Apopka opens long-awaited Fire Station 6 to meet growth expectations

Apopka opens new fire station to meet growth expectations

After eight years in temporary quarters, Apopka firefighters have a permanent home with the opening of Fire Station 6.

APOPKA, Fla. - After eight years in temporary quarters, Apopka firefighters have a permanent home with the opening of Fire Station 6.

What we know:

Apopka’s Fire Station 6 officially opened Friday, ending eight years of temporary operations. 

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The new facility, located next to AdventHealth Apopka, will improve response times and serve as the department’s EMS warehouse. It will be equipped with a 78-foot ladder truck, an ambulance and an EMS supervisor vehicle to handle medical calls in the growing area.

What we don't know:

City officials have not disclosed whether further expansions are planned to keep pace with rapid growth. It’s also unclear if staffing levels will increase immediately to match the station’s expanded capacity.

The backstory:

Since 2017, firefighters assigned to this area have worked from makeshift facilities — first on the hospital campus, then in a trailer, and most recently in an apartment complex converted into a temporary station. The new building marks the end of years of improvisation and logistical challenges.

What they're saying:

The city marked the occasion on Friday with an "uncoupling" ceremony — a tradition in which a fire hose is separated to symbolize the completion of a project — officially opening the station near AdventHealth Apopka hospital.

"This has been long awaited," Fire Chief Wil Sanchez said. "In 2017, we started servicing this area on the campus of Advent Apopka. From there, up to last year, we were actually in a trailer, and then we moved to an apartment complex where we did a temporary fire station until the fire station was completed. But now we’re here, and we’re looking forward to the next couple decades."

Just yards from the hospital, the new location is expected to improve response times and streamline operations. The station will also serve as the department’s EMS warehouse, allowing crews to restock ambulances immediately after dropping off patients.

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"The majority of our transports actually come right here in our backyard to our local hospital," Sanchez said.

The opening comes as new neighborhoods have sprung up along State Roads 414 and 451, increasing the demand for emergency services in the area.

Station 6 will be equipped with a 78-foot ladder truck, an ambulance and an EMS supervisor vehicle to handle medical emergencies.