New Osceola Fire Station in Poinciana to cut down on emergency response times

New Osceola Fire Station to cut down response time

Fire Station 85 on Cypress Parkway in Poinciana is now operational. It is the new home for fire rescue and emergency medical units that previously shared a station in Polk County for more than 30 years.

POINCIANA, Fla. - Fire Station 85 on Cypress Parkway in Poinciana is now operational.

The station serves as the new home for fire rescue and emergency medical units that have shared a facility with Polk County for over 30 years.

On Wednesday morning, fire officials marked the occasion by unscrewing two fire hoses in a symbolic "uncoupling" of the two stations.

"Poinciana has grown by leaps and bounds," said Rep. Darren Soto. "We have nearly 100,000 people living down here – beautiful neighborhood, but it’s somewhat geographically isolating. So having its own fire station for Osceola County is absolutely critical."

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The $12 million, 12,000-square-foot station will house emergency responders, providing them a place to live, work, and train. Now located within Osceola County, about two miles from its former location in Polk County, fire officials said this move will greatly reduce emergency response times.

"We were losing about 3.5 to five minutes responding from Polk County to Osceola County," said Osceola Fire Chief Larry Collier. "Our goal is to meet 8.5 minutes 70% of the time."

Fire Station 85 sits on Cypress Parkway, which is undergoing traffic improvement projects. Presently, emergency vehicles must make three to four turns to exit the station, but plans are in place to add a designated route with emergency signals to reduce response times further.

Fire officials also announced that another station on North Marigold Avenue will break ground soon, with an expected opening in the next nine months.

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