Long Beach officials, firefighters and neighbors gathered Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon on a brand-new Fire Station 9, a two-story facility at 4101 Long Beach Boulevard built to serve Bixby Knolls and North Long Beach. The station replaces the old station’s function. The new facility was built on a site where a different office building had been demolished. The old station had sat closed since 2019 after years of leaks, mold and asbestos problems forced firefighters out entirely.
The ceremony, held on Oct. 20, brought together city officials and fire department leadership to mark the long-awaited milestone, according to the Press-Telegram. The outlet reports the new station will be home to a fire engine, a rescue engine, a battalion chief and eight firefighters. Community members were also able to tour the new building following the ribbon-cutting, per the same report.
City of Long Beach officials shared footage of the celebration in a Facebook video titled “City of Long Beach Officials Celebrate the Opening of the New Fire Station 9,” describing the facility as a station built to support emergency response and serve the surrounding community.
A Building Decades in the Making
The old Station 9, built in 1938 at 3917 Long Beach Boulevard, was one of the oldest and smallest in the department’s roster of 24 stations, according to the station’s closure coverage from the Long Beach Post. Mold was first discovered and treated there in December 2017, then reappeared the following June, prompting firefighters to relocate to nearby stations, the outlet reported at the time. Rescue 9 moved temporarily to Station 13 in the Westside neighborhood, while Fire Engine 9 was housed at Station 16 near Long Beach Airport…