By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY
christopher.tuffley@newssun.com
SEBRING -- Sebring's historic firehouse almost flew away during the hurricane season of 2004. Hurricane Charlie alone blew out all 44 windows, the firemen frantically hammering up plywood sheets at the height of the storm in order to save the building.
In addition to the extensive hurricane damage, age and lack of maintenance had also taken their toll. But, given the historic nature of the building, and the fact it had been well designed, the decision was made to renovate and upgrade it rather than abandon it -- especially when it was discovered that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds would pay for three-quarters of the work.
That meant, however, that the firefighters had to live through the two-year renovation, working out of trailers next door and often choking on the dust.
One of the most challenging issues was how to protect the firemen upstairs from the exhaust and fumes of the trucks downstairs. One of the most dangerous areas was where the brass pole came down through an open hole in the floor.
Two new brass poles were ordered that have round doors that swing up and shut around the pole. There are gaskets as well to create a firm seal.
Poles are still the safest way for a firefighter to get from a top floor to one below as many man have sprained or broken ankles and wrists running down stairs.
Only one company in the world makes brass poles any more, Fire Chief Brad Batz said, and each pole has to be custom made, which is why they cost $17,000 a piece.
After completely gutting the building and reworking the floor plan, the firehouse now has a modern kitchen, cubicles for the firefighters to sleep in, a large common room that can be used for meetings or relaxing, a study room and conference space and extra room for the officers to fill out reports upstairs, and a reception area, chief's office and room for the fire inspector on the ground floor, as well, of course, for the three engine bays.
The work has been progressing more or less on time, even with a change in contractors part way through. Orangewood Builders is now close to completion, with only small adjustments needed upstairs.
However, when the crews went in to epoxy the fire bay floor an unexpected problem came to light.
The firehouse had been largely built by the firemen themselves back in 1926-27. They laid the brick and mixed the cement by hand, then delivered it in wheelbarrows. That meant, however, that the concrete wasn't laid evenly on the floor -- a floor designed for trucks weighing perhaps a ton. Today's engines often weigh seven or eight times that, and the old floor couldn't simply be recovered because the soft spots were collapsing under the additional weight.
That has put the project behind schedule as the floor will have to be removed and completely re-laid. This means instead of being done by the end of the year, work will continue into 2009.
Batz, for one, knows it is worth it.
Sebring's distinctive firehouse is the second oldest working fire station in the state. There are older stations, but except for St. Augustine, none have working trucks operating out of them.
When Sebring was first incorporated in 1913, fire protection was provided by all volunteer crews who formed Sebring Fireman Inc.
There was little organized training in the beginning, and the work was made more difficult because most of the roads were unpaved sand. The fact that the city had only an elemental water system -- four-inch delivery pipes had been laid in the downtown area roughly from Park Street to Kenilworth Boulevard, and around the Circle -- made fighting fires dangerous, frustrating work. Especially because in the early years Sebring only had 800 feet of hose.
For over a decade, firemen made do with two pull carts that transported the hose and one pull cart that delivered up to 80 gallons of a soda type acid that was used in addition to water. They were stored in a shed. There was no fire station to speak of, or alarm system. It was usual in those days for people who needed the fire department to shoot several blasts from their shotguns.
According to materials at the Sebring Historical Society, what training was held, usually occurred on Tuesday nights when the fire chief would set fire to heaps of trash. The three crews of volunteers would compete against each other to reach the fire first.
This sometimes lead to one crew sabotaging the hand-carts of the other crews in order to be first.
Batz said fire departments in the early days were competitive like that. In larger cities, firemen were paid by the owner of the property they saved. Because there were crews in competition, it wasn't unknown for a building to burn to the ground while the firemen fought among themselves for the chance to save it.
Then in 1923 a Sebring fruit packing plant burned to the ground in the middle of the night, despite the fact that the fire department had responded in less than four minutes. The loss of the business affected the town economically, highlighting the need for more fire protection.
The city council added a complete system of larger water mains, cross connected to ensure a proper supply and a small one-story firehouse was built to house the used motorized fire engine the city bought to take the place of the hand-drawn carts.
In 1926, with the Florida land boom in full swing, the city embarked on a general improvement program that included plans for a new state-of-the-art firehouse to go with the second fire engine the city bought, this one brand new.
Research visits were made to other stations, and a new building was designed for Sebring that was based on the fire house in Sebring, Ohio.
That included the distinctive tower, which was used to dry hoses until it was discovered it was quicker and easier in Florida to do that outside. A room for the fire chief and his family was built in the tower space instead.
With its distinctive art deco touches and a covering of green ivy, the building is one of the most unusual and attractive in the state.
In 1927 the fire department dealt with 77 fires with damages totaling $12,731.
At that time there were three paid firefighters and 23 volunteers. Today the department still has 23 firefighters, all paid professionals, a chief, an inspector, three deputy chiefs, three first lieutenants, and three second lieutenants. In addition to fighting fires, the department backs up the medical responders and responds to vehicle crashes. In 2004 the department answered 1,400 alarms. Fire fighters work a 24-hour shift then have two days off.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - www.newssun.com/1210-ct-Fire-station