PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County Fire Rescue is building a temporary fire station near the Arden community to help reduce emergency response times for residents.
The temporary facility, dubbed Station 70, will be located next to Saddle View Elementary School and the proposed site for a controversial data center known as Project Tango.
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WPTV's Western Palm Beach County reporter Michael Hoffman reached out to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to find out more about the plans. Officials said they have been budgeting for the station since 2021, with reducing response times as a priority.
Telling Hoffman, "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue began planning for Station 70 in 2021 and then began funding it annually in fiscal year 2022 due to expected growth in the western area. A map of the temporary site is attached. It will house 6 firefighters staffing an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Engine, and an ALS Rescue, and is expected to be completed in an 18-month timeline. Construction has not started, nor has the cost been determined yet."
Fire officials added, "it is important to note - Station 70 is not related to Project Tango in any way."
Sue Loyzelle has lived in the Arden community for five years. She said residents have faced issues with slow emergency responses.
"The response time for fire things like that, is very, very slow," Loyzelle said.
"Kind of scary, especially if you get a heart attack or, you know, something happens to you," Loyzelle said.
"It's very critical to have a fire station. The sooner, the better. If it's temporary. We're excited to get started," Loyzelle said.
Dave Zita, vice president of the Arden Board of Directors, said the community has been waiting for a solution.
"Seven years later now, finally, finally, there's talk of a means to an end to getting one. So it's exciting for all residents, but overdue, in my opinion," Zita said.
While the temporary station will be next to Arden, Fire Rescue is still planning a permanent station. The timeline is unclear, but officials said the preferred location for the future permanent station would be about a mile east of the temporary site. Telling Hoffman, "Our preferred location for the future permanent station would be about a mile east of the temporary station site. PBCFR is still working to finalize an exact location for the permanent site. Adding Station 70 is a priority for PBCFR to reduce emergency response times for the community."
Zita disagrees with moving the permanent station away from the school and the possible Project Tango site.
"Palm Beach Fire Rescue, we have a great relationship with them, they do great work for us. We see them in here too frequently unfortunately," Zita said.
"My response to that would be, why? Because if that's the option B, you're moving the station from here further away from the school to me, that lacks justification. And if the project does go in next door in some way, shape or form, you're moving away from that project as well," Zita said.
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