With the addition of the Newberry Fire Department’s 13th rescue unit on Monday, her fears are easing somewhat. The vehicle, Rescue 28, will provide 24-hour transportation and lifesaving services to Newberry and surrounding areas.  

Jeff Taylor, the acting deputy chief of the Alachua County Fire Rescue, said the starting cost for the new vehicle was $950,000, with recurring costs of about $650,000 yearly. He said the goal is for the standardized rig to reduce the average response time for medical services in Newberry from 18 minutes to less than 12.

It’s been more than a decade since the last rescue unit was added to the fleet, Taylor said, and Newberry’s growth has compounded the need for a new truck and contributed to longer response times. He said the fire rescue answers about 42,000 calls each year, a number that is just as daunting as it sounds.

Located on the eastern half of the City Hall complex, 5301 Mayfield Road, the one-story station was built in 1974. As firefighting knowledge and technology has grown, so, too, has the need for additional modern space.  

On Monday (April 15), City Council approved the issuance and sale of bonds in the amount of $5.6 million to pay for the job, which Mayor Patrick Ward said should begin in late May, if not sooner. The total construction cost, however, is expected to be $4.4 million.

One of these vehicles was built in 1996 and was starting to show its age. Firefighters were experiencing issues with its emergency lights and problems with its transmission. So about two years ago, the station set out to find a replacement.  

The last two ambulances the Bellwood department bought came used from the fire station in Bennington. But recently, Bennington switched to a larger model on a 15-year rotation. So when it came time for Bellwood to buy, it was forced to shop elsewhere.

And man,y like the Longview Fire Department, have a majority of personnel that are cross-trained in emergency medical services. KLTV’s Bob Hallmark spoke to Longview Fire Marshal Kevin May about the advantages.  

There are even some departments that have engines designed to have rolling stretchers inside so that they can take a patient to the hospital. It’s an emergency room on wheels providing medical triage in critical situations.