New, modern facilities being built at or near sites of the outdated stations they replace
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is in the process of replacing four existing fire stations in need of upgrades.
Two of the new fire stations will be built on the existing station properties, and two fire stations will be built at new locations close to the existing fire stations.
The new fire stations will provide the latest resources, equipment, and tools to allow firefighters to serve the residents and businesses in their respective areas. The enhancements will also benefit the firefighters working from the stations.
The fire stations that are being replaced are:
- Fire Station No. 10, Armdale, 8430 N. Grady Ave., Tampa, FL 33619. Two-bay station, built at the existing location. Expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2026.
- Fire Station No. 13, Gunn Highway, 7313 Ehrlich Rd., Tampa, FL 33625. Two-bay station, built on land near the current station. Expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2026.
- Fire Station No. 15, Palm River, 6212 12th Ave. S., Tampa, FL 33619. Two-bay station, built on land located near the current station. Expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2026.
- Fire Station No. 21, Thonotosassa, 10504 Main St., Tampa, FL 33592. Three-bay station, which is a third garage door allowing for more vehicles and equipment. Built at the existing location. Expected to be completed in December 2026.
Funds from the American Recovery Act are being used to build fire stations 10, 13, and 15. All four stations will have individual bunk rooms for each of the firefighters. The stations will also include a decontamination area, where showers and a laundry room are accessible to firefighters returning from fighting a fire before they enter the living quarters. These facilities help eliminate carcinogens, which is important in keeping firefighters healthy from cancer-causing smoke and residue common in modern fires.
Each fire station will have a station alerting alarm system to alert firefighters of an emergency. The station alerting alarm system gradually increases its alert sounds to gently awake firefighters while sleeping. This approach promotes the physical and mental health of firefighters, as opposed to a loud and jarring alarm system.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue responds to an estimated 140,000 emergency calls a year throughout the county. The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Master Plan has identified the need to build 20 stations over the course of the next 24 years.
These fire station improvements serve as an example of Hillsborough County's commitment to public safety, which remains Hillsborough County's top priority. As the County's population grows, so does the need for more first responders, life-saving equipment, and strategically located fire stations for an improved response time. In fiscal year 2025, Hillsborough County budgeted over $280 million for Fire Rescue and funded a total of 1,295 Fire Rescue positions.