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          TAMPA TRIBUNE 
          THIRD TIME MAY BE CHARM FOR
          FIREFIGHTERS' NEW HOME 
          Thursday, October 1, 1998 
          Section: FLORIDA/METRO 
          Page: 5 
          STEVE NEWBORN - OF THE TAMPA TRIBUNE 
          Memo: LOCAL FOCUS 
          LAKELAND - Now that a second site for a fire station was found to be
          moldy, a search for a third site is under way.
          Lakeland firefighters who were planning to move out of their moldy north side
          fire station Wednesday got an unpleasant surprise: The building they were
          going to move into had its own case of terminal mold.
          So it's off to a third location for the 18 firefighters.
          City officials were readying a Detroit Tigers spring training dormitory as an
          alternate site when they found that a cook there habitually kept his windows
          open all the time - even with the air conditioner on. That allowed Florida's
          high summertime humidity to creep into the building, stoking the growth of
          mold along the walls.
          City Manager Gene Strickland is lining up another location for the firefighters
          and rescue trucks. Today, they will be moved to the firefighters' training
          facility at Tigertown.
          The move comes only a week after half of Lakeland City Hall was evacuated
          because of black toxic mold that was found in air conditioning ducts on the
          third floor.
          The same kind of mold is suspected in the north side fire station, but it won't
          be known until laboratory results come in next week, said Wayne Snell,
          assistant fire chief.
          Several firefighters had complained about runny noses, sinus problems and
          sore throats before the mold was detected, Snell said.
          He praised the city's swiftness in finding an alternate station - a contrast to the
          several weeks it took the city to evacuate city hall.
          "It seems our firefighters are pretty pleased about the response we've had from
          the city," Snell said.
          It should take about 30 days to clean the mold on the walls and ceiling tiles, he
          said, and at that time it will be determined if it is safe to move back.
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          said, and at that time it will be determined if it is safe to move back.
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