Palm Coast Celebrates the Grand Opening of New Fire Station 22

The City of Palm Coast proudly celebrated the grand opening of Fire Station 22 on Thursday morning, marking a major milestone in public safety, service expansion, and community investment while also honoring the history of the City’s very first fire station.

Located at 350 Palm Coast Parkway NE at the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway and Colbert Lane, the new station provides Palm Coast firefighters with a modern, state-of-the-art facility designed to support the important work they do every day while serving one of the City’s oldest areas.

The ceremony was led by Deputy Fire Chief Bradd Clark, who served as Master of Ceremonies. Shelley Bennett of the Community Chorus of Palm Coast performed the National Anthem, and Mayor Mike Norris and all members of the City Council joined City staff, firefighters, project partners, and community members to celebrate the opening.

Rather than a traditional ribbon cutting, the ceremony featured a longstanding fire service tradition: a hose uncoupling. As the large red bay doors opened, City and Fire Department leaders joined together to uncouple a section of fire hose, officially marking the station’s opening.

And, fittingly, the station didn’t stay quiet for long. Twice during the ceremony, the station’s tones dropped, signaling an emergency call. Because Fire Station 22 is already an active station, firefighters were ready to respond, which provided a real-time reminder of why the new facility matters.

The opening of the new Fire Station 22 also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the original station, which has stood at the heart of this community for nearly 50 years.

The original Fire Station 22 was built in 1977 by ITT and donated to the Palm Coast Service District. It was the first fire station in Palm Coast and has served generations of firefighters and residents.

For nearly five decades, firefighters answered calls from that building, making it an important part of Palm Coast’s history. But the station was never designed to serve as the long-term home of a modern fire department.

The new Fire Station 22 allows the Palm Coast Fire Department to move forward with a facility designed around the needs of today’s firefighters while giving the historic station an opportunity for a new life in the community.

Rather than being torn down or forgotten, the original station will be preserved and repurposed as a community space, with plans for it to serve as a destination where residents and visitors can learn more about Palm Coast’s history and the men and women who have served the community.

“This is an opportunity to build for the future without forgetting where we came from,” City Manager Mike McGlothlin said during the ceremony. “This isn't just a new building. It is a new home for the men and women who run toward emergencies when most of us are trying to get away from them.”

McGlothlin recognized the City staff members who led the project, including Stormwater & Engineering Director Carl Cote, Architect Eric Gebo, Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill, Deputy Fire Chief Bradd Clark, and their teams. He also recognized project partners Schenkel Schultz and Wharton-Smith Inc. for their work in designing and constructing the facility.

Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill shared a personal message about the department’s values, mission, and future, emphasizing that Fire Station 22 was designed to give firefighters a safe and modern home from which to serve the community.

Berryhill reflected on the Fire Department’s core values of Family, Integrity, and Loyalty, and reminded those gathered that while firefighters train for major emergencies, much of their everyday work is deeply personal to the families they serve.

“We’re going to run more than 18,700 calls this year. For the families who call 911, that call could come on the worst day of their lives. And I know what that feels like because I’ve been one of those families. It is our responsibility to be there for our community, to help them through those difficult moments, and to give them the very best care and service we can,” said Fire Chief Berryhill.

Mayor Mike Norris also shared personal remarks about the importance of the Fire Department and the profound impact its firefighters have had on his own family.

Norris reflected on a time when Palm Coast firefighters responded to an emergency involving his wife and helped save her life, sharing his deep gratitude to the men and women who serve the community.

Fire Station 22 was designed by Schenkel Schultz, with Architect Zoran Lozanovski leading the design. Construction was completed by Wharton-Smith Inc., with General Superintendent Tim Moore overseeing the project and participating in Thursday’s ceremony.

Fire Station 22 was designed with both the community and the firefighters who will work there in mind. The LEED-certified facility incorporates advanced energy- and water-efficiency features and is among the top 10% of buildings for these types of efficiencies. The station produces approximately 136% of the energy it consumes, helping reduce its long-term environmental impact and operating costs, while advanced water-saving features are expected to reduce water usage by over 30%. The building also earned a certified indoor air quality designation, helping provide firefighters with cleaner air in the station where they live, work, train, and prepare to respond to calls.

The project was funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and fire impact fees, providing the City with the resources to replace the aging facility while making a significant investment in public safety.

The new Fire Station 22 joins Fire Station 26 in Seminole Woods, which opened over Memorial Day weekend this year, as one of the newest facilities serving Palm Coast.

The City of Palm Coast extends its appreciation to the firefighters, City staff, architects, contractors, project partners, and residents whose support helped make the new Fire Station 22 possible.

Today, Palm Coast celebrates a new home for its firefighters while preserving a piece of the City’s history ensuring that both the future and the past of Fire Station 22 will continue to serve the community.

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