Randy Roberts, Fire Chief FH Rural/Metro Fire Department
The Town of Fountain Hills is taking steps to upgrade the Fire Department's ability to deliver emergency services to town residents and visitors by relocating Fire Station No. 2 to a more strategic location.
To ensure that the new fire station is compatible with the nearby neighborhood, the town is holding two open houses for the public at 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2015 and at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2016 at Town Council chambers.
The Town of Fountain Hills currently operates two fire stations. Unfortunately, Fire Station No. 2, which is located in the southeast corner of town, is not located in an optimal location. When the fire station was built 18 years ago, the Fire Department provided contractual emergency services to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation in addition to responding to calls for service in the southeast portion of Fountain Hills.
As there was not much development in the southwest part of town yet, this fire station location made sense. Today Fort McDowell has its own fire department and the town has experienced sizable growth toward the west. As a result, response time goals are not being met, and there is an imbalance in the calls for service for both fire stations.
It is well-known that faster response times save lives and reduce property damage from fires. The Fire Department has taken many steps in an effort to improve the town’s response times. This includes adding an ambulance station in the Eagle Mountain area and re-allocating personnel to the much busier Station No. 1. Despite partially solving this issue, it has been obvious for some time that the only real solution was to relocate Station No. 2 to a more strategic location that will improve emergency response times.
This past year the Town Council indicated a desire to move forward in constructing a new fire station. The location of the new facility is planned for the west side of Fountain Hills Blvd, north of Shea Blvd. (near Muskrat Dr.). This town-owned site is strategically located to provide improved response times to all of the residents that reside in the southern portion of our town. The fire station will be designed to blend in well with the existing neighborhood by using four-sided architecture that will be pleasing from all angles.
The Town of Fountain Hills seeks input from residents during the planning stages of the project to minimize the impact of the fire station on the surrounding area. On Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. and on Jan. 6 at 6:30 p.m., the Town of Fountain Hills will be holding open houses to talk more about the relocation of Fire Station No. 2. The open houses will be held in the Town Council Chambers of Town Hall, 16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains. While both open houses will provide the same information, residents are encouraged to attend the meeting that is most convenient to them.
For more information regarding the site of the new Fire Station No. 2 or for questions regarding the upcoming open houses, please do not hesitate to contact me at 480-816-5280.
