A look into the future?

One of the first factors that needs to be considered as Wallingford debates expanding or even moving the police station is the demographic changes that will occur as the baby boomers reach retirement. If trends hold true, Connecticut will look like Florida before the end of the next decade. There will be approximately 2 or 3 seniors for every teen-ager. That should have an influence on police/fire/ambulance calls. There will always be crime and we will always need police. Wallingford is fortunate to have excellent department. But an older population should lead to a decrease in crime. Unfortunately, there will be more calls for heart attacks and other medical emergencies. As the council and mayor consider how much to spend on a new police station, they need to hear from experts on what police and fire departments will look like in 2020 and beyond. One thing to consider is whether career firefighter/paramedics and possibly ambulances should be permanently stationed at all three volunteer fire stations. Statistics show that if a paramedic with the proper equipment can get to you within 5 or 10 minutes, your chances of survival greatly increase. If you are in some parts of Wallingford, this may not be possible with ambulances stationed near the center of town.
The police are using a building that is now around 25 years old. Surely at some point soon it needs to be renovated and expanded. Perhaps it even needs to be moved. But the council would be wise to consider whether this increased need for emergency medical help will require a larger piece of the police/fire spending pie before they double the size of the police station. There are people with more expertise than I that should be heard from. My only intent is to provide some food for thought.