VIDEO: Panama City Beach officials opened a new fire station Thursday after three years of construction, cutting the ribbon on a facility designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes. Fire and city leaders disconnected a ceremonial hose at Fire Station 32 on Hutchinson Boulevard to signal the station is officially open and ready to respond to emergencies. The new facility cost just over $7 million, with about half funded through state-secured grants.
The station is significantly larger than the old Middle Beach station and is built to hurricane standards that will allow firefighters to remain on duty during major storms.
โWith it being a storm-hardened station and rated to withstand those hurricane-force winds, means we donโt have to evacuate our area here,โ said Panama City Beach Fire Rescueโs Chief Ray Morgan. โIn the past weโve always had to evacuate that station because it wasnโt safe. So, this allows us to stay right here in the house safely, so we can quickly respond to our community should they need it.โ
Officials said crews can reach any point on the beach in three to five minutes from the new location. The old Fire Station 32 will be remodeled and repurposed as the new headquarters for Beach Safety.
