ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — As Florida grapples with a statewide firefighter shortage, St. Johns County is feeling the pressure of this critical issue. Fire officials say their current manpower is being stretched thin, especially as the county’s population continues to grow at a rapid pace.
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In 2024, St. Johns County Fire Rescue responded to a staggering 64,932 events, marking a 1.9% increase in call volume compared to the previous year. With an average of 177 calls per day, firefighters are seeing an unprecedented workload.
“A lot of that is due to the population growth throughout the county,” St. Johns County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Chris Naff said.
As more people move to the area, the department’s ability to keep up with the increased demand has become increasingly challenging.
Naff said, due to the rapid growth and an average of 177 calls per day, the department’s firefighters have been stretched thin
“As we see these call numbers go up, we’re gonna need to improvise and put more stations in,” Naff said.
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Recognizing the need, local government leaders have committed to expanding the fire department’s resources. Five new fire stations will be built over the next six years as part of an effort to improve public safety and boost response capabilities.
Naff also highlighted that the department will be hiring 31 new firefighters in the coming weeks, with the first group starting on Jan. 21.
“We opened up Station 11 in September, which is off of 207 and I-95, so that took a lot of response time out of the area, which was taking a little bit longer for us to get to,” Naff explained.
Three of those new stations are listed for the south side of I-95 and County Road 210.
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“We will have one in Silverleaf, which will also help this area out as well, cause this is a big populated area right now,” Naff said.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that the average response time for fire departments across the nation is 9 minutes and 20 seconds. With the addition of new stations and 31 new hires, St. Johns County’s goal is to reduce that response time to seven minutes.
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