Fire Station 21 and Sheriff’s Operations Center Open at Flagler Estates

• 10 November 2026
• Category: Community Well-Being Infrastructure Public Safety SJC News
• Tags: 2026

New joint facility brings emergency services closer to Flagler Estates and surrounding Hastings communities

St. Johns County officials recently joined first responders and residents to celebrate Fire Station 21 and the Sheriff’s Operations Center at Flagler Estates with a ceremonial fire hose uncoupling. The joint facility brings firefighters, emergency medical services, and law enforcement closer to residents while strengthening emergency response capabilities. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video highlighting the ceremony and this important project.

Located at 4630 Melanie St., Hastings, the 6,092-square-foot building provides space for St. Johns County Fire Rescue and a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office substation. The facility includes one and a half apparatus bays and room for five full-time Fire Rescue personnel.

“The residents of Flagler Estates have advocated for emergency services closer to home for many years, as the nearest fire station was previously in Hastings,” said Joy Andrews, St. Johns County Administrator. “We listened, recognized the importance of this need, and made it a priority. We are glad to see this project become a reality and grateful to everyone who helped make it happen. Having our firefighters, paramedics, and deputies closer to the people they serve will make a meaningful difference for this community.”

The County’s Infrastructure Delivery Team played a critical role in taking this project from planning to completion by coordinating County departments, partner agencies, and project stakeholders. Through its oversight, collaboration, and problem-solving, the team helped navigate project challenges, align resources, and keep this important community investment moving forward. Its efforts were instrumental in delivering a facility that meets the operational needs of Fire Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office while addressing the long-standing needs of Flagler Estates residents. This work advances the Infrastructure priority in the St. Johns County Strategic Plan by delivering essential public facilities that strengthen service capabilities and meet the evolving needs of the community.

“Projects like this require extensive coordination, thoughtful planning, and a commitment to seeing the work through,” said Greg Caldwell, St. Johns County Public Works Director. “Our Infrastructure Delivery Team was instrumental in bringing all the right people and resources together, working through challenges along the way, and helping turn this vision into a reality for Flagler Estates. Their efforts were critical to the successful delivery of this facility and the services it will provide to the community.”

The station brings firefighting and advanced life support capabilities directly into Flagler Estates. As the ceremony began, two deputy sheriffs departed to respond to an emergency, offering a timely example of the need for first responders based within the community.

Dusty Wilson, St. Johns County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief, explained that responses to Flagler Estates from Station 8 in Hastings previously took approximately 20 minutes.

“Now inside, embedded in this community, response time will just be a few minutes,” Wilson said.

Bringing these services closer to residents supports the Community Well-Being priority in the St. Johns County Strategic Plan, which identifies improved fire and emergency medical response times as measures of progress. The facility puts that priority into practice by positioning personnel and equipment within the community they serve.

For residents, the ceremony also marked the result of years of persistence and advocacy for closer access to emergency services.

“Today represents years of advocacy, dedication, and determination by Flagler Estates residents who believed our community deserved closer access to emergency services,” said Shirley Lassiter, Chair of the Flagler Estates Community Redevelopment Steering Committee.

The joint facility also provides a local base for Sheriff’s Office operations, reflecting collaboration among County departments, Fire Rescue and law enforcement to serve the area.

“This is a shared vision,” said Russ Martin, Director of Patrol and Operations for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Martin credited the collaboration, teamwork, and planning across County organizations, including Public Works, with bringing first-class customer service directly to Flagler Estates.

The $4.5 million project was designed by Passero, with Vargco leading construction.

“To the residents of Flagler Estates, this station is here for you,” said Chris Naff, Public Information Officer and Honor Guard Commander for St. Johns County Fire Rescue.