Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County gets 15-year fire-station plan: phased station, EMS and numbering recommendations
Summary
A consultant-led fire-station location study maps population, hazards and call demand and recommends a phased 15-year plan that includes station numbering, phased new stations/renovations, EMS co-location, and facility standardization to improve response performance in growing areas.
A consultant team presented a countywide fire-station location and facility plan designed to align station placement with forecasted growth, call demand, and hazard exposure.
Robert Finn of Matrix Consulting told commissioners the study divided Johnston County into planning zones (urban, suburban, rural) and scored each zone on population, physical hazards and incident demand. The analysis found call volume and population density concentrated north and west of I‑95, with higher drive-time performance issues in some urban pockets and longer travel times in rural areas.
Finn recommended a phased approach for the next 15 years: Phase 1 lists locations with immediate need for new or renovated facilities to improve first‑unit arrival and effective response force; Phase 2 covers facilities that will require changes as current volunteer stations transition toward career staffing; Phase 3 is a long‑range plan tied to growth scenarios. The study also recommends implementing a county numbering system for stations and apparatus to clarify dispatch and mutual‑aid response, and standardizing station/vehicle layouts where possible.
County emergency‑services leaders and the architect agreed that many station buildings require renovation or replacement, and that co‑locating EMS with fire units can improve operational efficiency. Commissioners asked about mapping tools for the public and ISO/performance standards; consultants said interactive GIS layers and phased ISO crediting would be part of implementation. The consultant emphasized flexibility: the plan is triggered by actual growth, not solely by planned development.
Next steps: the study will be presented to the Fire Commission for feedback, and staff recommended using the plan to inform capital budgeting and grant-seeking for station construction and renovation.
