NORMAL, IL — A planned relocation of Normal’s Fire Station 2 sparks statewide concern over slow emergency response times, as a new bill at the statehouse would create a task force to investigate staffing and funding problems in Illinois’ EMS system.
Local 2442 Union President Chad Pacey said the relocation plan dates back to a 2008 study that called for a fourth station within 10 years. Instead, Normal has kept the 2012 plan, moving stations without adding resources, even as calls and population have grown sharply.
“We’re up to over 8,000 calls a year, and that number keeps rising,” Pacey said. “Meanwhile, we’re about to close a station that sits in one of the busiest and most vulnerable parts of town. The plan we’re using is simply outdated.”
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