After months of haggling over who should respond to emergency calls throughout Alachua County, Gainesville and county officials came up empty handed.
The 30-year-old fire service agreement, designed to provide the quickest emergency response times regardless of the city line, lapsed on June 1.
No longer will the closest unit be dispatched for a 911 fire or medical call. The entities will be bound by their jurisdiction, leaving those in the county’s unincorporated area at a higher risk of losing their home to a fire. It also could mean having to wait longer for a paramedic to assist during a heart attack or seizure.