Long-needed new fire station in Benalmádena moves one step closer

After more than 23 years of promises by various governments that have passed through the town hall, Benalmádena fire brigade could soon have a new headquarters. Firefighters in the municipality do not currently have a permanent area to carry out exercises and drills, so they have been forced to use a variety of municipal plots or buildings for more than two decades. During this time, the brigade has been installed in a ‘temporary’ warehouse on the La Leala industrial estate in Arroyo de la Miel.

Different local government teams have been promising the construction of a fire station that responds to the needs of a fire brigade that has 30 staff and which carries out an annual average of 610 interventions, of which 35 per cent are fires.

Different locations have been suggested for the construction of the new facility, but, durimng a meeting last week, the town’s mayor, Juan Antonio Lara said that it would most likely be built on a 3,000 square metre plot on Avenida Cerro del Viento, the location suggested by the previous socialist council.

Fire chief, David Bañasco, said, “During the last two decades, none of the local government teams have moved forward with this project. The previous PSOE council laid the foundations for its construction, but it was left unfinished. Now the PP has arrived, and they have assured us that the new facility is part of its mandate.”

The mayor explained that while the new headquarters was under construction, the temporary building and its facilities would be improved in order to “provide a solution” to the current problem.

“We are aware of the problems, which I now assume as my own, because the fundamental objective is an innovative fire station, and we are going to work tirelessly to make it a reality; Lara explained.

The mayor also announced that eight more fire fighters will be employed next year, along with a fleet of new vehicles in a package with an investment of 1.3 million euros.

“For us it will be like reaching the summit if this time we really get more personnel, new vehicles and a new fire station,” Bañasco added.