BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Bradford County officials broke ground on new living quarters for Speedville’s Station 10 during a March 4 ceremony.
Fire Chief Ben Carter led the ceremony, saying the new facility will impact residents of southern Bradford County.
“This facility will house our dedicated fire rescue personnel, ensuring they have the necessary amenities and a comfortable living space to serve our community better,” he said. “We’re truly excited about this project’s positive impact on our fire station and the vital services we provide.”
The chief lauded Keystone Heights R.V. Park proprietor Vincent Esson for funding the addition to the station.
Last month, the North Florida Regional Chamber of Commerce named Esson’s facility the Chamber Business of the Year.
“His commitment to community welfare and public safety is truly commendable, and I’m honored to have him as a steadfast partner in our mission to protect and serve,” Carter said.
The chief said the project is a prime example of the private and public sectors working together to meet the needs of residents.
“The collaborative effort between the private sector represented by Mr. Esson and our local government, spearheaded by the county commission and county manager, showcases the power of community partnerships,” he said. “It is a shining example of what can be achieved when individuals and organizations join forces for a common cause, the betterment of our community.”
Carter said the living quarters will have a profound impact on residents. He added that Bradford County’s dedicated team of firefighters and paramedics will use the additional resources to improve service to residents.
County Manager Scott Kornegay invoked the memory of former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold in recognizing the county’s firefighters.
“Whenever he would go to a speaking engagement, and there were firefighters there, he would always refer to them as his firefighters,” the county manager recalled. “These are my firefighters,” Kornegay added, pointing to the professionals lined up behind the speaker’s podium.
County Commissioner Danny Riddick recounted the struggle he and other county leaders encountered while trying to get the station in Speedville operational, beginning with the efforts of the Keystone Heights Volunteer Fire Department’s overtures to serve in Bradford County and ending with Esson’s $150,000 donation to the cause.
“Today, we would not be here, it wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for Vince Esson seeing the need and donating the building for these living quarters,” Riddick said. “When this building is complete, the vision doesn’t end. It’s just the beginning.”
Esson also addressed the crowd, thanking county officials for standing by him when opposition to his RV park threatened to kill the project.
“When I came to this community, I didn’t know anybody,” he said. “The community supported me, and I’m just here to pay it back.”
County Commission Chair Carolyn Spooner called Esson the county’s ram in the bush, referring to the biblical story of Abraham nearly sacrificing his son on Mt. Moriah.
Like Kornegay, Commissioner Diane Andrews praised the firefighters present at the ceremony.
“I just want to say I love these guys back here,” she said. “I’ve been to many fires where they are out and about doing their jobs, and what they do is incredible. What they do is save people’s lives.”
Andrews also swatted down what she characterized as unfair criticism of the firefighters.
“One thing I heard was, ‘Ms. Andrews, sometimes they just lay around and sleep,’” the county commissioner recalled of one conversation. “That’s a good day that God gave us when a firefighter can lay around and sleep,” Andrews added, responding to the claim. “These men and women put their lives on the line for each of us every day. They come to work and don’t know if they’re seeing their families for the last time. I think the world of them.”
