Marion County Fire Rescue celebrated another major milestone this week with the grand opening of its newest, fully-staffed, career facility in the northern part of the county.
On Tuesday, March 31, officials celebrated the transition of Orange Springs Station #13, located at 23520 NE Highway 315 in Fort McCoy, from a volunteer-run site to a professional, career-staffed station. The upgrade is designed to provide around-the-clock protection and enhanced emergency services to the residents of Orange Springs and the surrounding areas.
According to MCFR, the shift to professional staffing will ensure faster response times for fire and medical emergencies in the rural north Marion County corridor. Department leaders expressed gratitude to the volunteers who managed the station for years, noting that their dedication built the foundation for this new chapter of service.
The opening of Station #13 is the latest in a series of high-profile developments for Marion County’s emergency services this year.
Last week, county officials dedicated a new Safe Haven Baby Box at a fire station in Ocala, providing a secure and anonymous way for parents in crisis to surrender a newborn.
Additionally, construction is currently progressing on a massive, 14,000-square-foot fire station in Ocala to keep pace with the region’s rapid growth.
With the addition of the career-staffed Orange Springs location, Marion County Fire Rescue now operates over 30 stations across the county. Other nearby facilities serving the north and northeast portions of the county include Fort McCoy Station #7 (13145 NE Highway 315), Salt Springs Station #6 (14426 NE Highway 314), and Citra Station #2 (15990 N. U.S. Highway 301).