A new temporary home for Fire Station 9 that could both improve response times and lower the amount of investment needed by the city could be approved next week by the Long Beach City Council.
The new interim location for the station could be at an old Boeing employee fitness center building located at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Wardlow Road. The lease, which will require council approval next Tuesday, could set the station there for the next three years.
If the lease is approved, it would put the temporary Station 9 about 2 miles away from its old location. A memo from Long Beach Fire Department Chief Xavier Espino said that moving to the proposed location could improve response times by one and one-half minutes for the station’s engine and two and one-half minutes for the station’s rescue unit.
“This is huge step in the right direction,” said Councilman Al Austin, who represents the area that Station 9 serves. “This is a temporary site that will improve response times significantly.”