Firefighters and first responders have always worked in a realm where every minute, even seconds, count.

"Every minute that goes by from a cardiac arrest, that is a 10 percent decrease in survivability," Saratoga Springs Fire Department Chief Joe Dolan said.

In the case of Saratoga Springs, where the city's eastern plateau has continued to grow, Dolan says they've had to handle more and more calls from their stations downtown and on the west side of town.

"For us, it’s always been a reality,” Dolan said. “This has been an ongoing situation and it’s something that the firefighters and the fire department have compensated by responding as fast and efficiently as we can."

On Tuesday morning, Dolan was joined by Mayor Meg Kelly and other city leaders to announce that plans for a new firehouse on the eastern ridge are finally moving forward.

"This location is going to provide much quicker response to the Eastern plateau area," Dolan.

"I think that it’s been years, maybe even more than a decade that we have been trying to figure this out and find the right property," Kelly said.

The project was announced after the New York State Franchise Oversight Board greenlighted a plan to transfer 2.6 acres of state-owned land to the city during its Tuesday meeting. Located along Henning Road, the undeveloped parcel is part of the New York Racing Association's (NYRA) Oklahoma Training Track property but has never been used for racing or training.

"We are really happy with the collaboration with the Franchise Oversight Board (FOB) and NYRA," Kelly said.

In a written statement released after the FOB’s meeting, NYRA Communications Director Pat McKenna called the organization an “enthusiastic advocate” of the project.

“We look forward to the addition of this fire and EMS station, which will enhance the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City of Saratoga Springs, the backstretch community and our fans,” McKenna said.

"It is [dealing with] a lot of the safety issues for their horses, the people at the track, the community. It is a win-win for everybody,” Kelly said.

City leaders still must negotiate details of the land transfer with the state before developing formal plans for the building, which is expected to cost between $3-6 million.

Dolan believes when it's all said and done, it will make the eastern side of the city a safer place to be.

"A fire doubles in size every 30 seconds,” Dolan said. “Time matters. Time counts when it comes to both fire and EMS services.”