SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The Seminole County Fire Department is celebrating the opening of its newest fire station in the fast-growing area in the northwest section of the county.
Fire Station 39 has been in operation since Dec. 15, but the community was welcomed for an official grand opening ceremony on Wednesday.
The facility is located at 5639 First St. in unincorporated Sanford and enhances emergency response for residents and businesses in the surrounding community.
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“This area is out on an island. We needed a big station to house all the apparatus and the personnel,” Fire Chief Matt Kinley said.
Since December, the new fire station has averaged around seven calls per day and has improved response times by up to two minutes.
Seconds matter. When you think about it, a fire is doubling in size every minute. When you’re in a cardiac arrest, every minute you’re losing a 10% chance of survivability," Kinley said.
The 13,356 square-foot building is Seminole County’s largest fire station and is the first new station to open since 2018. Fire officials said the crew stationed there will serve nearly 11,000 residents and over 4,100 households.
Heather Groeneveld lives nearby and said Station 39 adds an additional layer of protection.
“You know you’ll get some response a little faster, and there’s such a population growth around here,” Groeneveld said. “It’ll be nice to know that we’re all going to be able to be served and served with this updated equipment.”
The $10.7 million station is filled with equipment, including several different vehicles to serve the needs of the area.
A 100-foot-tall ladder is available on Tower 39 for crews to respond to high-rise buildings, including the apartment buildings on both sides of nearby International Parkway.
An ATV will also help crews easily reach calls on the Seminole Wekiva Trail.
Later this year, Station 39 will become the first in the county to deploy a truck equipped with an attenuator to provide protection for crews at roadway incidents.
The station serves nearly 11,000 residents and more than 4,100 households.