- April 26, 2024
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Volusia County is looking to relocate Fire Station 18 in unincorporated Ormond Beach from its current location at the end of a rural road onto State Road 40.
The proposed change was part of the service level update presented to the Volusia County Council at its meeting on March 19, where the council approved the allocation of $12 million to improve its fire services, including relocating another station in New Smyrna Beach. Joseph Pozzo, interim county director of public protection, said that relocating Fire Station 18 had been looked at for the past several years, because of its secluded location. It takes two and a half minutes to get from the station to S.R. 40.
The station, located at 500 Rodeo Road, isn't efficient either, Pozzo said.
“It is two facilities," Pozzo said. "We lose time moving from one facility to the other to get to the apparatus.”
Moving the station somewhere along S.R. 40 and State Road 11 is an option the county is considering, but Pozzo told the County Council that there was no desire to move the station further west than S.R. 11.
The total cost of relocating the station will be about $3.78 million. Pozzo said there are available fire rescue funds to purchase the land. The county is looking at two and two-and-a-half acre parcels.
County Councilwoman Heather Post said that she was in favor of the station relocation at the council meeting, saying that this was one of the first issues that was brought to her attention when she was elected.
"So, very evident that Station 18 needed to be looked at," she said.
The county is in need of something located at or near S.R. 40 to respond to where Volusia County Fire Chief Jeff Smith said the predominant number of calls happen: Out west.
It would also allow the unit to help on the east side as well, he added.
“Having that station located on [S.R] 40 gives us the advantage of saving up to four minutes for a response time where we can travel either east or west," Smith said.
A more centrally-located station provides more coverage area in a quicker time, he explained. That's why most fire stations around the state are found on major thoroughfares.
“So we’re doing the best for the greatest number, in this case, by moving it," Smith said.
Historically, Pozzo said Fire Station 18 came out of an agreement with Flagler County. The building is in Flagler County, and is also known as Flagler County Station 81. Before Volusia entered the picture, the building housed a volunteer station in an area where growth and development were expected.
As part of the agreement, Volusia County agreed to let Flagler County occupy Fire Station 16, located at 3935 Old Dixie Highway. If the county proceeds with relocating Fire Station 18, the existing building could go back to being a volunteer fire station for Flagler County.
