Next week, the Wake County Fire Commission receives presentation from Wake County Fire Services, with a concept for adding a new Garner fire station near Ten Ten Road and Highway 401. Such a facility could provide service to the areas currently served by Fairview Station 2. Whoa.<\/p>\n
On June 30, Apex EMS ceased operation. Wake County EMS took over their district, absorbed their assets, and hired some\/all of their employees. On July 1, Durham County Fire-Rescue ceased operation. Their assets and personnel and a pair of facilities were consolidated with the city of Durham Fire Department. Whoa.<\/p>\n
Big changes, both conceived (Garner\/Fairview) and realized (Apex, Durham).<\/p>\n
Was thinking about this this week. Change and its consistency in life. Choose your adage and they all, invariably, say something like \u201cthis too will change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fire and EMS agencies invariably face changes to their service demands. Populations ebb and flow. Developers develop. Infrastructure expands and contracts. < See Raleigh Fire Station 22, soon closing and relocating to a temporary facility, in response to a rail corridor and right-of-way requirements.<\/p>\n
But fire stations and EMS stations are more than just monopoly pieces, easily relocated on a larger gameboard. They embody the legacies of those who served before. And those who created the very agencies. Fairview, Apex, Durham County\u2019s predecessors of Bethesda and Parkwood, they each have decades of sweat equity and community participation.<\/p>\n
Plus, things like facility locations and response districts are behemoths of a sort. They aren\u2019t easily budged from their present position. Some is the human investment and how the participants think and react to change. Another piece is the more practical one. You have plan, budget, build, and staff a new facility. You have to research a new response district, and build the necessary stakeholder support. Plus the legal\/ISO requirements. Etcetera.<\/p>\n
Change is hard, and it takes work.<\/p>\n
Was thinking about this. Something something something inspirational goes here. There are good folks and good intentions behind all such initiatives. Even if the roads get rocky to get there, or the end results don\u2019t entirely match expectations.<\/p>\n
Historical Perspective<\/strong><\/p>\n Examples of big changes in fire\/rescue\/EMS around the Triangle, going back years or decades. Excludes most station openings, except where they involved a relocation:<\/p>\n\n