County pours cold water on firefighter museum plan

The Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation wanted to turn the old Fire Station 22 into a firefighter museum.

Officials from the nonprofit organization that helps burn victims and their families asked Clark County commissioners Tuesday for permission to renovate the 32-year-old building, which is no longer in use.

But county property officials think tearing down the building and selling the land would benefit the county more than paying to keep up the facility until the burn foundation raises the $100,000 it needs to clean it up.

So commissioners voted to raze the building and create a policy to address future requests from nonprofits wanting to take over vacant county buildings.

Demolition costs will be $120,000.

The old fire station on West Flamingo Road has been a victim of graffiti since the new station opened next door a year ago. The county has spent about $10,000 in that year for utility and graffiti cleanup.

Commissioner Steve Sisolak, whose district includes the old station, said the decision came down to money.

"There's a cost of just leaving it standing there as it is," Sisolak said. "And I'm not even sure how we'll fix the new Station 22."

The burn foundation plans to continue its efforts to create a fire museum in Southern Nevada, using donations and state museum grants, following models for firefighter museums in San Diego and Phoenix.

Warren Whitney, foundation president and a county fire captain, said he envisions a place where the organization can disseminate public safety information and give hands-on demonstrations of firefighting equipment.

"This would serve as a source of information," Whitney said. "With the MGM fire, the Hilton fire and the Monte Carlo, we have the strictest fire codes in the world. We could show where we're at and how the whole valley and state have been affected."

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.