The county fire coordinator found SPVA a used fire truck in Maryland for $2,500. He and his wife even drove to pick it up and bring it to South Ponte Vedra. But SPVA still had no garage for it. Luckily, Sawgrass Country Club agreed to protect it until SPVA had a proper facility.
Local supporter
Digitized History of Ponte Vedra
South Ponte Vedra fire station ground-breaking ceremony
SPVA president Bruce Bullock also asked the communities south of South Ponte Vedra for help. They contributed money, labor, and volunteer firefighters. One of those good Vilano neighbors was Bill Long. He just joined SPVCA and is here tonight. Thank you for your help back then, Bill. One year after Emory wrote the county about the lack of fire protection, he joined all the volunteers and contributors at the ground-breaking ceremony for the South Ponte Vedra Fire Department.
SPVA raised money for their fire station
More money came in thanks to letters and phone calls made by the fundraising committee, including our own Lea Lent. A Vilano resident donated a needlepoint pillow, which got raffled off. They raised $8,000 in six months.
SPVA leased land for volunteer fire station
When Emory had looked for somewhere to put a fire station with a tiny budget, he contacted SWD, the company that owned Guana. He asked very nicely if SPVA could lease a patch of land for a fire station. SWD offered a patch of land with water service for one dollar per year, and they sent SPVA a check for $1,000 to help with the fire department. The Usinas cleared the land for free and let SPVA borrow their heavy equipment.
SPVA voted to pay for their own volunteer fire department
The fire protection tax bill put a few more dollars in the county fire fund, but SPVA couldn’t access it unless they already had a fire department. 125 members pledged their financial support. They elected Emory Torrey as Chairman of the Fire Prevention Committee and gave him a $750 budget to start.
North and South Ponte Vedra fought over fire protection
The county commission held a public hearing. South Ponte Vedra residents said that their wood-frame houses will burn up before the nearest fire department can reach them. Commissioner Wiles proposed a tax increase to support volunteer fire departments. North Ponte Vedra residents argued they already paid for their own support and shouldn’t have to pay for new communities who aren’t as organized. SPVA president Bruce Bullock said, “We now have good fire protection as long as we don’t have a fire.”
Emory Torrey wrote Herbie Wiles about no fire department
SPVA member Emory Torrey was installing monitored fire alarms on his new house when he learned there was no fire service to call if the alarm goes off. He wrote to County Commissioner Herbie Wiles that he never dreamed such an affluent area would lack such a basic necessity. He offered his services to help rectify the situation.
Fires to Firefighters
Inna Heilman wrote in her 1991 book, “Today we take for granted that we have a fire station. The fact is that South Ponte Vedra only has a fire station thanks to the SOUTH PONTE VEDRA ASSOCIATION! We addressed the need long before the County realized its obligation.”
Unknown to well-known
The little group of “forgotten people” had meetings at Guana dam and at members’ houses. They invited local authorities as special guests. They sent petitions and delegations to county commission hearings. Their presence at a county budget meeting allowed the sheriff to provide an ATV and deputy to patrol the road and beach. SPVA kept pestering their neighbors to join. President Larry said South Ponte Vedra residents rose in one year from “the unknown to the well-known”.
Bruce Bullock for president
On SPVA’s first birthday, founder Larry Picus handed the president’s baton to Bruce Bullock. Bruce inherited 141 members with dues at $25 for a homeowner and $10 for a lot-owner.
South Ponte Vedra Association tried to go paperless
See the special bulletin on this date
South Ponte Vedra Association was founded
Rick and Larry were not alone. Over the next few months, twenty-three people formed the South Ponte Vedra Association. They said their first priorities were (1) law enforcement, (2) beach traffic, and (3) environmental protection. President Larry Picus said, “We do not want to be the forgotten people anymore.” The members got busy confronting the crime problem.
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