Riviera unveils new $20 million fire station as part of widespread infrastructure plan

Wayne Washington, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read
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Riviera Beach symbolically pulled off the tarp on a new, $20 million fire station, one of a string of large-scale projects in the pipeline for the city.

The 31,000-square foot station at 1920 W. Blue Heron Boulevard, features a gym, a wellness room and decontamination facilities designed to minimize a firefighter's exposure to carcinogens.

Other features include specially tuned lighting, zoned alerting, passive environmental controls, energy pods and detox saunas.

The goal is to decrease risks to a firefighter's physical and mental well-being.

"Mental health is taking a toll in the fire service," Riviera Beach Fire Chief John Curd said. "There are statistics that state firefighters are more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty."

The new building is one way to combat that problem.

Oakland Barnaby, a 3-year-old from West Palm Beach, smiles at his mother while wearing a plastic firefighter hat and badge in front of Riviera Beach's newest fire station, Station 88. The 31,000 square foot, $20 million building houses Riviera Beach Fire Rescue trucks, decontamination facilities, a memorial honoring fallen firefighters from 9/11 and more.

"The mental health and wellness rooms allow our firefighters to decompress, and the energy pods allow our firefighters who had a rough day to disconnect for a while," Curd said.

Fire Station 88 will house a battalion chief, a truck company, a rescue unit as well as fire prevention and fire administration staff.

A therapy dog will be on site. A memorial in front of the building honors the approximately 343 New York City Fire Department personnel who died on 9/11.

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Former Palm Beach County Fire Chief Reginald Duren, left, former Riviera Beach Fire Chief Richard Weston, and current Riviera Beach Fire Chief John Curd, pose for a picture during the grand opening of Station 88.
Former Palm Beach County Fire Chief Reginald Duren, left, former Riviera Beach Fire Chief Richard Weston, and current Riviera Beach Fire Chief John Curd, pose for a picture during the grand opening of Station 88.

City leaders expressed great pride in the building, which is part of broad infrastructure overhaul in Riviera Beach that could see it spend hundreds of millions on everything from a new city hall, a new library and a new water treatment facility.

For now, Fire Station 88 is city's biggest architectural point of pride.

"Fire Station 88 is more than just a structure," City Manager Jonathan Evans said. "It's a reflection of our profound dedication to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day for our safety. This station is not just a new addition to our municipal buildings but is the crown jewel, promising to serve our community with unwavering reliability and efficiency.”

Station 88's vast vehicle bay welcomed visitors to the building's grand opening.
Station 88's vast vehicle bay welcomed visitors to the building's grand opening.

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Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County unveils fire station for firefighters mental health