Since Hurricane Helene devastated their public safety building, Treasure Island Fire Rescue and the Police Department have been operating out of portable units in City Hall’s parking lot.

The storm flooded their facility on 108th Avenue with three feet of water, rendering it unusable.

“Our lockers were underwater,” said Police Chief John Barkley. “We had water in our top desk drawers. You’d open one, and a puddle would spill into your lap.”

Recovering from such destruction while continuing to serve the community was a significant challenge. However, relief is on the way. On Tuesday night, the City Commission unanimously approved a new permanent public safety facility at 10499 Gulf Boulevard, right next to City Hall.

“As we rebuild, we have to think about future growth. What will Treasure Island look like in five or ten years?” Barkley said. “This new location is central to the city and right across from the busiest part of our beach. It’s going to benefit everyone.”

Fire Chief Trip Barrs emphasized the strategic advantage of the new site. A study analyzing two years of emergency call data showed that response times for fire and EMS services would improve by an average of 38 seconds.

“When we mapped our calls, they pointed right to this location,” Barrs explained. “Most incidents happen in the city center, often involving vacationers and beachgoers. This spot offers the best access to neighborhoods in all directions, making sense both practically and from a data standpoint.”

For years, Treasure Island city officials discussed replacing the aging 60-year-old public safety building, but other priorities delayed progress. Hurricane Helene forced the issue to the forefront.

“This disaster made the need undeniable,” Barrs said. “Seeing unanimous support from the commission last night was a big win. Our teams have been through a lot—they slept in seven different places after the storm, including churches, hotels, a community college, even their vehicles. Having a permanent home again means everything.”

The new facility will be built to withstand hurricanes and tropical storms and will include an emergency operations center.

“We need a building we can immediately operate from after a storm,” Barkley said. “Previously, our emergency operations center was a mile and a half outside the city, past our own checkpoints. It was inconvenient and didn’t make sense. Our officers want to be on the island, helping the community.”

With a new home on the horizon, morale among first responders is already on the rise.

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(Image credit: WTVT)