JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, city officials, and community leaders gathered this morning to break ground on the new Fire Station 66 in the Arlington area, marking the first new fire station built there in more than 30 years.
Officials highlighted the station’s importance in addressing the growing needs of the expanding East Arlington community.
“This is a big day for our community,” a JFRD representative said. “It’s been quite a few years since we’ve had a fire station in here. If you look around and see the community, the way it’s growing, the need is here. I appreciate the mayor, the fire department, and the city council stepping up for the need.”
The new station will help reduce emergency response times and ease the burden on nearby stations, which have been identified as high-volume run stations in recent studies.
Council Member Mike Gay expressed gratitude for the city’s commitment to public safety.
“As Jacksonville continues to grow, so too have the demands on our infrastructure. Fire Station 66 is not only going to help address these needs today, but for generations to come,” he said.
Officials also acknowledged the efforts of Councilman Ken Amaro, who had originally sought to establish a fire station in the area but faced challenges securing land.