▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁by ▁travers ing ▁the ▁Int rac o ast al ▁Water way ▁via ▁fer ry ▁or ▁rail road . ▁Del ay ed ▁response ▁times ▁and ▁high ▁ins urance ▁rates ▁eventually ▁led ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁to ▁establish ▁its ▁own ▁fire ▁rescue ▁department ▁in ▁December   1 9 2 1 . ▁Today , ▁the ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁Fire ▁Res cue ▁has ▁three ▁stations ▁and ▁emp lo ys ▁ 8 1   emp loy ees , ▁ 7 5   full ▁time ▁and ▁ 7   part - time . ▁Ann ually , ▁the ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁Fire ▁Res cue ▁respond s ▁to ▁approximately ▁ 2 , 6 0 0   c alls . ▁ ▁Util ities ▁Florida ▁Power ▁& ▁Light ▁( F PL ) ▁provides ▁electric ity ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Pal m ▁Beach , ▁along ▁with ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁east ▁coast . ▁As ▁of ▁December   3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁F PL ▁serves ▁ 5   mill ion ▁customers ▁state wide , ▁which ▁is ▁approximately ▁ 1 0   mill ion ▁people . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁electric ity ▁supplied ▁by ▁F PL ▁is ▁s our ced ▁from ▁natural ▁gas , ▁followed ▁nuclear ▁energy . ▁The ▁nearest ▁F PL ▁power ▁plant ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁Riv iera ▁Beach , ▁while ▁the ▁closest ▁nuclear ▁power ▁station ▁is ▁the ▁St . ▁Luc ie ▁N uc lear ▁Power ▁Plant , ▁situated ▁on ▁H utch inson ▁Island . ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁officials ▁have ▁considered ▁under ground ing ▁at ▁least ▁since