INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. —The Pinellas Suncoast fire chief says with the way things are set up right now, it’s not always possible to hit the mark when it comes to emergency response times.

Firefighters and paramedics with Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue are responsible for responding to emergency calls in Indian Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shores and unincorporated areas in between.

In all, they cover a roughly 10-mile stretch of Pinellas County’s coastline with only two fire stations on the barrier island.

What You Need To Know

  • Firefighters are expected on scene within 4 minutes 90% of the time but PSFR falls below that mark

  • Chief wants to build a new fire station, add staff

  • Church parking lot identified as possible location

  • Currently, closest fire station north of IRB is 5+ miles away 

“We have a severe gap between this fire station and the next closest station to the north in Clearwater which is 5.9 miles away,” said Fire Chief Jeffrey Davidson, while standing in front of the Indian Rocks Beach station. “Plus, we have an extreme traffic situation.”

According to Davidson, the department responded to roughly 4,200 emergencies last year and over 120 marine rescues. With such a high call volume that means they’re often responding to multiple calls at one time.

“What people don’t understand is when you have a marine response that takes three fire stations out of the picture,” he said.

The high call volume and position of the fire stations has led to issues in response times, Davidson said. Protocol states that 90% of the time, firefighters must be on scene within four minutes after a call comes in. At Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue, that number currently falls under 90%.

“We have an extreme traffic situation with limited roadways and a lot of pedestrians,” Davidson said. “It’s a 2-lane road and going 30 miles an hour we can’t meet the response time standards that are out there.”

 

To help remedy the problem and prepare for the future, Davidson is hoping to add another fire station north of its Indian Rocks Beach location.

“It’s tough to come by properties on the beaches and if you do they are extremely expensive,” Davidson said.

He identified a church parking lot as a possible location and says the congregation is willing to work with him. To supplement, he’s asking Pinellas County to support his wish for two additional firefighter/paramedics and new ALS transport rescue vehicle. 

Davidson says he’s submitted a proposal to the county and expects to have a final answer by June.

“This would absolutely improve the response times,” he said.

Davidson plans to hold an informative presentation on Monday, Feb. 27 at Belleair Beach City Hall regarding the improvement of emergency services. All residents and community leaders are invited to attend.