Bonita Springs Fire District considering additional station

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BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.- The Bonita Springs Fire District says it needs a new station to make sure residents are safe.

Firefighters say it takes too long for them to respond to emergencies on Little Hickory Island. Now, the fire commission is considering adding a station.

“It could be the difference between life and death,” said Fire Commissioner Fred Forbes.

People who live on Little Hickory Island have to wait up to 14 minutes for firefighters to arrive.

“In cases of heart attack, stroke, fires, car wrecks or any other emergency when you call 911, that’s a little bit excessive and a little bit out of our perimeters we would like to see,” said Bonita Fire Chief Joe Daigle.

Chief Daigle says their response time goal for all of Bonita Springs is six minutes. They reach that goal 85 percent of the time, but Little Hickory Island’s response times are double. The chief and commissioners agree something has to be done.

“To further advance our goals of our times, we would need to fill in the hole that we have in that response time on the beach,” said Daigle.

The commission is considering a site on the island near Bonita Beach Road and McGlaughlin Boulevard that would allow both a truck and rescue boat to be stationed there.

“What we were working on is a plan to go in where Century Link has a building. I don’t know if it’s going to work out but we would put in a rescue unit as well as a rescue boat so it would be in the water,” said Forbes.

Forbes says the commission is also considering at least one other spot. Residents will get a chance to weigh in on where the station should go at several upcoming community forums. The commission plans to make a final decision at their meeting in March.

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