South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue reopens midtown station

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) once again has three fire stations operating in the city limits. Their Station #2 on Lake Tahoe Boulevard in the Al Tahoe neighborhood reopened at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

In 2015 the City had let Cal Tahoe JPA move the ambulance service into the station when SLTFR restructured and moved all ambulance duties over to the JPA. In return they gave up their fire station for five years.

The JPA moved out March 1 and since then the station has received new carpets, new desks, paint, some new electrical has been added as well as deferred maintenance tasks. There will be three to four staff members on duty at Station 2 and it will soon be home to the City's new ladder truck set to arrive at the end of May or the beginning of June.

"We are excited to be back in the station," said SLTFR Battalion Chief Jim Drennan who was the station's project manager.

Cal Tahoe JPA will be using the old LTVA building near the Tahoe Art League and Lake Tahoe History Museum on Lake Tahoe Boulevard as their new home once it is remodeled to fit their needs.

The JPA is currently renting two homes on the South Shore for their staff to operate out of until the new offices are ready.

Currently, there are two ambulances at each of those homes along with one each at Lake Valley Fire's Station 7 and Station 6.

The Cal Tahoe JPA Executive Director Ryan Wagoner said they may even have to add another home before moving into the new offices due to anticipated needs during the pandemic. He is planning on beefing up staff at this time.

Wagoner said they received special use permits for the rental houses with their new use housing the ambulances and staff. He said they hope to be out of the homes and into the new building by June. There are currently 23 employees of the JPA which includes Wagoner and one person in the office. There is also a group of per diem medics and paramedics called upon when needed.