Alachua County Fire Rescue Relocated from Moldy Trailer

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Wednesday, January 9, 2002

County to relocate rescue unit, staff

By JANINE YOUNG SIKES

Sun staff writer

Alachua County Fire Rescue is vacating a shabby trailer between Archer and

Newberry that housed paramedics to answer emergency calls in the western

part of the county.

The county plans to relocate the rescue unit and its staff to station 15

near the Mentone subdivision on Archer Road. It also plans to add medics at

station 17 in ville to handle calls in Newberry.

The move angers at least one Archer official, who worries that residents

needing emergency help could suffer from longer response times.

" Our high school kids drive that route every day to school in Newberry, "

Archer City Commissioner Joan White said. " It leaves our kids unprotected. "

The Alachua County Commission on Tuesday voted to close the medic station

because roof leaks in the mobile home have caused the walls to deteriorate

and mold and mildew to grow.

County Deputy Fire Chief Ed tried to quell concerns about response

times. He said station 15 is only one-half mile farther from the city of

Archer than the medic station on US 27/41, also called State Road 45.

Besides, he added, most of the emergency calls come from east of Archer.

" From looking at the areas, the response to Archer should improve, "

said.

County Commissioner Dave Newport asked why the county didn't simply move the

medic unit to the newly built Archer Fire Station in Archer to serve

residents there. Some Archer officials had offered the site.

Archer's new station, however, is located west of a set of railroad tracks.

A train or train accident on the tracks could prevent a medic unit from

responding.

" The problem with locating it in Archer is that most of the calls are east

of the facility, " said.

The County Commission also agreed to spend as much as $50,000 to build a

housing quarters addition to station 15 to accommodate six extra paramedics.

With an already tight budget, the county plans to delay another improvement

project - yet to be identified - to pay for the addition.

" Otherwise, the personnel will be sleeping in hallways, " County Manager

Randy Reid said.

It is likely that the medic station move will be brought up on Thursday at a

joint meeting of Archer and county commissioners.

The meeting, scheduled for 6:30 at Archer City Hall, is to discuss the

county's decision not to widen Archer Road to four lanes through the city -

something that also ires Archer officials.

Janine Young Sikes can be reached at 337-0327 or

janine.sikes@....

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