November 26, 2012

A big step forward for the safety of Mt. Juliet.

City leaders gathered to break ground on a new fire station. It's something many residents have waited years to see.

Mt. Juliet is one of Middle Tennessee's fastest growing cities, but the number of fire stations has not grown with the population.
    
There's only one station for 24,000 people.
   
But now the safety situation is changing.

Take a drive through Mt. Juliet, and you'll find two things, lots of houses, and construction crews building even more.

For years people have been calling for an additional fire station, and Sidney Payne was the loudest voice.

"I got my little fire extinguisher, and I started going to every meeting, and I wouldn't let them forget it," says Mt. Juliet resident Sidney Payne.

City leaders are now breaking ground on the new fire station.

"It's a big moment. It's a watershed moment for the city of Mt. Juliet, that's for sure," says Mayor Ed Hagerty.

It's located in South Mt. Juliet, where much of the growth is happening.
 
It's several miles from the current station, which should allow for quicker response times.

"I'm so proud of our commission for finally making the decision to do this," says Payne.

Many people who live here say added fire and ambulance protection makes them feel safer.

"Everything is one the other side of town, and it's hard to get to and hard for them to get to us, so it's absolutely wonderful," says resident Linda Glass.

"It's a peace of mind that we're getting it finally out here," says resident Bill Rush.

Mt. Juliet passed a 20 cent property tax increase to pay for emergency services.
  
In addition to this station, commissioners plan to build another on the city's North side.

Sidney Payne was more than happy to help break ground on the new station, and she'll be back, with her fire extinguisher, when it finally opens.

"I'm gonna continue to carry it until the first fire truck rolls out of this station.  Then we know we've made it," says Payne.
 
Construction equipment will be moving very shortly on Belinda Parkway.
    
City officials hope to open the new fire station by July first.