Ventnor City Firehouse No. 2 is demolished to make way for a new firehouse at the site.
VENTNOR – Firehouse No. 2 stood for many years on Wellington Avenue, but it saw its final hours Thursday morning as a demolition crew quickly brought down the aging structure. An excavator easily knocked down walls and lifted the debris into a bucket truck that will cart away the pieces of what had served the community since it was built to temporarily house firefighters and equipment in 1972.
“It’s Christmas morning for the Fire Department,” Ventnor Fire Chief Michael Cahill said. “This building doesn’t owe the city a dime.”
Commissioner Tim Kriebel and Ventnor City Fire Chief Michael Cahill watch as the old firehouse is demolished.
The firehouse had seen better days, was not up to National Fire Protection Association and FEMA standards for critical infrastructure, and not adequate for the firefighters who work up to 24-hour shifts. The roof leaked, the kitchen was about as big as a walk-in closet, and the brick façade was cracked and crumbling.
Mayor Beth Holtzman and Fire Chief Michael Cahill.
Although some might ask why Ventnor needs two firehouses, Cahill said having a firehouse in the Heights section is a must, because the neighborhood it is separated from the rest of the city by the inland waterway and the aging, county-owned Dorset Avenue bridge, which sometimes gets stuck in the open position.
Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Kriebel said the new building would present a favorable image of the city because will be the first thing people see as they drive into Ventnor. It will also serve the community for many years to come, he said.
The city had planned to spend $1.5 million to upgrade the building but decided it would be best to build a new one. It approved a $3.5 million bond on Feb. 14 to fund engineering, architectural design, demolition and construction, along with furnishings, fixtures and firefighting equipment. Fabbri Builders, Inc. of Vineland was awarded a $3.17 million contract to build the new firehouse, which will reflect the city’s historic architecture.
Firefighters climbed onto the roof of the firehouse last week to conduct training exercises. They cut holes in the roof to learn the skills needed to vent a fire and save lives.
Kriebel said when firefighters were clearing equipment from the building last week, they discovered several brand-new hospital beds that had been stored in the attic since the 1960s. They were taken to the new temporary firehouse that was erected at Titus Field on the 300-block of N. Surrey Avenue, which will house equipment and firefighters for the next year while the new firehouse is being built.
“They were completely brand new. They will be used for temporary lodging. We’re using everything we can to try and save money during this process,” Kriebel said.
Cahill said the new pre-cast concrete structure will be built to withstand a 500-year storm as per FEMA standards, and will be able to house firefighters and the public during emergencies, and last 80-100 years.
The two-story structure will have a kitchen and office on the ground floor and a dorm and training room on the second floor.
“This not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning,” Cahill said. “The future starts today.”
Rendering of the new Firehouse No. 2.
