Florence is copying Mesa with the quints, one currently in service as Ladder 542 and it will be going in to the new station that is being built from plans borrowed from Mesa. Then a new one is on order that will go in to quarters in the Magma Ranch area as Ladder 543, using Ladder 542's current mobile home until they can get approval to build station 3. I heard that they were thinking of going to Mesa for dispatch also, have set their radios up for it, but for present because they mostly run mutual aid with Rural Metro, they are staying on VHF and having their PD dispatch the FD. Rural covers San Tan Valley with 3 engine companies, (and are looking to put a fourth in service if someone donates a station or land) so Florence realized that a second quint was the best way to increase capabilities in the far southeast valley. The next closest ladder would be one of Gilbert's (20-60 minutes away) or Mesa's (same time frame for most to the area when 220 goes in service) so having the second quint will help this area continue to develop and grow.
Rural Metro is in two stations that communities built for their future fire departments in the Johnson Ranch subdivision (841, a very small 2 bay station) and in the Copper Basin subdivision (843, large nice 3 bay station). The third company (842) is in a small industrial area right on the border of Queen Creek using a mobile home for the station. All 3 are usually very busy covering the 80,000+ residents of unincorporated San Tan Valley.
