ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Over the past few years, there has been booming growth in West Orange County.
Back in 2023, News 6 reported that Horizon West’s population had grown by more than 300% between 2010 and 2020, according to U.S. Census data.
That means growing emergency services is a priority.
Orange County’s government website notes Horizon West is the fastest-growing community in unincorporated Orange County.
To keep up with the demand, Kimberly Buffkin, Division Chief for Orange County Fire Rescue, said first responders are stepping up.
[WATCH: Booming growth population in Horizon West (from 2023)]
“We have been monitoring the growth in Horizon West for the past 10 years. We realize this up-and-coming community has a lot of residential and commercial growth,” Buffkin said. “In terms of population growth and obviously the calls for service, we’re building more fire stations.”
Buffkin says the agency already has Fire Station 44 in the area, and more are in the works.
“We have Station 48 in a temporary facility, so the permanent facility is breaking ground in the next couple of months, but right now, we’re running out of Orlando Health property in Horizon West. Also, we have another one projected down the line, and that is Fire Station 49,” said Buffkin.
[WATCH: Tiny Road expansion plans aim to alleviate traffic congestion]
Adding the fire stations is a solution they hope will help continue to meet people’s needs, as over the last six to eight years, calls for service have increased.
“As a community grows, there’s more calls for service, and we need to provide that service. So we built stations to do that,” she said.
With more people moving into the area, there has been talk about the added traffic, but Buffkin says the teams know how to manage around it when it comes to an emergency.
“Our firefighters are well-equipped with how to get around traffic and have to deal with traffic. We deal with this from rural areas to urban areas,” said Buffkin.
Buffkin says the new facility for Fire Station 48 should be built around 18 months from now, and when it comes to Fire Station 49, it’s still a few years away.