Fire Station #4 officially opens in Matlacha
Saturday morning, representatives of the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District and Fire Commissioners “uncoupled” a fire hose formally opening Matlacha Fire Station #4.
“We’re skipping the traditional ribbon-cutting and going with a fire company tradition of ‘uncoupling”‘ a fire hose,” Chief Ben Mickuleit said. “I’m very excited that this station is open. It’s been a long time coming and now we can finally provide the service the people in this eastern section of the district deserve.”
The station will serve everything from Yucatan Restaurant, all of Matlacha, plus Royal Tee and Saddlewood in Cape Coral.
“Today is finally the day… welcome to Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District’s new Station #4,” Mickuleit said. “This new station will create a safer community by providing both fire and basic life support capabilities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The station will have two firefighters and an engine on duty 24/7.”
The department requested an ambulance be permanently stationed at Station #4 but Lee County rejected the request.
“Whether there is an ambulance here is up to the county,” Mickuleit said. “The station has the extra bay and extra bunk rooms for ambulance personnel. When the county is ready, we’re ready. In the meantime, all firefighters are trained EMT’s.”
The new station has four enclosed sleeping quarters, three bathrooms, two fire apparatus bays, a kitchen, storage room, exercise rooms and a contamination room. The finished building is 6,142 square feet. There’s also a classroom that is available to the community,
“The opening of Station #4 is the fulfillment of promises made to the people of Pine Island long ago,” Commissioner Tonya Player said. “It was with the support of the residents of the Greater Pine Island area that made this station possible and for that we are tremendously grateful. This wonderful station, like all of our stations, belong to the citizens of the district.”
The Matlacha station property was purchased in 2008 and was scheduled to be built the following year. When the economy crashed, the project was put on hold. An open house will be announced in the coming weeks.
Commissioners Michael Dreikorn, Elaine Chapman-Moore, Tonya Player, John Cammick and Ken Cox were all present for the ceremony.