A city survey commissioned by Mayor Kerry Smith showed nearly 75% of respondents said the city is in need of a new firehouse. Sixty-five percent said they would prefer the project downtown.

Fire Chief Josh Como isn’t so sure. He sounded an alarm at the November City Council meeting.

With a ground elevation of 27 feet, any new building would be inundated in all but a small- or medium-sized tsunami, he said.

Equipment would be inaccessible during the critical first hours of the disaster, Como said. Even building the property up with several feet of fill may not make a significant difference.

“By building in an area that is so susceptible to flooding, you’ve increased the likelihood it will be affected by the downed power lines, ruptured gas lines and displaced septic systems that will make the surrounding homes uninhabitable,” Como said. “It will probably not be an ideal location for a command center to operate a coordinated response out of.”

In 2019, the city’s firehouse committee projected a cost of $6 million to $8 million to rebuild at the Pacific Way location, with the need for temporary facilities during construction.

There are too many variables to make a good cost estimate today, Como said.

Meanwhile, a new station remains in limbo as the city considers options, including a renewed look at a potential land swap for property off Highlands Lane to house a firehouse or resiliency station. Voters in May overwhelmingly rejected a $14.5 million bond measure to finance a new firehouse off Highlands Lane.

“When the time comes we will work with the City Council and professionals for cost estimates,” Como said.