Suffolk News-Herald

Public safety in southern Suffolk got a shot in the arm Wednesday with the debut of a 1,200-square-foot addition to the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department.

City officials and dozens of local firefighters and Whaleyville citizens attended the dedication of the two-vehicle bay dedicated in memory of the late Jay Nuckols, the department’s former deputy chief. Nuckols, who retired in 2001 after nearly two decades of service, died from a stroke this past January.

Part of the $120,000 addition will be used to house an ambulance, a much needed service in the growing Whaleyville community, said Chief Charles Brothers. Rescue units responding to Whaleyville now come from Holland or downtown Suffolk, he said.

&uot;The distance from downtown has not shrunk but the time it takes to get to Suffolk has increased due to the amount of traffic on Route 13,&uot; said Brothers. &uot;With medics running directly from the station, we will probably be able to cut our response time in half.

&uot;The 10 to 30 minutes we’ll be saving can mean the difference between life and death.&uot;

Councilman Curtis Milteer agreed.

&uot;U.S. Route 13 is a narrow, heavily-traveled road and there has been a quite a few accidents out there in recent years,&uot; said Milteer. &uot;Having ambulance service out there is going to make public safety more accessible for residents.&uot;

Kathy Nuckols said her husband would be proud at having the new addition named in

his memory.

&uot;He always loved the Whaleyville Fire Department,&uot; she said, tears cracking her voice. &uot;He would be happy to see how the department is growing.

&uot;It will be nice to ride past here every morning and know he is still remembered.&uot;