Severe storms forced Florida firefighters out of their substation last week, and it's not known when they'll be able to return.
Heavy rains and winds caused around $8,000 in damage to the Haines City Fire Department's substation behind police headquarters, WTVT-TV reports. Most of the damage was done to the facility's ceiling and floor.
Firefighters who had been staying at the substation have moved to the department's main firehouse nearby because of possible mold and electrical issues. But response times to calls in the substation's coverage area have become a concern for crews.
“Depending on time, weather and traffic. It could be a two- to three-minute delay to get there,” Chief Jeffery Davidson told WTVT. “So we’re doing everything we can to get the situation under corrected as soon as possible, and get our personnel back over there into that area."
The department is still assessing what needs to be in order to make that happen. It might only take about a week to repair the substation and move firefighters back in, but that time frame could jump to months if the building needs to be replaced, according to WTVT.