Long Beach port losing local fire HQ as tenant

Long Beach port losing local fire HQ as tenant The Port of Long Beach is losing a tenant to the local airport in a deal that could wind up costing the port more than $1 million a year.
   The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday approved the lease of a massive hangar and office structure at Long Beach Airport that will serve as the new headquarters to the Long Beach Fire Department.
   The LBFD headquarters currently occupies the first floor of the port administration building in a swap deal that writes off their rent in the building for fire services provided in the port area. Once the LBFD leaves the administration building, services provided by the several fire stations in the harbor will have to be paid for by the port instead of swapped for rent.
   The LBFD move has been in the works for more than a year, spurred on by port plans to build a new administration building near the current one. Though development of a new port building has slowed considerably after chief visionary Geraldine Knatz left to take the chief executive position at the neighboring Los Angeles port, initial plans drawn up for the new building provide no space for the LBFD. Fire department officials have said privately that it was clear they were being encouraged to find their own facility.
   Among the chief advantages of the move will be the new fire headquarters' location just blocks from the city's Emergency Operations Center and at a closer proximity to LBFD training facilities.
   In addition to the office space, the new facility includes a massive hangar that will be used to house apparatus and other emergency and law enforcement services equipment. Some city police staff will also rent space in the facility.
   The terms of the lease call for rent of $128,000 a month, with the fire department picking up the bulk of the bill.