Fire chief urges repairs and new staffing after repeated water intrusion and mold at Station 1

Fire Chief Jim Mayer told the Finance Committee that persistent water intrusion and mold in Fire Station 1 have reached a point that requires immediate remediation and a broader review of the building’s long‑term viability. The department asked the committee to fund additional remediation work and to consider a multi‑year staffing plan to improve minimum daily fire response in the industrial park.

Mayer said the city already allocated $50,000 for initial remediation steps and testing but recommended an additional $50,000 in the 2026 capital budget to cover mold removal, window replacement and related work after consultants flagged more extensive issues. "We have employees with anecdotal reports of respiratory problems," Mayer said, describing the tests and the move of one administrative staffer to a different station while work proceeds.

Assistant Chief Shannon Antoine, who has led testing and grant efforts, said outside consultant Terracon identified mold in administrative offices and some asbestos under older floor tiles; the team has paused full remedial demolition to ensure proper handling. Antoine said remediation could require temporary housing for personnel or other contingency plans to maintain emergency coverage while interior work proceeds.

The chiefs also tied the station debate to staffing and response concerns. Mayer told the committee that Station 2 in the industrial park regularly operates with only two firefighters on the engine and that the department’s goal is to raise minimum daily staffing citywide to 13 personnel — which would allow four‑person engine companies at each station. "Station 2 is the only station in Milwaukee County regularly staffed with two people; it’s increasingly risky given the growth and the industrial hazards nearby," Mayer said, describing a recent roof fire at a large industrial facility that could have required heavier initial response.

Mayer proposed a three‑year, incremental hiring plan (adding one firefighter per year) as a feasible path to reach the target staffing level; he estimated roughly $150,000 per year per additional firefighter in full costs if lateral hires join at full pay. Mayer said federal SAFER grant changes this year — including a larger immediate local match — made FEMA funding less practical than incremental budgeting.

Antoine also discussed a separate but related grant award: Milwaukee County opioid settlement funds will cover a full‑time community paramedic position that will focus on in‑home follow up for patients with chronic conditions and reduce repeat emergency calls. The community paramedic program will be Monday–Friday, according to Antoine, and the grant will also fund a vehicle and stipends for paramedic staff who perform community work.

Committee members and the mayor asked for faster action on the Station 1 remediation and confirmed the city will proceed with contractor bids and consultant recommendations. The mayor said the city will “act on it” and that employee safety would not be deferred; the mayor also indicated the recommended 2026 budget includes an additional $50,000 toward remediation.

The chiefs warned that opening walls during remediation could uncover further problems and increase costs — including possible asbestos abatement — and said the city should weigh whether to repair and expand the existing station or pursue a larger headquarters replacement project that had been studied earlier. Mayer recommended convening a working group including fire staff, city administration and council representatives to define options that would serve the city over the next several decades.

The discussion concluded with committee agreement to advance the remediation work and to return with firm contractor estimates and a more detailed plan for staffing options and capital timing.

Members requested regular updates on remediation scope, health testing results, interim housing plans for personnel if needed, and a roadmap showing how temporary repairs and longer‑term capital options would interact.