MIAMI — City of Miami fire stations and police headquarters are in such poor condition that firefighters and officers say the buildings are falling into disrepair.

At Fire Station No. 5 -- the busiest in the city -- the problems are hard to miss. Built 50 years ago, the fire chief says it’s so outdated that modern fire trucks can barely fit inside. There are visible signs of decay throughout, and the air conditioning is out.

Staff brought in a portable unit, but that required a generator because the electrical panel is also outdated.

“The circuitry is so old they don’t make the parts anymore. We have to go online and find used parts,” Miami Fire Chief Robert Hevia said.

Conditions appear even worse at Fire Station No. 1. Built in 1964, the building has rust, mold and leaks.

Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins has proposed taking out a nearly $450 million loan to build new facilities, saying voters should decide on the issue in August.

A separate measure under consideration by the city commission could address other stations currently operating out of trailers -- including Fire Station No. 16 in Brickell and Fire Station No. 15 near Bayside.

At Station 15, firefighters must run from a trailer, down a dock, to reach their fire boats -- a setup sources say delays response times.

But Thursday afternoon, as commissioners prepared to vote on putting the bond measure on the ballot, the mayor made an unexpected request to delay.

“I’ve had a number of conversations, as the city manager has, about the bond referendum. I would respectfully ask that we defer this item to the next commission meeting,” she said.

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