Friday, October 20, 2000
Friday, October 20, 2000 |
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Response slow to west side for now Traffic a big reason; roads, new fire station seen as keys to improving situation
By JOHN
MUNFORD
Getting fire trucks and ambulances to Wynnmeade subdivision isn't easy now, admits Peachtree City Acting Fire Chief Stony Lohr. The Peachtree City Fire and Rescue Department aims at having response times of five minutes or less, which it is able to achieve in most of the city. Lohr said, but to Wynnmeade it takes eight or nine minutes at the low end. That's if traffic isn't a factor, he added. If it is, the response time soars to as much as 13 minutes including the time to dispatch the call and the time it takes for the crews to get rolling, Lohr added. Wynnmeade's distance from the nearest fire station, at 2.7 miles, is the main factor in slowed response, Lohr said. "When we have traffic, it takes even longer," he said. "We're doing the best we can with what we've got." And with a nearby 399-unit apartment complex scheduled to open later this year and another two subdivision slated for the area in the future, the demand for fire and emergency services will only grow. The answer to the problem? A new fire station, Lohr said. But the key to a new fire station will be the road network that's built to serve the western area of the city, Lohr noted. Ideally, it would provide a northern route to access the property, which will be accessed by the new MacDuff Parkway to the south once the apartments open, the chief said.. "It's critical that we have a good road network going through there," Lohr said. "It's important to connect all these pieces." The only other possible solution to shortening response times would be to station emergency vehicles in the area during times the department historically has an increased number of calls, Lohr added. "The only way to get there quicker is to shorten the distance," he said. The city is currently looking for a location to build the new fire station, Lohr said. It's possible that station would also serve part of unincorporated Fayette County, Lohr added. With the exception of a few locations on the south side of Peachtree City such as the Meade soccer complex and the uncompleted Wilshire Estates subdivision, the department is able to respond to emergencies within five minutes, Lohr said. "We already provide a better level of service than the other departments around us," Lohr said. "And we intend to keep it that way." The department won't, however, take unnecessary risks while responding to an emergency either, he added. But he realizes the importance of shortening response times "from a customer service point of view." "I just want somebody to be there," he said.
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