Population growth in Augusta County has residents considering a new fire and rescue station in the Riverheads area.

Augusta County firefighters and board members held a community meeting Thursday night to get public input on the idea.

Increasingly, stations surrounding the Riverheads district are becoming overwhelmed with calls and take longer to respond to the area.

Estimates say a newly built fire and rescue station will get between 800 and 1,000 calls a year and ease the burdens on surrounding stations.

Staunton Resident Ray Nuckoles lives within a mile of Riverheads High School and supports the idea of a new station.

He says, "I feel like if they had a fire department and rescue squad in the Greenville area. I think people would feel more comfortable, and they could get to them quicker."

Dustin Whitesell is a Greenville resident and volunteer firefighter who is interested in working at the new station if it becomes a reality. He explains there can be bad consequences when rescue personnel have to travel longer distances to get to patients.

"Every minute that goes by, their chances of surviving decrease by ten percent, so I really think it would be needed," says Whitesell. "The road that I live on has had a lot of traffic accidents, and a lot of new mothers, so to try and get this going, I will do whatever I can."

The county is looking for volunteer rescue personnel. Another meeting is scheduled in the fall after more residents have been able to give their input.