The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District announced Monday that the Knightsen Fire Station (Station 94) will remain closed until January 1, 2015. The extended closure will allow the District to complete required maintenance/remediation after mold was found in the station.
On Friday, October 24, the District stated that it was temporarily closing the Knightsen Fire Station due to bacteria in the District’s well, which provides water to the station. The four crews from the Knightsen Fire Station were moved to the downtown Brentwood Fire Station (Station 54), which was previously closed due to budgetary restrictions.
After finding the bacteria in the Knightsen Station’s well, the District undertook additional testing at the fire station. The District learned on Friday, November 7 that there was a higher-than-acceptable level of mold in the air samples taken at the station. The District has completed remediation of the bacteria in the well and added a connection to the local water provider to guard against any future water system contamination. The District will be working over the next several weeks to remediate mold in the heating and air-conditioning system, and will make additional necessary repairs to the restrooms.
According to Chief Hugh Henderson, the District has spent $10,000 to fix the Knightsen Station to date but that he did not have an estimate at this time of what the remaining costs will be prior to the re-opening stating they are still working on the cost.
When asked why the cash strapped District does not re-open Station 54 (downtown Brentwood) permanently versus putting money into Knigthsen’s station, the chief said it was to ensure response times across the District remain lower. He also said it was at no additional cost to the District to re-open Station 54.
The Knightsen Fire Station was built in the early 1960’s and was not originally designed for continuous (24 hours per day, 7 days a week) operations.
“Getting the fire station back in service, and ensuring that the station is safe for our firefighters, are our top priorities,” stated Fire Chief Hugh Henderson. “Only then can our firefighters provide the best service for our communities,” Henderson added.
In the spring of 2008, the Bethel Island fire station was closed and condemned because of mold, lead paint and asbestos. The District brought in a modular trailer for firefighters to live in prior to the closure on July 1, 2012.
ABOUT THE EAST CONTRA COSTA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District spans 249 square miles and our firefighter/EMTs serve more than 100,000 residents in the Cities of Brentwood and Oakley, the Town of Discovery Bay, the communities of Byron, Bethel Island and Knightsen, the Marsh Creek/Morgan Territory area, and all other areas within unincorporated Contra Costa County to the east of Antioch and to the southeast of Clayton.
4 comments
The political wheel keeps turning. The people are second choice. Let Brentwood keep 54 open.This could be an opportunity for this district to save money and stop the current lawsuit against ECCFPD. Clean up the duct work in 94 and get back to having paid on call in that station per the agreement with East County Firefighters Association that represents the paid on call reserves. The public is not aware of what has really gone on and who actually calls the shots that got us to this point. If they only knew. Bringing back the reserves will negate the need for an unwanted new tax that is probably illegal anyway.Tax revenue is back up now. No need to dump another hundred grand on a maybe vote.
I call BOLOGNA! This seems too familiar. Chief Henderson sure knows how to put his spin on things! Sure,keep the firefighters out of harms way. But at who’s expense? Leaving this end of the district “out to dry”. Looks like this is just ANOTHER attempt at making the”new tax” justified. Again at who’s expense.
Ya, like station 54 has no mold. Station 54 is 50 years older than station 94. Who’s running this fire district ? Vote no on anything this district does because it is all BS.
Its going to be closed a lot longer than this year. Probably for the next 5 to 10. Same thing happened to a fire station in Lafayette. And 5 or 6 years later it still sits vacant and housing mold. Really sad.
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