A fire station that officially opened Monday is expected to reduce response times in a busy section of North Jacksonville.
Station 64 is the ninth fire station the city has started in the past three years. It is just west of Interstate 95 on the site of a former bank near many businesses and homes.
The new station’s fire engine and rescue unit also will help nearby Stations 34 and 37. It’s at the busy area of Harts Road and Dunn Avenue. It was budgeted at more than $8 million for land purchase, construction and new equipment.
Fire Chief Keith Powers said the fast-growing Northside community is one of the areas most in need of fire stations.
“It was taking surrounding companies coming in here to fill this gap — it would take 6 or 7 minutes (to respond),” Powers told News4Jax. “Where now it’s going to be down to a 2-, 3-, 4-minute range.”