Groundbreaking Held for $13 Million Fire Station 22 and Sheriff’s Operations Center
New 20,000-square-foot public safety facility will serve Silverleaf and surrounding north-central St. Johns County communities
St. Johns County officials celebrated the groundbreaking of Fire Station 22 and a new St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center on March 12. The approximately $13 million, 20,000-square-foot public safety facility will serve residents in the north-central region of the county, including the Silverleaf community and surrounding areas along County Road 210 and State Road 16A. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video to commemorate the event.
The new facility will house both St. Johns County Fire Rescue and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, allowing emergency responders and law enforcement personnel to operate from a shared location designed to improve coordination and response times.
Fire Rescue operations at the station will include a fire engine, tower truck, tanker, rescue unit, and a battalion chief. The station will be staffed by approximately 33 firefighters across three shifts, with 11 firefighters assigned per shift to provide around-the-clock emergency response. Members of a recently graduated Fire Rescue recruit class are expected to be among the first personnel assigned to the station.
The Sheriff’s Office portion of the facility will include space for the Criminal Investigations Division, allowing detectives to operate from the new operations center rather than their current workspace near the St. Johns County Detention Facility. The move will provide additional workspace and allow investigative personnel to conduct more operations from this location.
“This is a significant step forward in taking care of our residents,” said St. Johns County District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst. “Nobody takes better care of St. Johns County residents than our Sheriff’s Office and our firefighters. Seeing our Sheriff’s Office working hand in glove with Fire Rescue leadership to build a facility where they can operate together reflects the kind of partnership that benefits our community.”
“Public safety plays a major role in quality of life for our residents,” said Greg Caldwell, Director of St. Johns County Public Works. “This project represents another step forward in strengthening our public safety infrastructure and ensuring our first responders have the facilities they need to serve the community.”
Fire Station 22 and the Sheriff’s Operations Center are part of a broader public safety initiative to construct four similar combined facilities over the next five years. This project represents the second facility in that plan. The initiative supports St. Johns County’s Strategic Plan by prioritizing long-term planning and investment in public safety infrastructure to ensure reliable emergency services for residents.
Stay informed of more St. Johns County news by subscribing to our e-newsletters and learn how we’re shaping our community’s future by advancing the SJC Strategic Plan through the Office of Public Affairs.
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