ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Fire Rescue officially opened a new fire station near the University of Central Florida Monday morning during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Station 67 is on University Boulevard near Rouse Road, 2 miles east of UCF.
Fire Chief Otto Drozd III said the opening of the new station could reduce response times in east Orange County by as many as three minutes.
"It means if they have a loved one (who is having a) heart attack (or) stroke, we're going to be able to get (to) them fast," Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said during the ceremony. "This is incredibly important for this community."
In 2015, $30 million was allocated to open three new fire stations in east Orange County. Fire stations will be opened on Avalon Park Boulevard and South Goldenrod Road.
Drozd said the county has previously experienced a shortage of paramedics, but he said all newly hired firefighters must cross train as paramedics within three years of being hired because most emergency calls are medical-related.
.@OrangeCoFL celebrated the opening of @OCFireRescue Station 67. Considered the flagship project among Mayor Jacobs’ INVEST in Our Home for Life initiative, it is the first of three fire stations to be funded through INVEST funds. Read more: https://t.co/13VWEfBYaB pic.twitter.com/3Sg1PhCyvW
— Archive: Former Mayor Teresa Jacobs (@Mayor_Jacobs) June 4, 2018
Cox Media Group
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