TAMPA, Fla. — One of the members of Tampa City Council is weighing options in helping the city’s fire department shorten response times to the growing community known as New Tampa. 

On Thursday, City Councilman Luis Viera raised the issue during a council meeting and is looking to fire officials for recommendations on how to expand their services.

“You’ve got 4 fire stations out there,” he said. “But those 4 fire stations, according to a recent study done by the Tampa Firefighters Local 754, are 4 out of the 6 stations in the city of Tampa with the longest response times.”

It’s a concern that many living in New Tampa have. Sean Gavin lives, works and plays in New Tampa, so keeping everything and everyone he cares for there safe is important.

“If there’s an emergency, 30 minutes is a problem, so it would be great to have someone closer to be able to help if there was ever a fire in the area,” he said.

During Thursday’s council meeting, Tampa Fire and Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp said many of the calls they respond to in that area are non-emergency issues.

“I am looking to see if we can partner with the non-emergency units, to see if they can have someone to stage up there to help with that call response time, as well as offer addition resources to Tampa Fire & Rescue in that area, she said.

The City Council is considering spending $1 million towards that effort and for making plans to expand fire service in that area.

“What it can do is potentially maybe get a new vehicle or something to that affect in the New Tampa area and then use design money with," Councilman Viera said. "Land acquisition, potentially for a new first station in the future.”

It's something Gavin hopes happens sooner than later.

“I got a wife and three kids, so I need someone to get there immediately,” he said.

The City Council is giving fire officials until the middle of next month to complete their research with some of the service expansions they’ve done already, to see where they go from there.