Fire Station No. 2โ€™s Grand Opening Brings Government & Community Closer Together

Although we told you all about the new Pasco County Fire Rescue Station No. 2 last issue, we had to visit the new station on Wesley Chapel Blvd. again for its official Grand Opening, which was held on Aug. 14. 

The event, which also attracted more than 100 local residents, many of whom expressed their appreciation for the station, also featured speeches by assistant county administrator for public safety Joanna Cheshire (in yellow, right), Pasco Fire Chief Ryan Guynn (holding large Ajax scissors), Pasco County District 2 Commissioner & Board vice-chair Seth Weightman (to Chief Guynnโ€™s right) and Board chair Jack Mariano (to Weightmanโ€™s right). Also in attendance were dozens of other county fire officials, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). 

Other highlights included tours of the beautiful, modern new facility, a sudden torrential downpour that forced the ribbon-cutting ceremony inside with the doors closed, as well as a call for service that had those in attendance watching Ladder Truck 2 exiting the building. 

โ€œWhat a great day for Pasco County and the people of Wesley Chapel,โ€ Commissioner Mariano said. โ€œItโ€™s very important for Pasco County to protect its citizens and this station was badly needed to reduce our response times. I want to thank our fire and EMS team for being out here every single day, saving lives. This station is built to meet todayโ€™s needs and tomorrowโ€™s growth.โ€ 

District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman.

Commissioner Weightman added, โ€œThe GO (General Obligation) bond for this station was approved by the voters in 2019 because you said, โ€˜Hey, we need this.โ€™ So, all the thanks goes to you and we canโ€™t express how grateful we are.โ€ 

He added, โ€œThis facility represents the very best Pasco County has to offer, not just in service, but with the people who live and work out of this facility. This station will not only reduce response times. It also will help your homeowners insurance to go down and thatโ€™s [one reason] why weโ€™re working expeditiously to build new fire stations across this county.โ€ 

Up next was Cheshire, who spoke on behalf of county administrator Mike Carballa. โ€œThis really takes a village,โ€ Cheshire said, also thanking the county attorneyโ€™s office for its help, and the adjacent Calvary Baptist Church, โ€œfor allowing us to use their parking lot today. Weโ€™re becoming good, close neighbors.โ€ 

Cheshire also mentioned how much she appreciates the firefighters, โ€œwho donโ€™t know a Friday. First responders are always on [duty]. Weโ€™re happy to have the โ€˜Dโ€™ shift but they still always work around the clock. This is a Grand Opening, but for them, itโ€™s more of a housewarming. The firefighters and EMTs do everything together and they live here, so we always have to thank them.โ€ 

Pasco County Fire Rescue Chief Ryan Guynn.

Last but not least was Chief Guynn. โ€œThe commissioners were right,โ€ he aid. โ€œThe citizens made this happen and it really does take a village. Thereโ€™s a lot of retired firefighters in the audience here. It was your dream, but weโ€™re the ones getting to bring it together and move it forward.โ€ 

Guynn also thanked the crews at the new station for being, โ€œthe ones doing the hard work.โ€ He named quite a few members of his senior team by name (but didnโ€™t give first and last names, so I donโ€™t want to get any names wrong). โ€œI know weโ€™ve given the citizens the credit for passing the GO bond, and they deserve it, but I also want to thank our county commissioners. They really care about public safety…our citizensโ€™ safety…and always keep fire rescue on the forefront and we canโ€™t thank you guys enough for that.โ€ 

He also talked about how needed the new station was, both geographically and to serve the โ€œ9,000 parcels and 20,000-25,000 residents in its zone. Since we opened on July 14 (one month before the event), weโ€™ve run one confined space rescue, four structure fires, weโ€™ve performed 18 advanced life support cardiac calls and various other rescues, so this station is already making a difference.โ€ 


The crowd at the Aug.14 Grand Opening of PCFR Station No. 2.

Unincorporated New Tampa May Get Emergency Services From Pasco

After nearly 20 years of emergency services from nearby Tampa Fire Rescue (TFR) Station No. 21 on Cross Creek Blvd., residents in Pebble Creek, Live Oak Preserve, Cross Creek and the other communities located in unincorporated Hillsborough County may soon be looking across county lines for service.

