Fort Meade Votes to Move Firefighters Out of Moldy Fire Station, Makes Volunteer Fire Department Official
Fort Meade firefighters will move out of the city’s fire station and into two city-owned buildings while the city decides how to deal with mold and sewer problems inside the station. The City Commission voted unanimously for the move at its Oct. 13 meeting.
At the same meeting, the commission officially recognized the Fort Meade Volunteer Fire Department Inc. as the city’s volunteer auxiliary. That vote was also unanimous.
The move came two weeks after a second mold assessment recommended limiting use of the building. “Occupancy of the building should be limited until full remediation is completed,” the Sept. 28 report states. “Mold is nothing to mess around with, sewage is nothing to mess around with,” Commissioner Matthew Taylor said at the meeting.
Interim Fire Chief Phillip Antoine presented two options to the commission. Antoine was the department’s deputy chief before City Manager Troy Bell named him interim chief at the start of the meeting.
Option A was renting housing units for the crews. Antoine said the rentals would cost about $9,700 a month plus up to $21,000 upfront.
Option B was moving the crews into two buildings the city already owns. Bell said those are the code enforcement space and the building at 102 W. Broadway St. One of the buildings already has a shower and a working restroom, Antoine said. The department would need to bring in beds and lockers.
The fire trucks would also need a protective cover closer to the new quarters to keep response times down and protect the city’s ISO rating. Antoine said quotes for the cover and bedding range from $7,600 to $15,200. He said the move could happen within days of approval. The bays that hold the trucks and turnout gear have not been affected, Antoine said.
Commissioner Candice Lott pushed for an immediate vote. “We need to get them out of there now,” Lott said.
Tim Pearson, who told the commission he represents firefighters across Florida, spoke during public comment. “Sending them home tonight to a moldy bedroom. I don’t feel good about that at all,” Pearson said.
Volunteer fire department made official
Resolution 2026-57 formally recognizes the Fort Meade Volunteer Fire Department Inc. as the city’s official volunteer auxiliary. Commissioner James Watts made the motion.
Bell said the volunteer department is being set up as an independent organization. The commission reviewed and agreed to its bylaws. The volunteer organization still has to adopt the bylaws itself, Bell said.
The bylaws set the stipends paid to volunteers. The city attorney said the stipends were reviewed for compliance with IRS guidance. The city already paid volunteer stipends, the attorney said. The new amounts are increases meant to keep pace with the market.
Watts asked whether the city can afford the stipends if the number of volunteers grows. Bell said the bylaws do not cap the number of volunteers. Volunteers must meet activity and involvement requirements to qualify for a stipend, he said.
“One of the things that I said upon coming on board and working with the fire department is I wanted to increase the number of volunteers that participate,” Bell said. He said the stipends have to be competitive to draw volunteers.
State inspection found violations
Antoine told the commission a state health and safety inspection found the station in violation. “We are in violation based off that,” he said. He said Option B was the best way to avoid further penalties and health risks to the staff.
Former Fire Chief Michael Zylka told Tampa Bay 28 the unannounced state inspection happened the Monday before he was fired on Oct. 9. Zylka requested the second mold assessment. His termination letter cites insubordination and failure to follow a direct management directive, according to Tampa Bay 28. The letter does not identify the directive.
Antoine said the department began documenting problems at the station on Aug. 3. The station also had two sewer backups. Antoine said the water department pumped out between 809 and about 1,400 gallons.
On Oct. 8, a shower leak in the upstairs bathroom sent water down to the first floor, Antoine said. “All of these events were after we had our two assessments that were done,” he said.
What the second report found
Precision Risk Assessment of Lakewood Ranch inspected the station at 12 N. Albritton Ave. on Sept. 22, 2026. Shamrock Mold Inspections of Boca Raton did the first assessment on Sept. 10.
Assessor Hal Axley documented three sources of water damage. They are a roof leak, a collapsed sewer line and leaking showers. “No Mitigation completed to date,” the report states.
Inspectors saw visible mold growth on “most of the HVAC Vents throughout the structure.” The lab describes Aspergillus/Penicillium as “prevalent in water-damaged buildings.” None of it turned up in the outdoor air sample. The mold group was found in five rooms inside the station. Stachybotrys, commonly called black mold, was not detected in either report.
Bell said the city is waiting on pricing for the repairs. Bell named SERVPRO and Precision as the vendors being considered.
“So we should have an idea of what it will cost to actually fix what’s wrong there and what the timeline is associated with it,” Bell said. The rental units remain an option if the repairs take longer, he said.
The new station is about 18 to 24 months away, Bell said. The city is about to start the request for proposals process. Bell said he would recommend tearing down the current station once the new one is built. He said any repair work from SERVPRO would be “really just a temporary solution until we have the new fire station built.”
Bell said handing fire service to the county “is not a prospect that I like.” He said the move to city buildings keeps the department within its budget.
The city’s 2026-27 budget includes $2.25 million listed as “FIRE STATION GRANT AWARDED.” The amount appears as both revenue and expense. No city tax dollars are budgeted for it.
Antoine also asked the commission for a workshop on plans to bring the department closer to state and national fire standards. Commissioners agreed to schedule one after the repair estimates come back.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are Fort Meade firefighters moving out of the fire station?
Yes. The City Commission voted unanimously Oct. 13 to move firefighters into two city-owned buildings, the code enforcement space and 102 W. Broadway St. The trucks and gear stay in the station’s bays, which have not been affected.
Why are Fort Meade firefighters leaving the station?
Two mold assessments found water damage and mold in the station. The second report, dated Sept. 28, says “Occupancy of the building should be limited until full remediation is completed.” A state health and safety inspection also found violations, according to Interim Fire Chief Phillip Antoine.
Was black mold found in the Fort Meade fire station?
No. Stachybotrys, commonly called black mold, was not detected in either report. The second report found Aspergillus/Penicillium in five rooms and visible mold on most of the HVAC vents.
When will Fort Meade have a new fire station?
City Manager Troy Bell said the new station is about 18 to 24 months away. The city is about to begin the request for proposals process, and Bell said he would recommend tearing down the current station once the new one is built.
Who is leading the Fort Meade Fire Department?
Phillip Antoine, the department’s deputy chief, was named interim fire chief at the start of the Oct. 13 meeting. Former Chief Michael Zylka was fired Oct. 9, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Sources: “Regular Meeting,” Fort Meade City Commission, cityoffortmeade.org, Oct. 13, 2026; “Resolution 2026-57,” City of Fort Meade, cityoffortmeade.org, Oct. 13, 2026; “Mold Assessment Report and Remediation Protocol, Ft. Meade Fire Department,” Precision Risk Assessment, Sept. 28, 2026; “Certificate of Analysis, Report Code M-AXLE-274214,” Daane Labs, Sept. 23, 2026; “Mold Assessment and Remediation Protocol, Fort Meade Fire Department,” Shamrock Mold Inspections, Sept. 10, 2026; “Regular Meeting Agenda Packet,” Fort Meade City Commission, cityoffortmeade.org, Sept. 8, 2026; “Truth in Millage Hearing,” Fort Meade City Commission, cityoffortmeade.org, Sept. 17, 2026; “Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget,” City of Fort Meade, cityoffortmeade.org, undated; “Fort Meade fire chief fired, city manager alleges insubordination,” Tampa Bay 28, tampabay28.com, Oct. 13, 2026
