The Heart of Pines Volunteer Fire station in Smithville, Texas, is going to be on national television.
Last September, the largest wildfire in Texas history hit Bastrop County, consuming more than 34,000 acres and destroying more than 1,300 homes. Volunteer Firefighters Mizzy and Chris Zdroj lost their family home and business, though they and their fellow firefighters were able to save their fire station.
Eric and Herman Christophe of EFC Custom Homes, a local builder in Bastrop County, were so moved by the dedication and commitment of the volunteer firefighters, they offered to build a new home for the Zdroj family. That build will be featured on an episode of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
“My family and this community owe so much to the firefighters who gave such heroic efforts and bravery to save the lives and homes of others in the community while in many cases sacrificing their own homes,” Eric Christophe said.
But in a surprise move, the show also expanded and renovated the Heart of Pines Volunteer Fire Station. Builders added a new apparatus bay and installed new garage doors, reinforced the building’s insulation, and began the construction of a new entry façade. The interior remodel also is underway. Meyerson Custom Builders of Smithville, Texas, served as the project’s lead builder.
GearGrid donated new racks for turnout gear for the fire station, while Motorola Solutions provided 22 of its latest mission-critical radios and remote speaker microphones.
This story makes me think about how many other fire stations are in dire need of help. When $200 million in stimulus money became available for fire stations as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, FEMA received $6 billion in requests.
What if we could identify the five fire stations in the country most in need of help? Perhaps the Heart of Pines fire-station project will call attention other fire stations in need?
After the November issue’s Station Style Fire-Station Design Awards, I always hear from departments in need. For example, I heard from a fire department in New Hampshire whose fire station had been condemned by local authorities. I also heard from chiefs in New Mexico and North Carolina. Chief Ronny Coleman told me he visited one volunteer department that used stacked bales of hay to protect their fire truck. There are probably hundreds of small volunteer departments working to protect the equipment and gear they have collected.
Does it have to take a disaster to get help?
Related: ABC’s Extreme Makeover Improves Texas Firehouse, Stocks it with Motorola Radios
