JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s Pumpkin Hill area will soon be getting a new fire station.
On Tuesday, the lot at the corner of Boney Road and Cedar Point Road was just dirt and mud. In about nine months, it will be Fire Station 76.
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JFRD Chief Keith Powers said this addition will bring much-needed relief to Jacksonville’s Northside.
“I can tell you where Fire Station 49 was on Yellow Bluff Road and Fire Station 45 is on the Black Hammock Island, the response times have cut at least in half into this area just because the road miles to get here were so long,” Powers said.
Powers said the construction of the station will cost about $7.7 million.
He said it is going to cut down response times and save people money.
“It started reducing casualty insurance for the property owners in this area,” he said, “And it will continue to do so as the new property gets built because now they live within five miles of the fire station.”
City Councilman Mike Gay said the new station is adding support to help the area.
“Our community is so thankful that the city is recognizing what we need out here,” he said. “There’s a lot more but this is the first step. It’s the right step.”
In the meantime, a temporary Station 76 was built for crews to respond to calls. That building has been there for about 6 months.
The new station will allow them to stay during severe weather events.