ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County Fire Rescue is ushering in a new era of emergency response with the official opening of a $52 million state-of-the-art training facility on Curry Ford Road.
County leaders, including Mayor Jerry Demings and the Florida State Fire Marshal, joined fire crews Tuesday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the completion of the expansive complex, one of the largest public safety investments in the county’s history.
“We are all very excited to open this training facility that will outlive most of us in terms of its usefulness in our community,” Demings said. “More importantly, it’s a state-of-the-art tool that will help train our firefighters and first responders to keep going live and help them keep saving other lives as well.”
The new training campus includes a 30,000-square-foot education center, two five-story drill towers, a three-story burn building, and several realistic fire simulation props designed to replicate high-risk emergency scenarios.
Fire Chief James M. Fitzgerald said the goal is to prepare first responders for a wide range of challenges, whether it’s structure fires, search-and-rescue operations, or mass casualty incidents.
“This facility will be a regional hub for emergency training,” Fitzgerald said. “It brings together fire crews, law enforcement, and other first responders to train collaboratively under one roof.”
Officials say the timing of the facility is critical. With Orange County’s rapid growth, public safety agencies are seeing increased call volumes and more complex emergencies.
Orange County Fire Rescue says training will begin immediately, with emergency personnel from across Central Florida expected to take part in future sessions.
“This isn’t just about the fires of today, it’s about preparing for the challenges of tomorrow,” Demings said.