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Spring Hill fire commissioners defend need for more stations

They say Fire Rescue has seen calls increase by more than 3,000 during the past decade.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER
Published January 26, 2007

SPRING HILL - Fire commissioners defended spending district money to build new fire stations to accommodate population growth.

At Wednesday night's meeting, the angry fire board denied recent published reports that the district is continuing to expand despite a drop in call volume.

"Keep your head in the sand and hope progress and population growth doesn't happen," said Charles Raborn, the newly elected fire board chairman.

The district has seen calls steadily increase in the last 10 years, according to numbers compiled by the fire district. It went from 7,487 calls in 1997 to 10,517 in 2006.

Numbers also show the need for the district's fifth station, on Bannock Street, in an area previously zoned for a park. Located between Station 1 and 3 in the district's northern area, calls increased in this zone from 708 in 1997 to 1,313 in 2005.

With a new station there, response times could be shaved by several minutes.

Along with Station 5, Spring Hill Fire Rescue also plans to add a sixth station in the coming years.

A Sterling Hill developer donated land for Station 6 in the new subdivision along Elgin Boulevard. Currently, the board is in the process of acquiring the deed.

"Response times are key," said Assistant Chief Bill Davies. "A person who needs CPR is likely brain dead in four to six minutes. So time is of the essence. It takes time to get to Point A from Point B, and the traffic doesn't help."

And, for the first time in months, Spring Hill fire Chief J.J. Morrison showed up at Wednesday's meeting.

Morrison, who has been on sick leave, said he's been back to work part time since last week and anticipates coming back on a full schedule soon, although he would not give a date.

With a newly trimmed beard, Morrison walked into the Fire Commission chambers just before the start of the meeting to a round of applause.

Morrison said he felt great and planned on taking his return to the job one day at a time.

"We'll see how it works," he said.

Also on Wednesday night:

- Fire board attorney Andy Salzman recapped a recent meeting with county human resources director Barbara Dupre and County Administrator Gary Kuhl over Spring Hill employee records that were moved last month to the Brooksville government center.

Fire commissioners requested the meeting, which Davies also attended, at their workshop two weeks before.

They hoped to clarify exactly what role the county government plays in the county-dependent fire district.

Salzman said the records were taken only to administer payments and other routine human resource services. He reassured fire commissioners that Spring Hill fire administrators would still have the task of hiring, firing and overseeing rank and file as they have before.

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

[Last modified January 25, 2007, 23:18:35]