Orange County hosts ribbon cutting ceremony for Fire Station 44

Orange County hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Fire Station 44 Wednesday, March 27, in Horizon West.

To meet the rapidly increasing growth of the community, Fire Station 44 originally was housed for a few years in a temporary location at the corner of Avalon and Porter roads.

With Fire Station 44's new home at 14230 Reams Road, Winter Garden, the previously occupied station will become Fire Station 48.

The station opened in February and is a $5.4 million investment in the community. 

John Westmoreland, chief of logistics for the Orange County Fire Rescue Department, welcomed attendees, before turning the floor over to Mayor Jerry L. Demings, who said he was honored to be at the event and to support the area's firefighters.

"As the Orange County mayor, I do believe in investing in our future and Orange County's growing communities," he said. "This is a significant investment that we are making."

OCFRD Chief James M. Fitzgerald said Fire Station 44 houses an engine and a transport rescue vehicle, both of which have paramedics on board. 

"The station will not only improve response times, but it will also help to reduce homeowner's insurance premiums," he said. "Building a new fire station not only improves the quality of life for the community, but it also represents a commitment by county leadership and the men and women of Fire Rescue to be there when it matters most. While we can all agree this is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility, the real heart and soul is the incredible men and women who work here. I can assure you; you will not find a more dedicated group of firefighters in the fire service than you will find here today, and I am extremely proud of each and every one of you and the work that you do every day. We look forward to this station providing critical, lifesaving services to meet the needs of our growing community for decades to come."

District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson said the Horizon West area is suffering from many growing pains, but OCFRD always has been a step ahead and ready to take care of the local residents.

"This rescue team deserves a top-of-the-line, beautiful place to call home," she said. "That best of the best is not just the equipment or the building, it's the people, and they really are (the best of the best). ... Driving by this facility, people are smiling, they are excited and they are so happy, because they know we've been able to provide this type of infrastructure that means safety and wellbeing. West Orange County will continue to grow and thrive in the coming years, and this incredible occasion affirms Orange County Fire Rescue will always be there working hard to better serve the needs of our growing community."