Orange County’s newest fire station, its first in the booming Horizon West community near Disney, means more money in Joan Sullens’ pocket.
The Horizon West resident now qualifies for a premium-reducing, fire-protection discount on her homeowners insurance policy because firefighting crews are much closer.
“We don’t want to hear sirens but if you need the sirens you want them closer than 22 minutes away which is where they were before,” said Sullens, 68, who moved to Central Florida from Minnesota about three years ago.
The closest Orange County fire station had been on Apopka-Vineland Road, about seven miles away.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and James Fitzgerald, Demings’ choice to be the next chief of Orange County Fire Rescue, on Tuesday helped cut the ribbon on Station 44.
“It’s a tremendous growth area,” Demings said.