Sunrise Beach fire station gets major renovations
The newly-purchased fire truck for the department accompanied by Emergency Services District No. 5 Commissioner Karl Wolfe (left), Fire Chief Patrick Cates, Firefighter/EMT-A David Gilliland, and Firefighter/Paramedic Thach Martin. Staff photo by Maci Cottingham.
Sunrise Beach Fire Station No. 1 is undergoing a more than $1 million renovation as the community transitions from a volunteer fire department to a professional department aimed at improving emergency response for Emergency Services District No. 5.
The renovation adds living quarters, training space, and safety upgrades to the 10,000-square-foot station, allowing firefighters to staff the facility around the clock. Firefighters will work 48-hour shifts, making on-site living space essential, according to Fire Chief Patrick Cates.
“This is their house for one third of their life,” Cates said.
Upgrades include four bunk rooms with beds, desks, and showers, along with a shared kitchen and living area. The station was designed with firefighter health in mind, featuring a separate, ventilated turnout gear room, in-house washing facilities, and designated locker and shower areas to reduce contamination.
“We’re trying to make sure we do not bring contamination into the building,” Cates said.
The layout allows volunteer firefighters responding to calls to access gear and trucks without entering living areas. Additional improvements include a hazmat tool room, watch office with radio equipment, and a treatment room near the front entrance that remains separated from the rest of the building. Front doors were widened to accommodate stretchers.
Administrative offices, a public-facing front desk, and a conference room are also part of the renovation, along with a multipurpose training room.
“It works out well that we can multipurpose all the rooms we have in here,” Cates said.
The project follows the 2022 creation of Emergency Services District No. 5, a taxing district that funds fire protection and allows the department to hire full-time firefighters. The Sunrise Beach Volunteer Fire Department still owns the station and is covering 40 percent of renovation costs, while the ESD is funding the remaining 60 percent. The ESD will assume responsibility for operating the department once renovations are complete.
“This is a transition from a volunteer department to a career department,” ESD Commissioner Karl Wolfe said.
The Sunrise Beach Fire Department serves an area stretching from Sunrise Beach to Kingsland and along Lake LBJ and the Llano River, encompassing the city of Sunrise Beach Village and the unincorporated areas of Llano County bounded by Honey Creek to the north, Texas 71 to the west, Sandy Creek to the south, and Lake LBJ to the east,” according to their website.
The department is staffed by a blend of 16 career firefighter-EMTs and 30 volunteer firefighters and other first responders.
Cates said the upgrades will allow the department to handle multiple emergencies simultaneously.
“We want to be able to handle two structure fires at the same time,” he said.
Wolfe called the renovation an investment in the community’s future.
“It has a lasting legacy,” he said.