New stations set to improve emergency response times in Flagler Estates
St. Johns County hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new fire station and Sheriff's Office substation.
It's a 3.8 million dollar construction project that's going to speed up response times to emergencies and medical calls.
The future home for Flagler Estates Fire Station #21 is currently fenced off as construction gets underway.
The below renderings show what it'll look like once it's complete:
St. Johns County Commissioner for District 2, Sarah Arnold, said it's about time to have a new substation here.
'It can take 15 or 20 minutes for response, and this is something the community needed, so we're very thrilled to be breaking ground on the project today,' said Arnold.'
Sheriff Robert Hardwick said a joint substation, with both fire and sheriff's office services, will address a greater need in this underserved community.
'It's not only a substation for St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and St. John's County Fire Rescue, but our partners and brothers and sisters with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office who are very isolated down here,' said Hardwick.
The fire chief for St. John's County Fire and Rescue said this is the first station to be built as part of the recently approved public safety expansion plan.
Another four joint substations are expected be built over the next five years or so.
Read: Unprecedented public safety improvements planned and approved for St. Johns County
'The area itself has been growing significantly as far as population and build out in the community, so it's a much-needed resource for this area,' said Sean McGee, the Fire Chief for St. John's County Fire Rescue.
McGee said 12 new firefighter/EMT/paramedics who just graduated have already been hired and will be ready to start on the job here as soon as construction is complete.
Read: St. Johns County Fire Rescue to hire 31 new firefighters to address growing demands
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