The plan suggested for the site could be enlarged by acquiring two homes near the northeast corner of Highland Place and Pleasant Avenue and making use of a portion of a city-owned parking lot.

Public parking spaces would be available on the Ravinia Fire Station site. Construction on the new Fire Station 32 would not begin until at least 2022, City Manager Ghida Neukirch said during a committee meeting.

Neukirch said the city has had preliminary discussions with the immediate neighbors, and plans to meet with the larger Ravinia community shortly.

"We are sensitive to concerns about a fire station in a residential neighborhood," Neukirch added. "We will work closely with our architectural services team to make sure there is an appropriate buffer."

Mayor Nancy Rotering asked that other residents served by the Ravinia Fire Station also be included in the community meetings.

"It can't hurt to have more people be part of that conversation," Rotering said.

The fire department also operates out of the two larger fire stations at 1130 Central Avenue and 1100 Half Day Road.

City officials say space is so cramped at the nearly 90-year-old Ravinia Fire Station that it's difficult to maneuver equipment and apparatus in and out.

The decision was delayed from December to allow Councilman Dennis Brown, a general contractor, to more closely review the proposed plan with staff and architects.

Brown said after meeting just before Christmas that he is satisfied concerns he had raised will be addressed.

Those concerns went to sustainability, long-term maintenance and how the plan fit the site.

“I fully vetted the issues I brought up and all of my questions were answered,” Brown said. He was not present with the council but participated in the meeting via teleconference call.

Another issue brought up by a citizen and retired engineer raised concern about the adequacy of the turning radius for making a right turn out of the station driveway onto southbound Fountain Hills Boulevard.

Fire Chief Dave Ott said that is a separate issue than the station concept, but the issue has been reviewed and he noted that the plan calls for an existing median to be cut back, which will give the trucks more room to turn.

Ott said that newer engines also have a tighter turning radius than previous models.

Brown made the motion to approve the concept plan based on design presented as number four. However he did add features from a couple of the other designs. One of the changes is the use of a hip roof rather than a gable for the more public building.

Brown said he is also satisfied with materials to be used for a heavy beam look on the gable of the apparatus building. He was sent to a fire station that had a similar material installed about 20 years ago to see how it was holding up, and Brown said he was satisfied it will hold up.

The design concept highlights a dual structure plan with apparatus bays and firefighters’ dormitory in one building, with a second structure having living quarters and office space along with public facilities including a community meeting room. The structures are connected with a closed walkway.

Due to the proximity of the building site to residential homes the design has a strong residential feel. The public and living space has been sited closest to the neighborhood with the truck bays and dormitory toward the back of the site.

The facility is designed at 9,600 square feet with three truck bays and personal space for six firefighters. There is also office space allocated for use by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The town has been looking at the project to relocate Fire Station #2 for a number of years. The current site is on Saguaro Boulevard south of Shea Boulevard.

While Chief Niles Ford says DriveCam aims to save money and reduce risky behavior, union representatives argue it’s become a common form of punishment. Among the violations firefighters are being cited for is not wearing seat belts. If firefighters are caught not wearing their seat belt three times, they face a five-day suspension. If BCFD policy is violated four times, they could face a 10-day suspension.

Anything beyond four violations may result in demotion or termination. Seat belt use is a secondary violation to the one that activated the cameras.

Union President Rick Hoffman says, "Every second counts when responding to an emergency."

Dr. Burton Clark has studied the culture within departments regarding the lack of seat belt use among firefighters. Dr. Clark says, while firefighters are led to believe the faster they get to a scene the better a person’s chance is to survive, studies show that’s not always the case. Between 2011 and 2015, Baltimore City paid out $3.5 million dollars to cover the total cost of collisions.

BCFD spokesman Roman Clark says, "Safety comes first. Seat belts are required by the law and department policy."

According to a report filed by Alabama State Troopers, the truck was being driven eastward along Carver Street when the mishap occurred. Firefighters had moments earlier cleared the scene of a blaze that gutted a Liberty Street home and damaged two cars in the house's yard.

Trooper Anthony C. Odom states in the report's narrative that the driver of the firetruck, Volunteer Capt. Jerry Glenn Kelley, 43, of Atmore, "was driving too fast for the curve and ran off the left side of the roadway." The report shows that Kelley was driving 45 mph, which is the posted speed limit where the accident occurred, at 1:05 a.m.

Odom further states that the pumper, a 1985 Hurricane, "overturned and came to an uncontrolled final rest in a ditch."

The vehicle's windshield was knocked out by the impact, and its left side was severely dented, especially the portion nearest the cab. AFD personnel worked Tuesday morning to remove any salvageable trucks parts or fire-suppression equipment from the damaged pumper.