Long Beach’s Station 9 firefighters have a new home in Bixby Knolls.
City and Fire Departments officials, firefighters and community members gathered at the new Fire Station 9 on Tuesday morning, Oct. 20, to celebrate the long-awaited facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“For the Long Beach Fire Department, this facility is really a good investment to the people who respond on those calls every day,” Chief Dennis Buchanan said during the event. “On behalf of every firefighter in this department right now, we are extremely grateful.”
The new station, 4101 Long Beach Blvd., is a two-story, state-of-the-art facility that will support the Fire Department as it works to keep the surrounding community safe during emergencies, officials said. The 13,000 square-foot building replaces a previously demolished office building that was on the site.
That old station, 3917 Long Beach Blvd., closed in 2019 because it leaked during rainstorms, and had mold and asbestos. When it closed, firefighters stationed there moved to a temporary facility by the Long Beach Airport until the city finished building them a new site.
And now, the new digs are ready.
The new station includes upgraded landscaping, paving, lighting and fencing; new traffic signals at the intersection of Long Beach Boulevard and Randolph Place; alley improvements on the north side of the facility; and upgraded sidewalks, among other improvements.
“It is not every day that we have the opportunity to open a brand new fire station in our great city,” Mayor Rex Richardson said during the event. “Public safety is personal. It’s knowing that someone’s answering the call, that help is on the way, and that we have trained professionals ready to act when an emergency takes place, and our responsibility is to make sure we stand behind those professionals (and that) we support those professionals with the same commitment that they bring to our city. That means investing in facilities like this.”
Station 9 will be home to a fire engine, rescue engine, a battalion chief and eight firefighters who will serve the Bixby Knolls and North Long Beach communities.
The station’s opening is deeply personal to many in the surrounding area, said Fifth District Councilmember Megan Kerr.
“For the residents and businesses of the Fifth District, today is a meaningful milestone for our neighborhood,” Kerr said. “This is the company that responded for me, for my father and for my grandmother on their hardest days.
“This station will be for the next several generations of residents what it was and is for me,” she added, “the promise that there are dedicated, professional and compassionate first responders just moments away and ready to serve.”
City leaders also acknowledged the disruption that building this new facility had on the community – from road closures to impacts on local businesses.
“We know that construction is tough – it’s tough on neighbors, businesses, and there were impacts from this, and we recognize that,” City Manager Tom Modica said. “We do really thank everybody for their understanding and patience, and especially The Merchant, (which is) right around the corner (and) had some impacts.”
The nearly $31 million project is part of the Elevate ‘28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, and was funded by Measure A, Measure A bonds and general capital.
The new facility, Buchanan said, is anticipated to lead to a reduction in response times.
“The facility is new but our mission remains the same,” Buchanan said, “to be ready when our community needs us and I guarantee you’ll see enhanced operations from the Long Beach Fire Department to the community.”
