//Residents Witness Historic Bronson Fire House Dedication
Former Bronson Mayor Beatrice Roberts was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. Pictured from the left are Fire Lt. Bobby Kramer, firefighter Ian Gunter, firefighter McKenzie Durden, firefighter Destin Mock, Councilman Tyler Voorhees, Town Manager Susan Beaudet, Mayor Robert Partin, Councilman-Elect Franklin Schuler, Roberts, Fire Chief Dennis Russell, behind him County Commissioner John Meeks, Cyntha Waters, Behind her Town Councilwoman Sherrie Schuler, Robert Smith, behind him Councilwoman-Elect Virginia Phillips, Safety Officer Jessie Baggett, Auxilliary Bonnie Baggett, firefighter Elizabeth Chazulle, firefighter Mark Smith, Capt. Gail Foote. Not shown Austin Coleman.
Town of BronsonMay 2, 2023

Residents Witness Historic Bronson Fire House Dedication

By Terry Witt– Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Bronson dedicated its new $1.8 million fire station Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

            “It’s been a long time coming. This fire station was bought with a $1.8 million grant from the Florida Department of Financial Services,” said Mayor Robert Partin.

            Partin gave former Mayor Beatrice Roberts the honor of cutting a giant red ribbon. He said the Bronson Fire Station has been in the making for many years and there were a lot of people to thank.

            Many in the crowd that witnessed the dedication were associated with town government or formerly associated with it, but there were residents present who weren’t connected to government.

            The dedication was historic. The town has never owned a firehouse of this quality or size. It is expected to be an asset to the small town as demands for fire services increase.

            Partin thanked Mike Rogers for donating the land to the town for a fire station. He thanked Paul Anderson, a former firefighter for Bronson, and former Clerk Kelli Brettel for writing the fire station grant.

            He thanked former State Rep. Charlie Stone and former State Sen. Rob Bradley, who represented Levy County at the time the grant was submitted, for winning support in both houses of the Florida Legislature for project funding.

            Partin also thanked LMC Steel Buildings for constructing the fire station and Southeast Drilling for drilling the well that will provide water for an interior fire suppression system.

            “It takes everybody to make this project,” Partin said.

            A broken phalange will be repaired Wednesday to connect the new well to the fire suppression system in the fire station. The sprinkler system then can be tested. If it passes testing, the town can occupy the building.

            Among the features that will be added to the building in a small room next to the front entrance is a Safe Baby station for newborns who are being given up by their mother. Fire Chief Dennis Russell said the room will be equipped with a security camera and wired to a security system that notifies him, the sheriff’s office, and others that a baby has been left in the SafeBaby station. The Safe Baby station costs $27,000 and hasn’t been installed.

            The fire station has 10 fire bay doors, five on each side, to allow fire trucks to enter and exit. The county hasn’t decided if it wants to park an ambulance at the station. County officials want the final numbers on what it cost to build the station before they decide whether to park an ambulance at the station.

            The station has sleeping quarters for firefighters but Russell hasn’t decided whether to add curtains or a permanent privacy wall to the living quarters, or just leave the sleeping bedrooms open. Male and female firefighters work for the department. Each sleeping area currently has three walls and an open front.

            An emergency operations center is part of the fire station. It has a television mounted on one wall. A room for officers to write their reports was added next door to the emergency operations center. The station has a laundry room with a safety feature that pulls toxic fumes out of the room as bunker gear and clothing are washed.

            The fire station has a fully equipped kitchen with a large adjoining lounge area for firefighters to use for downtime. An oven hasn’t been installed but Russell said he plans to purchase one.

            Bronson’s current firehouse, which is attached to the Dogan Cobb Municipal Building, will be converted to a storage area and office for the Department of Public Works. The town council has ordered a new roof for the facility. Most of the town’s tractors and lawnmowers can be stored there.

Former Bronson Mayor Beatrice Roberts was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. Pictured from the left are Fire Lt. Bobby Kramer, firefighter Ian Gunter, firefighter McKenzie Durden, firefighter Destin Mock, Councilman Tyler Voorhees, Town Manager Susan Beaudet, Mayor Robert Partin, Councilman-Elect Franklin Schuler, Roberts, Fire Chief Dennis Russell, behind him County Commissioner John Meeks, Cyntha Waters, Behind her Town Councilwoman Sherrie Schuler, Robert Smith, behind him Councilwoman-Elect Virginia Phillips, Safety Officer Jessie Baggett, Auxilliary Bonnie Baggett, firefighter Elizabeth Chazulle, firefighter Mark Smith, Capt. Gail Foote. Not shown Austin Coleman.
Former Bronson Mayor Beatrice Roberts was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. Pictured from the left are Fire Lt. Bobby Kramer, firefighter Ian Gunter, firefighter McKenzie Durden, firefighter Destin Mock, Councilman Tyler Voorhees, Town Manager Susan Beaudet, Mayor Robert Partin, Councilman-Elect Franklin Schuler, Roberts, Fire Chief Dennis Russell, behind him County Commissioner John Meeks, Cynthia Waters, Behind her Town Councilwoman Sherrie Schuler, Robert Smith, behind him Councilwoman-Elect Virginia Phillips, Safety Officer Jessie Baggett, Auxilliary Bonnie Baggett, firefighter Elizabeth Chazulle, firefighter Mark Smith, Capt. Gail Foote. Not shown, Austin Coleman.
The fire bay looks cavernous as a small crowd of people gather at tables waiting for the start of the dedication. The fire bay doesn't just look big. It is big.
The fire bay looks cavernous as a small crowd of people gathers at tables waiting for the start of the dedication. The fire bay doesn’t just look big. It is big.
Councilman-Elect Franklin Schuler and Councilwoman-Elect Virginia Phillips chat before the start of the dedication.
Councilman-Elect Franklin Schuler and Councilwoman-Elect Virginia Phillips chat before the start of the dedication.
Councilman Tyler Voorhees cooked the burgers and hotdogs, the chore he is always volunteers to handle at public events. The kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator and dishwasher. An oven is on the way.
Councilman Tyler Voorhees cooked the burgers and hotdogs, the chore he always volunteers to handle at public events.
Though short on furnishings right now, the living room for firefighters, which adjoins the kitchen, is spacious.
The kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator and dishwasher. An oven is on the way.
These are the bedrooms for the firefighters. Currently the bedrooms have no privacy curtain or wall at the entrances to the rooms.
Though short on furnishings right now, the living room for firefighters, which adjoins the kitchen, is spacious.
These are the bedrooms for the firefighters. Currently, the bedrooms have no privacy curtain or wall at the entrances to the rooms.
These are the bedrooms for the firefighters. Currently, the bedrooms have no privacy curtain or wall at the entrances to the rooms.
Fire Chief Dennis Russell stands at the entrance to the emergency operations room. Furnishings haven't been added obviously. The furniture is coming.
Fire Chief Dennis Russell stands at the entrance to the emergency operations room. Furnishings haven’t been added obviously. The furniture is coming.
An officer's room will provide an area to write reports.
An officer’s room will provide an area to write reports.

—————–

Town of Bronson Enterprise Reporting April 29, 2023; Posted May 2, 2023         

Related posts