Seven individuals staff newest station

More than 18 months since breaking ground, Fire Station 6 will open its doors next week at its permanent home on the northeast corner of Harmon Road and Ocoee Apopka Road.  

The grand opening of the 8,065 square-foot facility will take place 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Aug. 8, at 1625 Harmon Road, Apopka. 

The ceremony will include station tours, remarks from community leaders and the Apopka Fire Department, family fun for all ages and more.  

Seven individuals will staff Station 6: four firefighters, one engineer, one lieutenant and one Emergency Medical Services (EMS) captain.  

The station operates a fully equipped Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance, a rapid response EMS captain command vehicle, and Quint Six, an ALS fire apparatus featuring a 78-foot aerial ladder that provides both firefighting and emergency medical response capabilities. 

“This state-of-the-art facility was built to meet the growing demands of the community and will serve as a cornerstone of public safety for years to come,” a July 31 city press release states.  

Miller Construction Management acted as construction manager at risk for the permanent Fire Station 6 project, under contract with the guaranteed maximum price of $3,677,800 and an added 10% contingency for a total of $4,310,580.  

Fire Station 6’s temporary location first opened in December 2017 in a trailer, coinciding with the opening of the AdventHealth Apopka campus off S.R. 429.  

The sixth station serves the city’s southwestern region, including AdventHealth and the Northwest Distribution Center; the communities of Emerson Park, Breckenridge, Apopka Woods, Magnolia Park Estates and Marden Ridge Apartments; and toll roads 429, 414 and 451.  

In summer 2023, the $4.1 million Harmon Road extension opened to ensure improved access to AdventHealth Apopka from the east as well as to fire and ambulance vehicles. 

In 2024, the AdventHealth Apopka expansion, which included adding more parking spaces on its premises, prompted the temporary Fire Station 6 to relocate to another temporary site.  

The crew moved to the Harmon on the Lake apartment complex, located along Harmon Road, until the permanent Fire Station 6 was finished.  

“These moves reflect the Apopka Fire Department’s unwavering commitment to putting the needs of the community first,” the city press release states.