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Fire-rescue officials warn Clay County needs eight new stations to meet projected demand
Summary
Fire Rescue Operations Chief and county consultants told the Clay County commission that call volume rose about 40% since 2015, that 2045 projections approach 53,000 calls and that the plan contemplates eight new stations and substantial apparatus additions; consultants estimate impact fees could cover roughly $62 million of a $152 million program over 23 years.
Fire-rescue leadership and consultants told the Clay County Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 28, 2022, that the county's emergency-call volume has grown substantially and that planned station and apparatus expansions are needed to avoid longer response times.
The Fire Rescue Operations Chief (first speaking at SEG 365) summarized operational data and national guidance: he said call volume has increased by about 40% from Feb. 2015 to Feb. 2022 and that current average response time has moved from just over 7 minutes to just under 8 minutes. He cited NFPA guidance on response times — initial unit within roughly 4 minutes and full assignment for structure fires within 8 minutes — and said the county is approaching those response limits for unincorporated areas when partner resources (such as Orange Park) are excluded.
Consultants told the board the fire/rescue capital program in the study totals about $152 million over the next 23 years; they estimated the county CIP would need to provide about $90 million and impact fees could account for roughly $62 million. The fire/rescue plan maps potential station sites across the county and envisions an increase in apparatus and staffing, including roughly 8 additional engines, 9 ladder companies and 10 additional rescue units by 2045 in the study's planning scenario.
In Q&A, commissioners asked how major expressway incidents or mass-casualty events would affect on-call capacity. The chief said such events strain the system and that mutual-aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions are relied upon in large incidents. Multiple public speakers, including local firefighters, supported impact fees as a means to finance station construction and avoid erosion of service in growing neighborhoods.
Board members asked staff and the consultant to present clearer separations, where feasible, between existing deficiencies and the additional costs of raising the county's service standard; consultants said some totals conflate both elements and offered to provide clearer presentation in follow-up materials.