While representatives from Hillsborough County would prefer that county residents in New Tampa continue receiving City of Tampa services, county officials are unwilling to pay the $1.1-million annual price tag Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn is seeking.

โ€œThe Mayor is looking at where he can pull in new revenue, and thatโ€™s fine, but he needs to be fair about it,โ€™โ€™ says District 2 Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist. โ€œThe deal isnโ€™t fair.โ€

Comm. Crist says the county is looking into other options, namely cutting a deal with Pasco County Fire Rescue and its Station No. 26 in the nearby Meadow Pointe Community of Wesley Chapel.

โ€œThe county is looking at all the options we have available, and what they will cost,โ€ Crist says. โ€œThatโ€™s not the only fire station up there that can serve us. We can cut a deal with the Pasco County Fire Department to provide the same services in the same frame of time.โ€

Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 26 is located close enough to unincorporated New Tampa to provide service, says Crist, adding that the county has already looked into the logistics of being serviced by Station 26, and have found them to be satisfactory.

The station is 1.6 miles from the entrance to Live Oak Preserve, 1.9 miles to the Pebble Creek Golf Club, 2.5 miles to the intersection of Cross Creek Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and roughly 5.5 miles from the Kinnan St. area.

Victor Crist

To reach those easternmost areas of unincorporated New Tampa, rescue units would have to cut through Live Oak or travel south on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. before turning east on Cross Creek Blvd., as there are few options to get there faster.

โ€œItโ€™s relatively the same,โ€ Crist says. โ€œThe quality of the equipment, the quality of the service, the response time will all be relatively the same. (Residents) will see no difference.โ€

Hillsborough County has been paying the city $218,000 a year, but since negotiations began in January, the county has paid an additional $300,000 in adjustments related to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

So, instead of Buckhornโ€™s initial request to raise the price to $1.46 million, the total sought by the city is now $1.1 million.

Thatโ€™s still more than twice what Crist says a deal Pasco County would cost.

โ€œIโ€™m not really sure how they got (that price),โ€ Crist says. โ€œI think they just pulled numbers out of the air. I have asked them to show me the rationale behind those numbers, but I (havenโ€™t gotten) anything.โ€

Sonya Little, Tampaโ€™s Chief Financial Officer, says the cityโ€™s numbers were derived from a simple Pro Rata share, based on proportion. According to Little, Fire Station No. 21 provided 7,309 hours of service in 2016, and 2,926 of those hours, or 40 percent, were provided to the Pebble Creek, Live Oak and Cross Creek communities.

Since the operating cost of Station No. 21 was $3,652,432, Buckhorn said originally the county should pay 40 percent, or $1,460,973 dollars.

The City of Tampa is facing more than $50-million in debt, due to a pair of bonds stemming from deals made in the mid-1990s that are coming due, with payments of roughly $14 million beginning in 2019.

On Sept. 28, the Tampa City Council reduced the tax increase Buckhorn was asking for, further reducing future revenues.

โ€œThe City is facing a lot of debt thatโ€™s coming on quickly,โ€ Comm. Crist says. โ€œThe City Council did not vote to give him his tax increases. So now, heโ€™s holding the county hostage for it, and it isnโ€™t the right and fair thing to do.โ€

Crist says a deal with Pasco County could cost the county 25-50 percent of what the City of Tampa is asking for. Whether that gets the county and city back to the negotiating table remains to be seen.

โ€œAs of right now, thereโ€™s no more conversation,โ€™โ€™ says Ashley Bauman, the director of marketing and communications for the City of Tampa. โ€œBut thatโ€™s not to say there wonโ€™t be.โ€

Otherwise, Crist says a deal with Pasco County could be forthcoming.

โ€œWeโ€™ll put a deal together with Pasco County, and tell the city this is what Pasco is willing to do it for, take it or leave it,โ€™โ€™ he says. โ€œThe bottom line is, were not going to significantly overpay for the service.โ€