Excerpt from the minutes of the Annexation Public Information Meeting on
September 9, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Peterson - I see that you have a new proposed fire department going in
for $3.4 million and I just wonder what the proposed completion date is for
that.
Jon Hannan, Deputy Chief, Charlotte Fire Department, said we are not a two-year
service, but a first day service. In order to provide that we are actually going
to have to put in temporary quarters. There will be a metal building and
basically a mobile home at Shopton Road West and Sledge Road. We will operate
out of there while the fire stations are built, one at Withers Cove and Shopton
Road West and one at Highway 49 South just north of Shopton Road West. I would
anticipate the first station opening in 2007 and the second in 2008.
Ms. Peterson said how many trucks will the temporary station have?
Mr. Hannan said there will be an engine company in that station with 15 or 18
people assigned and a minimum of 4 on duty all the time.
Ms. Peterson said the station on Highway 49 just east of Westinghouse, does that
not service our area?
Mr. Hannan said yes, they both will. The Charlotte Fire Department has 37
stations and if you have a car fire or brush fire or something small, one fire
truck comes. If we have a report of a structure fire, three trucks minimum come
and they will be coming from at least two stations if not three or four
stations. Fire Station #26 is on 49 South, just north of Westinghouse Boulevard.
There is an engine company and a ladder company there right now so there is a
minimum of 8 people on duty every minute of every day there. In addition to that
there is a temporary station that we will open and operate an engine company in
while we get the other two built. When those are completed they will each have a
four person engine company in them all the time. If you have a need for one
engine it will come from the closest. If you have a need for more than one they
will be assembled from the nearest stations.
Ms. Peterson asked if the volunteer station had put in a good faith offer to
have the City work with them?
Mr. Hannan said no volunteer department in this annexation area has requested a
contract.
Mr. Johnson - The existing Steele Creek Fire Station #2 is about 150 to 200
yards from where I live. From what I have heard, when annexation takes place I
can no longer get service from that station and will get service from the
temporary station which is much further way. Is that correct?
Mr. Hannon said that is correct. Steele Creek can contract if they want to, but
we can't force them to. We are going to build a permanent station that will
probably be about 500 yards from your property. One important thing is that our
stations are staffed and no-one will have to come to the station to get the
equipment before they come to your house. I am not sure that any actual
application, they would be there any quicker or as quick as we would. We
responded 45 times last year into Steele Creek because they couldn't get them to
respond and two times CPR was involved.
Parcel 19921306 Btw Limehust Dr and Withers Cove - 7.12 Acres
Fire station on S Tryon is 40249.44 sq ft - .924 acres