Tampa City Council members examined ways to shrink emergency response times in New Tampa during a Thursday morning meeting. Fire stations there have some of the longest response times for Tampa Fire Rescue. Times stretch from about nine and a half minutes to more than 10 and a half minutes.
Most other stations across the city have response times between six and nine minutes, according to Tampa Firefighters Local 754. The Fire Chief stressed in a written report to council members that completing the planned Morris Bridge Road access to K-Bar Ranch remains a top priority.
The cut-through should improve access. It’ll speed up firefighter response times too. A contractor told city leaders that construction on the road project should wrap up in the next month or two.
Councilman Luis Viera asked whether emergency vehicles could start using the cut-through sooner. This would help improve services.
“It’s not a matter of call volume,” Viera said, according to Fox 13 News. “It’s a matter of response times, and this cut through, I am told, is going to be the best way to immediately get positive results for those response times. And so, when I saw that it was almost finished, I’m making sure that people have their foot on the gas pedal, going as fast as possible on this thing.”
Officials haven’t confirmed whether construction crews can open the cut-through to emergency vehicles prior to full completion. The council expects to receive an update next week. They want to know about early access for first responders.
Viera said the city will soon break ground on Fire Station 24 in North Tampa. The facility has been planned for years. Growth in the area made it necessary.