Fire Station 1 mold remediation ongoing; return-to-service timeline uncertain

The Franklin Fire Department provided a brief update Nov. 11 on mold remediation at Fire Station 1.

The assistant chief said contractors found black mold in identified areas and have aggressively opened and remediated affected spaces; air scrubbers are in place and duct cleaning is scheduled to begin. "The remediation has gone smoothly, and we believe that the remediation will be completed by the end of this week," the assistant chief said, while adding that exterior water intrusion discovered during testing (noted on the lintels above windows) is an unknown that could affect both timeline and cost.

The department reported damage to particle-board cabinets that will likely need replacement as part of restoration work and said some public-education activities and training have been curtailed while Station 1 is out of commission. The assistant chief said they hope to begin reoccupying the building in about three and a half weeks but emphasized that the exterior leak repairs will determine the final schedule and any budgetary impact.

Council received and placed the report on file and requested updates at future meetings if remediation costs or schedules change.