County Commits Nearly $1.7 Million Toward New Caloosa Lake Fire Station Along ABC RD
by James Coulter
Lake Wales will soon have a new fire station, built from a prototype that has become an industry standard, after the county approved the project’s guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for construction services.
At their regular meeting on Tues. June 16, 2026, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) voted unanimously to approve a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) addendum with Miller Construction Management, Inc. for the construction of the Caloosa Lake Fire Rescue Station 21.
To fund the project, $1,693,204 will be transferred from the Emergency Medical Millage Fund Reserve for Future Capital Expansion. With total construction costs estimated at $4,696,968, the project will require a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) amendment.
The fire station is one of four stations planned for the county. The other three projects include:
- Nalcrest Fire Rescue Station (Nalcrest) — currently on hold until a water plant is constructed near the site.
- Watkins Road Fire Rescue Station (Haines City) — completed construction in June 2024.
- Bradley Junction Fire Rescue Station (Bradley) — previously approved with Caloosa for pre-construction services.
The station’s floor plan is based on a prototype developed by the Lunz Group. According to the group’s website, the design was intended for replication “at multiple sites across the County with only small tweaks,” an approach that “reduced design fees” and “demonstrated fiscal responsibility.”
The core prototype features a dual-bay design with apparatus bays engineered for future expansion, along with clearly defined decontamination zones physically separated from residential areas. This separation helps mitigate the spread of carcinogens, contaminants, and other hazardous exposures within the facility.
The BoCC commissioned the prototype design in 2019, approved it in 2020, and brought it to fruition in 2021 through the design and construction of the Kathleen Fire Rescue Station in Lakeland.
This design was developed to help meet the growing demand for services driven by population growth. According to the Lunz Group website, the Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan area experienced the second-highest population growth rate in the United States between 2019 and 2020, increasing by 2.7 percent.
Commissioner Mike Scott praised the construction of the new fire stations, highlighting the prototype’s design, which he said has become “almost industry-leading.” The new facilities will not only enhance safety for residents but also help control future costs by avoiding greater expenses down the road. Scott noted that building the stations now would be “less than what we would have to spend in the future” as construction costs continue to rise.
“So, hats off to the county for looking at a program perspective of implementing this [prototype] successfully, not only managing how we spend our money but also how effective and efficient we are with it as well,” he said.
