The new Miami Lakes West Fire-Rescue Station 64 is a symbol of the hard work and dedication put in by town and Miami-Dade officials to help save lives on the west side of town.
But one man made it all possible when it seemed so far-fetched 11 years ago.
The late Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Roberto Alonso was recognized during the grand opening of the facility, 15325 N.W. 77 Court, last week for discovering the FDOT-owned land, where the fire station now sits.
He was honored posthumously for his efforts to bring another fire station to Miami Lakes, as county officials unveiled a plaque inscribed with kind words and his picture in the office room of the 13,512 square-foot facility.
At a time when Miami-Dade was under a lot of pressure to buy land for a fire station to increase the emergency response time in the western fringes of Miami Lakes, Alonso, a Realtor, found the land and FDOT later turned it over to the county.
“It’s only fitting to mention he was the biggest champion and advocate to make sure this happened,” Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. said to the large crowd on hand for the ceremony. “His family takes great pride and he’s looking down upon us. Today is a testament of a promise that was made and a promise that was kept.”
Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi said it was a collective effort by town and county administrators to bring Station 64 to the town.
He recognized former Mayor Wayne Slaton and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas, who were in attendance, as part a team that also made it possible for the fire station to be built in the town.
“They worked hard to make this happen,” said Pizzi, who lives on the west side of town. “With a fire station near, if someone is having a heart attack, their life is going to be saved.”
Pizzi said the fire station is like a neighborhood place for the Miami Lakes family.
“Residents can get their blood pressure checked here, and if a cat is stuck in a tree, the fire station can help that neighbor,” he said. “The fire station is an intricate part of our town family.”
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Dave Downey expressed his gratitude to Seijas and former fire chief Herminio Lorenzo, a longtime Miami Lakes resident, for their years of support and efforts for a fire station.
“Chief Lorenzo pushed the issue throughout all of the stumbling blocks,” he said as a sea of firefighters and personnel looked on. “Through their efforts, the fire station is designed to serve the community.”
The Silver LEED Certified two-story triple-bay facility accommodates advance life support units. The facility Includes a lobby area, bunker gear room, office space, a kitchen and dining area, day room, restroom facilities, an exercise room and battalion chief’s office.
Two units will be assigned to the station. It will help increase service and improve response time and efficiency, enabling the county to continue providing for the health, safety and welfare of the town and its surrounding communities.
Roberto Alonso Jr. said it’s “great” to see one of his dad’s dreams come true.
“He worked hard for so many years to identify land for a fire station,” he said. “And with the efforts of FDOT and the county, his dream was able to come to life.”