An interlocal agreement with Lee County will add emergency services to another Cape Coral fire station.
Cape Coral City Council agreed Wednesday to the housing of a Lee County Emergency Medical Vehicle and personnel at Fire Station 13
This agreement will provide two dedicated bedrooms, use of the apparatus bay, and access to the station’s community living area.
Cape Coral Fire Department Chief Mike Russell said the approval adds an additional EMS unit to Station 13, which is near Del Prado Boulevard and Pine Island Road — a busy corridor.
Mayor John Gunter said about three years ago, he, and Ryan Lamb, the fire chief at the time, and the county and city manager asked for additional EMS units for the city
“At that time, we only had five,” he said of EMS units. “I believe this will make number 11. We have made great strides since then. One of the agreements that we had with the county was that we would allow them to be housed in our fire departments. To go from five to 11 in a short period of time, to me, that was a no brainer.”
Now EMS has an ambulance in 11 of the 13 Cape Coral fire stations.
Gunter said they more than doubled the coverage from three years ago.
“It’s a testament to Lamb, Russell, and two city managers to get together,” he said, adding that EMS make up about 75-80% of the calls in Cape Coral. “I will definitely support this.”
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