The ceremony was attended by Joe Inderhees on behalf of Mayor Deegan, Council Member Mike Gay, and JFRD Director/ Fire Chief Percy Golden II.
The new station comes after a five-year study conducted by an Insurance Services Office consultant, which recommended adding a pocket station to address growing demand on surrounding stations in the East Arlington area. Stations 19, 27, and 30 were flagged as high run-volume stations, each currently averaging well above the target threshold of 300 runs per month. Fire District 19 averages approximately 324 calls per month, Fire District 27 averages approximately 381 calls per month, and Fire District 30 averages approximately 418 calls per month.
“East Arlington has grown substantially in population density over the past two decades, and the demand on our surrounding stations has grown right along with it,” Chief Golden said. “In emergency response, minutes equal lives. Every second we shave off a response time is a second that matters to someone in this community.”
Station 66’s location was selected in part due to its proximity to Interstate 295 and the Dames Point Bridge, providing improved response capability not only to residential areas but to vehicle accidents and medical emergencies along those high-traffic corridors. The new station will also extend JFRD coverage to the Blount Island area.
The project is being constructed on existing City of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department property, reducing costs and maximizing the return on public investment.
The crew assigned to Station 66 is already in service at Station 27 on Fort Caroline Road while the new facility is under construction, ensuring the community maintains full fire and rescue coverage throughout construction.
Joe Inderhees called the groundbreaking a reflection of the city’s commitment to equitable public safety service across all of Jacksonville.“Every resident deserves the same high level of fire and rescue service regardless of where they live,” Inderhees said. “Station 66 closes a coverage gap that exists for this community.”
Once complete, Station 66 is expected to meaningfully reduce run volume across Stations 19, 27, and 30, improving response availability and response times for all residents in the East Arlington area and the surrounding community.
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Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Breaks Ground on Fire Station 66 in East Arlington
February 20, 2026
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department broke ground [today/date] on Fire Station 66 in East Arlington, marking the first new fire station in the area since Station 29 was built in 1992.