By NewsLine Staff
mail@floridanewsline.com
At its meeting on April 16, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a five-year public safety plan, which includes four new fire stations. The earliest one slated for completion, at the end of 2026, will be located in Flagler Estates, southwest of St. Augustine. The remaining three of the four stations are slated for the northern part of the county. All of the stations will include a substation for use by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Station 22 is to be located in the Silverleaf community with estimated completion at the end of 2027. The station is set to include an advanced life support engine, an aerial apparatus, a water tanker and an ambulance. Thirty-three additional firefighters will be needed to staff this station and the station is expected to cost approximately $18.2 million.
The next station, scheduled for completion at the end of 2028, will be located in the Beachwalk/Twin Creeks area and is projected to cost $9.9 million. Station 23 will house an advanced life support engine, an advanced life support ladder, an ambulance, and necessitate 30 additional firefighters.
Finally, Station 24 is projected for the Longleaf Pine/Roberts Road area with an anticipated cost of $10.8 million. The completion date is estimated to be the end of 2030. This station will have an advanced life support engine, an ambulance, and 21 additional firefighters.
County officials plan to use money the county already has to build these facilities, along with state and possibly federal dollars. Officials expect these new stations to help lower home insurance rates for people in the area.
The approved five-year public safety plan also includes a new Regional Fire Training Facility, a Medical Examiner’s Office that will serve St. Johns, Putnam, and Flagler counties, and a new headquarters for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, to be located near the agency’s current training center off State Road 16 and Interstate 95.
Photo courtesy St. Johns County Fire Rescue
Very early conceptual rendering of the proposed Station 23 in the Beachwalk area.
