Excerpts from rrstar.com: The Loves Park city council is exploring ways to strengthen its volunteer fire department by introducing a daytime crew, aiming to reduce response times that are currently twice as slow as those of the neighboring North Park Fire Protection District. Currently, the city’s 35 volunteer firefighters respond from their homes when emergencies occur, which officials say contributes to slower service. To improve efficiency, the city plans to station three firefighters and two supervisors at the 400 Grand Ave. fire station from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., potentially starting in August. These firefighters would be paid between $12 and $20 per hour, depending on experience. Since they would work an average of 28 hours per week, the city won’t provide health insurance. The initiative could cost up to $200,000 annually. A recent analysis of response times for the first quarter of the year showed that Loves Park’s average time was 15.2 minutes, compared to just 6 minutes in North Park, which serves the southern part of Machesney Park and some unincorporated areas of Winnebago County. The difference in response times didn’t vary much throughout the day. Adding a day crew would increase the fire department’s annual budget by 33%, bringing it to around $1 million per year. For example, it took 27 minutes to reach 7349 Chucks Way, and 24 minutes for both 12414 Kings Point Dr. and 5625 Covey Ridge Trail. A new auto aid agreement between Loves Park and North Park, signed in February, has already shown positive results. In March, average response times dropped to 13.3 minutes, down from 17.6 minutes in February and 15.3 minutes in January. Despite these improvements and the introduction of a day crew, the city still faces significant logistical challenges. The mayor is pushing for the construction of a new fire station estimated to cost $5 million. This new facility would help improve response times near Mercyhealth Sportscore Two and the upcoming Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center at the intersection of East Riverside Boulevard and Interstate 90. However, because Loves Park doesn’t collect property taxes, funding options are limited to issuing bonds or seeking voter approval for new tax revenue sources to support the project. Low-Carbon Wire Mesh,Stainless Steel Welded Wire Mesh,Fine Stainless Steel Mesh,Stainless Steel Welded Mesh ANPING COUNTY ANSHENG WIRE MESHES PRODUCT CO.,LTD. , https://www.aswiremesh.com