VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Fire Department says they've received more than 7,000 fire and EMS calls in the north end of the city in 2016.
The closest fire station to the community is 10 minutes away and another is 16 minutes away.They're hoping to answer calls more quickly by being a lot closer.
One option city council was considering is building a new fire department.
During a city council meeting in October member Louis Jones said, "We're not going to find acreage at the north end for any kind of remotely price to build a fire station."
The Virginia Beach city council has approved the vote to give the fire department nearly a million dollars.
They asked the council for a new fire truck and hiring more city fire fighters to work from Fort Story by using two units to improve rescue, water supply and fire attack.
Fire deputy Cooper said during the council meeting, "It increases our capability by using both resources if they happen to be available for us."
Although the city and base already work together sometimes fire crews from Fort Story aren't always able to help respond to calls.
"If they're not there for any particular reason, they do not back fill that station to respond to our city primarily within or anywhere outside of that," Cooper said.
However the city council brought up a few concerns, like getting on and off base in a timely manner.
It's one of the few details the city fire department is working out with Fort Story base at this time.
Copper added, "We have to give them a letter telling them this is how many people will live here, here's what they need to live here, here's any environmental impacts that we would have if we moved in."
The Virginia Beach Fire Department tells News 3 they hope to make themselves at home on Fort Story base in May 2018.
