Miramar police said the fire rescue truck was at the intersection of Miramar Parkway and U.S. 441 when the man climbed on top of the roof. Sky 10 flew over the scene where a shirtless man was seen walking around and even exercising on top of the ambulance. A Local 10 News crew was in the area when the man, who police identified as Todd Fitzroy Boothe, 31, of Miramar, jumped off the vehicle and was detained by police. The man was given water shortly before he was put in handcuffs. The man was atop the fire rescue unit for two and a half hours before police convinced him to come down. Witnesses told Local 10 News the man was acting erratically in the street before climbing up onto the truck.
WPLG-TV ABC 10 Miami

Fire destroys part of Atlantic Beach & Tennis Club in St. Augustine Beach

VIDEO: A community in St. Augustine Beach is working to rebuild after a massive fire destroyed part of the Atlantic Beach and Tennis Club. “It was like heartbreak,” said Kristyn Hemberger, a club member. It was a tremendous loss for the community. “It was horrible, just horrible. I just can’t believe this,” said Bill Brothers, the owner of the club. Brothers has owned the Atlantic Beach and Tennis Club for more than three decades. It’s a club that offers tennis courts, pools, workout spaces, and a family environment to its members. “People love it here,” Brothers said. “We are like a second family.” Brothers was one of several people around the club who woke up to see massive flames. “I saw flames coming over this building here, nice bright orange light,” said James Sistrunk, who was on vacation at the club.
WJAX-TV CBS 47/WFOX-TV FOX 30 Jacksonville

New fire station unveiled in Clearwater Beach, replacing previous 59-year-old building

Some first responders in Clearwater are now working out of a brand-new building following the unveiling of the newest fire station. Clearwater Rescue & Fire Department held a grand opening Monday morning for Station 46 with a ribbon cutting and open house. The new station comes after the old one, which opened back in 1964, was torn down last year. Construction on the new two-story building just ended in August. The new $10-million station, which is just under 11,000 square feet, is located off Mandalay Avenue — serving Clearwater Beach. "It has the original fire poles from the previous station, as well as part of the original fade when it was formerly known as Station 2," city leaders said in a statement. First responders will be able to take advantage of features like an engine and rescue unit, an area for firefighters to treat stingray cases and some Parks and Recreation equipment.
WTSP-TV CBS 10 St. Petersburg

1 dead in massive house fire in Titusville, firefighters say

One person was found dead in a massive house fire in Titusville on Monday morning, according to the Titusville Fire Department. The fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Tonya Lane. When fire officials arrived, they saw heavy black smoke coming out of three sides of the house, firefighters said. One person was rescued from the home and when firefighters made their way inside, they found one person dead. Another victim was treated on the scene, but was not transported to a hospital. No other injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
WOFL-TV FOX 35 Orlando