Demolition begins for Sanibel Fire Station 172

It’s been nearly 500 days since Hurricane Ian destroyed Sanibel Fire and Rescue Station 172.

The station suffered 5 to 6 feet of storm surge, making the facility a complete loss.

Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Chief Kevin Barbot knew rebuilding the station wouldn’t be easy.

A new fire station costs a whopping $8 million.

“We’ve worked with many elected officials to see if we could recoup some funding so that we could rebuild in a more resilient manner,” Barbot said.

The fire district’s funding decreased by 40% after Hurricane Ian, so Barbot and others went to the state for help with the project.

“We’ve been working behind the scenes for the past 15 months since the storm came through and today is the first day we see some substantial progress,” Barbot said.

And Friday, progress was made. The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District received $6 million from the state. With a majority of the funding, demolition finally started.

The new fire station design concerns Sanibel’s two prized possessions: seashells and the Sanibel lighthouse.

Natalie White with Schenkelshultz Architecture, project manager for Station 172, said the design is all about Sanibel and what makes Sanibel special.

“The interior is going to be covered with seashells,” she said. “The station’s design has a lot of meaning. We’ve poured our heart and soul into the design.”

Seashells will also be on the stairtower, which has a design feature that looks like a lighthouse to symbolize a beacon of hope.

“The true beacon of hope is the fire team and the first responders who brought hope after Hurricane Ian,” White said.

The new station will also have two stories, three bays and be elevated at 13 feet to meet FEMA flood requirements. The station’s goal is to be more sustainable and ready for service, every day.

“The next storm or the next event this building will be standing,” said Barbot, “public safety will not be interrupted and we’ll be able to provide a high-class level of service to our residents. We’re excited, and we can’t wait to have this project completed and moving forward.”

The fire station is currently in the building permitting and bidding stage. Barbot hopes that construction will begin in late April or early May. Once construction begins, it will take about 18 months for the station to be finished.