Agency official highlights new Palm Bay fire station, ALS squads and plans for two more

An agency official for the City of Palm Bay said public safety remains a top priority and announced that the city opened a temporary Fire Station 9 in January 2026 at Babcock Street and Maraloma Boulevard to serve southeast Palm Bay. "Public safety remains one of my highest priorities," the official said, and noted a ribbon‑cutting for Fire Station 7 on April 18 drew strong community turnout.

The speaker said the temporary station is a modern, transferable facility intended to strengthen emergency response along a busy corridor and to serve as a prototype for future stations that can be replicated to control costs and improve response times.

Palm Bay Fire Rescue reported more than 20,000 calls for service in 2025, the official said, including nearly 13,000 emergency‑medical calls, 79 structure fires and more than 250 wildland fire responses, figures the city presented as evidence of growing demand on firefighters and paramedics.

The city has invested in apparatus and medical equipment, including high‑water and brush trucks, a water tender, rescue and extrication tools and advanced cardiac monitors. "I'm especially proud of the addition of our new advanced life support squad units," the official said. "These units were purchased entirely through impact fees, meaning there was no additional cost to existing residents." The official said each ALS squad is fully staffed by paramedics and equipped with the same life‑saving EMS tools found on traditional fire engines.

Officials described the ALS squads as smaller, more maneuverable units placed in busy service areas so crews can reach neighborhoods and congested scenes more efficiently while engine companies remain available for other calls, improving the department's overall readiness.

On workforce development, the official said the department graduated 17 paramedics in 2025 through a city‑sponsored sponsorship program. Fourteen additional firefighters are enrolled in paramedic school in 2026 and are expected to enter national certification testing this fall. The sponsorship program was described as a long‑term investment in both public safety and patient care, and the department is working to implement new advanced EMS programs to further improve patient outcomes.

Looking ahead, planning is underway for Fire Station 8 in northwest Palm Bay near St. John's Heritage Parkway and Malabar Road to manage future growth, the official said. The city is also planning a permanent Fire Station 9 to support Emerald Lakes development; the speaker said the future station is expected to house a heavy rescue, battalion chief, truck, squad, engine and tender to meet increasing service demands in southeast Palm Bay.

The city did not announce a formal vote or ordinance at the briefing; the official framed the remarks as operational updates and planning priorities. Paramedic certification testing and continued station planning were the next anticipated milestones.