Ocala Fire Rescue opens first station with engine and rescue unit in 36 years, but Amendment 3 clouds budget future

Ocala Fire Rescue just opened its newest station on the city’s northwest side, marking the first time in 36 years the department has launched a facility equipped with both an engine and a rescue unit. But as the city grows and emergency service needs expand, voter-approved Amendment 3 threatens to put a significant dent in the budget starting next year.

Fire Station 8, located near Interstate 75, is designed to cut response times for residents and drivers moving in and out of the rapidly developing northwest corridor.

“The importance of having this station in the northwest corridor is because we’ve seen a lot of growth in many types of buildings such as commercial and residential,” said Ashley Lopez, public information officer for Ocala Fire Rescue. “With the station being located near the city limits, we have a greater accessibility to anyone that’s driving toward into Ocala or heading out of Ocala.”

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Why having both units at one station matters

Station 8 is also the first new fire station to open in Ocala in five years — and the first in 36 years to house both an engine and a rescue unit under one roof. That combination gives crews more flexibility when responding to calls.

“With the rescue being on site, we can better divide responsibility so that if a call only requires medical assistance, we can send that rescue unit underway,” Lopez said. “Whereas if we only had an engine, we would have to send the entire apparatus that has all the water in it and all the tools for other types of calls to that medical call.”

Amendment 3 threatens to cut nearly $7 million next year

The opening comes at a critical moment. State leaders project the City of Ocala could face a budget shortfall of nearly $7 million next year as a direct result of Amendment 3, which was approved by voters and slashes property taxes. Over the next five years, the city is projected to lose more than $57 million.

As for Marion County, they’re projected to lose a little more than $78 million next year, with a budget cut of a total of more than $630 million over the next five years.

City and county leaders now face the challenge of restructuring their budgets at the same time they are being asked to invest in new infrastructure to keep pace with Ocala’s growth.