SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Savannah is gearing up for a major leap in public safety as city leaders break ground on a new facility to serve the rapidly growing coastal empire.

Major plans for an expansion of Savannah Fire are about to take shape! Friday afternoon, city leaders will break ground on a new public safety facility designed to keep up with the city’s rapid growth. This is a crucial project designed to bring police, and fire services to this growing community.

With a booming population from new developments like the Hyundai Plant, this project will ensure faster responses and better protection.

The groundbreaking is happening at 2 p.m. today and will mark the beginning of the construction of the New Hampstead West Modular Public Safety Facility.

The new facility will include both a fire station and a police substation which allows firefighters and police to better serve the area while awaiting a more permanent solution. With Savannah’s population steadily growing 1.5% annually. The development is essential to keep up with the demand. Especially as the region prepares for a surge from the Hyundai Plant which is expected to bring 50,000 new residents this year.

“So, what it would do it would make sure that every citizen in Savannah will get the same fire and police service,” said Elzie Kitchen, Savannah’s Fire Chief. “It will reduce our response times, and we will be able to get to their location in 4 minutes or less.”

Ideally, your home should be located within 5 miles of a fire station. This new facility will shorten that gap for hundreds of residents.