WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – A new temporary fire station has opened on Avalon Road to better serve residents of southwest Winter Garden.
A temporary set up for Fire Station 21 is now operating and serving residents. Winter Garden Fire Rescue Chief, Jose Gainza, said with the addition of the new station, they’re hoping to reduce response times in the area by two to two-and-a-half minutes.
Well especially when you talk about cardiac events, when people have heart attacks and when they’re not breathing you know brain tissue, heart tissue dies without oxygen,” Gainza said. “So being able to respond quickly, in a timely fashion, could mean the difference between saving someone’s life or not.”
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The station was approved back in 2018, but the pandemic delayed construction. Chief Gainza said they worked with the city to build the temporary station to be able to provide service to people until the permanent station is finished.
In addition to lowering response times, Chief Gainza said this station is needed because of the growth in Winter Garden.
“We were concerned about response times,” Gainza said. “That was a big thing. Plus, the people in this area have are well-deserving of the services. And we wanted to make sure that we could provide those in a timely fashion.”
The permanent fire station will be located along Hardwood Marsh Road. It will house nine members, a fire engine, a rescue truck and will be around 9,000 square feet. Construction is set to begin in May 2024.
Gainza said the station is currently in the design phase.
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