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Groundbreaking Next Week For Seffner-Mango Fire Station

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 6, 2009

Updated: 02/06/2009 03:04 pm

Their job is to put out fires. But there have been times during the past four years that members of the Seffner-Mango Volunteer Fire Rescue Association felt like lighting a fire beneath Hillsborough County officials to get their permanent fire station constructed sooner.

The volunteers have been operating out of a 1,300-square-foot house on Kingsway and Cactus roads for four years while waiting for the county to construct a permanent fire station at 105 Cactus Road.

Now, with a groundbreaking scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, the crew of Fire Station No. 18 is finally seeing some progress.

"We're very excited," said Chief Robert Van Etten, who heads the squad of 19 active volunteer firefighters.

Van Etten, who retired as a Hillsborough County Fire Department battalion chief after 25 years of service, took over the beleaguered volunteer association after the former chief, Bradley Price, was accused by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief William Nesmith of poor management practices. The county disbanded the volunteer fire department, confiscated equipment and declared the old fire station at 1706 S. Kingsway Road unfit for habitation due to mold.

The new 7,300-square-foot fire station is scheduled to be completed in November. It will have three bays and will house the station's current fire engine, brush truck and chief's vehicle as well as a tanker. Van Etten also hopes to have an ambulance stationed there.

The $1.6 million facility, manned 24 hours a day, also will include office and living facilities for firefighters.

Hillsborough operates 41 fire stations. Six are manned by volunteer firefighters. In addition to the Seffner-Mango station, there are volunteer stations in Bloomingdale, Cork-Knights, Dover, Lutz and Sundance. According to the county, the volunteer firefighters save taxpayers about $6 million each year.

Van Etten said his station goes out on 185 to 210 calls each month.

"There's a big demand for firefighters and paramedics," he said, adding that he has permitted up to 40 volunteers on his roll. In addition to the 19 serving, he has another 12 firefighters undergoing training.

"The problem is, many of these firefighters are waiting for a chance to be career firefighters," Van Etten said. "As soon as I get them trained and they get their certification, the county hires them on and I lose them."

In addition to filling his ever-depleting roster of firefighters, Van Etten is seeking residents to serve on the association's board of directors. He said he's looking for people who live in the community with backgrounds in administration, banking and law. Anyone interested can pick up an application at the fire station.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524.

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