Tweet
St. Augustine...Citizen Concerned over lack of Fire Station in Bakersville
latest update: Saturday, August 30, 2003 at 11:47 PM EDT
Letter: Fire protection uneven
Roy Miller
St. Augustine
Editor: In the Aug. 21 St. Johns Connection there was an article about fire department funding.
It seems that the people in Ponte Vedra Beach think they will be carrying a "major burden" of the proposed increase in taxes for fire protection. They should, because they have most of the fire stations. Ponte Vedra Beach has four fire stations, station 1, station 9, station 10 and station 18.
I live in Bakersville and we have no fire station. Our station (station 4) has 1 volunteer that answers calls when he can. Station 4 only has one truck and no squad for EMS.
The last time anyone called rescue in our neighborhood it took them 24 minutes to get to Bakersville. The last fire we had, it took 27 minutes for the first truck to arrive.
Thank God it was only a garage on fire and not someone's house. All we could do is stand there and watch it burn down. I wonder what the response time is in Ponte Vedra Beach?
In the article it stated the terrific amount of taxes that are paid on a $200,000 home. Read the numbers carefully, the amount of increase the county is asking for is only 40 cents per 1,000 of value.
I don't see how someone that owns a $200,000 home is going to be able to handle this burden.
The last time a county-wide tax assessment was mentioned, the figure was about $150 per year per household. Why should people with no fire protection pay this? The present administration in fire/rescue is not responsible for this mess and is working with some of the commissioners to get a station and crew for neighborhoods without fire protection.
In the meantime let's all stay healthy and be careful with matches.
Roy Miller
St. Augustine
Letter: Fire protection uneven
Roy Miller
St. Augustine
Editor: In the Aug. 21 St. Johns Connection there was an article about fire department funding.
It seems that the people in Ponte Vedra Beach think they will be carrying a "major burden" of the proposed increase in taxes for fire protection. They should, because they have most of the fire stations. Ponte Vedra Beach has four fire stations, station 1, station 9, station 10 and station 18.
I live in Bakersville and we have no fire station. Our station (station 4) has 1 volunteer that answers calls when he can. Station 4 only has one truck and no squad for EMS.
The last time anyone called rescue in our neighborhood it took them 24 minutes to get to Bakersville. The last fire we had, it took 27 minutes for the first truck to arrive.
Thank God it was only a garage on fire and not someone's house. All we could do is stand there and watch it burn down. I wonder what the response time is in Ponte Vedra Beach?
In the article it stated the terrific amount of taxes that are paid on a $200,000 home. Read the numbers carefully, the amount of increase the county is asking for is only 40 cents per 1,000 of value.
I don't see how someone that owns a $200,000 home is going to be able to handle this burden.
The last time a county-wide tax assessment was mentioned, the figure was about $150 per year per household. Why should people with no fire protection pay this? The present administration in fire/rescue is not responsible for this mess and is working with some of the commissioners to get a station and crew for neighborhoods without fire protection.
In the meantime let's all stay healthy and be careful with matches.
Roy Miller
St. Augustine