provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Operational since earlier this year, Sanibel Fire & Rescue District Station 172 at 5171 Sanibel Captiva Road celebrated with a SanCap Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours for the public on March 27.
Irreversible damage in 2022 from Hurricane Ian’s 5-6 feet of storm surge made the 50-year-old station uninhabitable for first responders and required full reconstruction, said Fire Chief Kevin Barbot. The decision to rebuild to improved standards spared the building from 2024’s damaging hurricanes.
“The main benefit is resiliency,” Barbot said. “The new station is built to much higher wind and surge standards, which means our team can stay on the island longer and get back to work immediately after a storm. We’ve also updated the technology and dispatch systems to keep response times as fast as possible. This reconstruction provides a much more capable tool for our first responders and the residents we protect.”…