MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Martin County Fire Rescue is expected to have a new fire station in western Palm City, but it won’t start construction until 2031 at the earliest.
A recently released Capital Improvement Plan from the Martin County Board of Commissioners outlines the need for a new station in the region, citing an 87% increase in calls to the area since 2009.
Most recently, a series of wildfires in 2025 burned dangerously close to homes in the area. The nearest station, Station 21, sits about 9 miles away near SW Martin Highway and SW Mapp Road. Some residents report that response times can range anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes.
“Before the fire trucks get here, maybe it’s 15-20 minutes at best, and in 15 to 20 minutes, a fire in a home can destroy it,” Cornelius Pameijer, a Stuart West HOA member, said during the wake of wildfires last year.
Another fire in the south county community of Foxwoods Estates sparked Thursday morning. MCFR points to a downed power line as the cause. While Station 22 is less than a 10-minute drive, other communities in the county aren’t as lucky.
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Fire officials say demand is only increasing as the population grows.
“Obviously, our call load increases with the population increase. So we’ve been able to adapt. We’ve been able to hire additional personnel over the last few years to help meet that demand,” said District Chief Tom Hornbostel.
The same county analysis projects thousands of new residents and homes in the coming years—adding even more pressure on response times and reinforcing the need for a new fire station in western Palm City.