This aerial photo of a Columbia County fire station is the design Bronson Fire Chief currently favors, but he plans to visit facilities constructed by all three of the companies bidding for the Bronson contract to determine what he likes best

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Three construction companies have submitted their qualifications to the Town of Bronson for building a $1.8 million fire station.

            The qualifications submitted by Gray Construction Services, Inc., Joyner Construction Partners, LLC and TMC Construction Services, Inc. will be reviewed by the Bronson Town Council Monday.

            Fire Chief Dennis Russell said the successful bidder for the design-build contract would construct an 80 by 160 foot fire station with five drive-through bays.

            The Florida Legislature awarded the town $900,000 for the project in 2019. The town is requesting an additional $950,000 from the Legislature in the winter session of the legislature.

            The 2020 legislative session begins on Jan. 14.

            Russell said he has already submitted his request to the Legislature for the additional funding.

            Mayor Robert Partin and Russell appeared at the Levy County Legislative Delegation hearing last week to formally request the money.

            “We will definitely work on your fire station request,” said State. Rep. Charlie Stone.

            The money requested by the town would be given in the form of a legislative appropriation. The Florida Fire Marshal’s office will administer the funding.

            Russell said the builder that is chosen for the work will submit vouchers to the town as work is completed. The town will submit the vouchers to the Florida Fire Marshal, which will send the money to Bronson to pay for completed work.

            The fire chief is planning to build a fire station with an upstairs sleeping area for fire fighters on one end. The fire station will contain a downstairs office and an emergency command center.

            Russell said the upstairs living area on one end of the station will be large enough to accommodate the families of firefighters in a hurricane, eliminating the worry of being separated from loved ones. The building will be constructed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane.

            Russell is hopeful the county commission will see fit to place an ambulance at the station. He said the new station would be a perfect fit for an ambulance.

            The fire station would be large enough to hold a ladder truck. Neighboring communities, if they chose to do so, could shelter big equipment at the station in case a large hurricane hit Levy County.

            “The goal is 50 years from now we aren’t being forced to add on to what we’re building now,” Russell said.

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Levy County Legislative Delegation September 23, 2019; Posted October 4, 2019