Orange County fire stations seek adoption for holidays

The Office of Orange County Mayor is pleased to announce the continued tradition of the annual Adopt a Fire Station initiative for the 2019 holiday season. With the help of Orange County’s Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization Division, the goal is to once again have all 42 fire stations — as well as the 911 dispatch center — adopted by families and/or local organizations between the weeks of Nov. 24 and Jan. 1, 2020. Adopting a station entails bringing by goodies or food for the first responders.

The following nine fire stations still need to be adopted:

• Lockhart, 5570 W. Beggs Road
• Orlo Vista, 20 S. Hastings St.
• Bay Hill, 6116 Apopka Vineland Road
• Silver Star, 2700 N. Apopka Vineland Road
• Union Park, 1841 N. Bonneville Road
• Christmas, 1221 N. Fort Christmas Road
• University, 10679 University Blvd.
• West Orange 4000 S. State Road 535
• Oakland, 540 E. Oakland Ave.

This event has become a means for the community to say thank you to first responders who work throughout the holidays to serve others.

Each station will have the opportunity to be adopted three times (A shift, B Shift and C shift) on a first-come, first-served basis, with adoptions scheduled for 45 minutes. Please keep in mind crews will remain in service during visits and may be dispatched for an emergency at any time. If a crew is out on a call when you arrive, please stand by and wait for their return or use the phone in front of the station to check the crew return status.

This year, the initiative encourages any full meals be prepared by restaurants or experienced cooks to ensure quality food prep standards. For those who plan to provide a meal, a recommended balanced menu is listed below.

• Protein (i.e. chicken, turkey, eggs, etc.)
• A vegetable (i.e. broccoli, corn, etc.)
• A starch (i.e. potatoes, bread, etc.)
• A dessert

For more information about adopting a fire station, visit bit.ly/2RA5jZw.