NAPLES, Fla. The city cleared a final hurdle Wednesday that could improve responses to fires.
City leaders voted in approval of closest-unit response, a system in which the closest firefighters are dispatched immediately to a fire.
The city will also evaluate the numbers annually to ensure the agreement continues to benefit everyone and one district doesn’t provide a disproportionate amount of aid.
Naples Fire-Rescue Department Chief Pete DiMaria believes the move will also help in the rare circumstances of a high-rise fire, saying the National Fire Protection Agency wants the department to have at least 17 firefighters on scene.
“Some days, [we’re] a little short in the City of Naples,” he said. “This helps us get where we’re going without a major tax burden and it makes sense.”