This week the four candidates for Town Council have been asked to discuss the need for relocation of Fire Station #2 and response time issues.

The questions are as follows:

Relocation of Fire Station #2 is a proposed objective of Rural/Metro – do you agree this is needed?

Are improved response times in line with your Fire Department priorities?

Alan Magazine: Public safety is the number one priority of local, state and federal governments. In Fountain Hills nearly 50 percent of our budget is dedicated to fire and police protection. Our contract with Rural/ Metro (fire service) is financially advantageous to Fountain Hills.

The standards to be met are spelled out clearly in the town’s contract. For example, it is required that communication and dispatch be within a specific established time 90 percent of the time. That is, how long once a call is received that the respondents have to leave the station and arrive on site.

Because of residential growth, timely response is likely to be problematic in the near future, particularly in the western part of Fountain Hills. It is the responsibility of the town to locate stations so that the response times meet the standards set out in the contract with Rural/Metro. The plans for a total of three fire stations and their approximate locations, has been approved unanimously by the Town Council. Currently, we have just two stations.

Plans are underway to move the second station further west to one of two sites that have been identified. In determining the location for it, it is critical that the citizens who live in close proximity to these sites be heard from and that their concerns be given serious consideration. In this regard citizens have raised good questions that are under review such as ease of entering the roadway in response to a call, access to water treatment facilities etc.

It is my understanding that a report is being completed and should be made public within the next month or two.

Lina Bellenir: As previously stated, police and fire are the town’s main priorities.

Issues with response times were highlighted in 2006 when a million dollar home in the Eagle Mountain subdivision was destroyed. Staff has been urging council to consider relocation of Fire Station #2 for many years.

There are a couple of sites being considered, (1) Shea Boulevard between Fountain Hills and Palisades Boulevard and (2) Fountain Hills Boulevard at the Muskrat Drive intersection.

The town owns the property on Shea and it was selected in 2011 to house the station, which the town was planning after it submitted a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant request. Unfortunately, it was denied.

The site on Fountain Hills Blvd. is owned by MCO and requires a land swap. The transaction would be a lot-for-lot trade with MCO for a town-owned parcel in Eagles Nest. This site has all utilities readily available.

When selecting a site we must be careful that we adhere to national standards response times that are included in the contract with the town. Those standards call for a response within five minutes for priority any emergency call 90 percent of the time.

The longer we wait to make this decision the more expensive this project becomes. How much longer can our “luck” hold out with lower than acceptable response times? All residents should be concerned living in an area of 75 percent meeting response times.

I am unclear as to the delay and why discussion is at a stand-still since losing the grant. Of course now all costs have gone up, the plans may not be useable and all that wasted staff time and studies are probably just that...another example of waste in government.

The Fountain Hills Boulevard site is the most logical, cost-effective choice even with any additional costs there might to modify the existing plans.

Nick DePorter: I support the relocation of Fire Station #2 and it is needed because of response times. Response times are critical for many reasons, most importantly the safety and well-being of our residents.

Fire Station #2 is currently located behind Target and is disadvantaged when it comes to response times to certain parts of town because it is not centrally located. It’s critical our fire stations be located where they can be the most effective at what they do which is protecting our community residents and property.

The town should work closely with the surrounding residents where the new fire station will be placed to minimize the impact on them. There is an opportunity to make this relocation happen and we should make sure we accomplish this for the safety of our citizens, businesses and visitors.

My father retired from the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) and my brother is currently on the job with LAFD as well. I understand the importance of response times as this is one of the key metrics that judges the effectiveness of the fire service.

It’s not only important to our ongoing safety but it’s also important to our bank accounts. Our insurance providers look at response times and other variables when establishing our home insurance premium rates and as you can imagine; the better the response times, the better the rates will be.

Providing excellent public safety is a top priority for our town leadership and it is important that we invest the time and effort needed to insure critical services such as these are placed and located in the best interests of our community.

Henry Leger: The mission of our Fire Department is to protect the safety and quality of life of residents, visitors and businesses. This is accomplished through exceptional service delivery in fire suppression, emergency medical services and rescue. Heretofore, Rural/Metro personnel have done an excellent job keeping our community safe.

However, as the town has grown, particularly in the western corridor, response times have increased, falling short of contract requirements. This is especially true for fire Station #2 located on Saguaro Blvd. south of Shea Blvd. Improving response time is critical to sustaining service levels. It is a priority for our Fire Department and Town Council has identified it as an operational priority in the FY14/15 budget. I fully support this position.

An in-depth study to calculate response times for our two fire stations has been conducted by our fire department, with assistance from outside experts. An analysis of the data indicates a need to relocate fire station #2. Selection of a new location has been narrowed to two sites. Both of these sites would reduce service area response times, provide overlapping coverage, and equitably distribute and balance call volumes for both stations.

The Town Manager and staff are currently assessing the pros and cons of each site, particularly site preparation and construction costs. The decision on whether to move station #2 and where to move it should come before council by the end of the year. At that time, when all the information is presented, I will make my decision, considering all factors, including the safety of our residents, cost and feasibility.

Effectively addressing this issue is a priority for me, for Rural Metro and an expressed need of our past and current fire chiefs.