New fire station in Lakeland to reduce response times

LAKELAND, Fla. — Facilities like a fire station are a critical need in developing areas of Lakeland, a city that is attracting more people every day.

That's why commissioners recently approved the purchase of property to build a new one to help reduce the number of calls for Fire Station 3.

For many employees, this will help cope with population growth.

Emergency Chief Shane Reynolds has been with the Lakeland Fire Department for three decades, which means he has a front-row seat to how much the community has changed.

“Almost 12 years ago, we already had so many calls to this station and with the addition of Station 6, we just couldn't keep up with the volume,” he said.

He knows that every minute counts in an emergency and that a new fire station will reduce the number of calls Station 3 receives.

“We need to be able to respond based on the needs of our citizens, which most of the time is a medical call,” he said.

The new station will handle approximately 12% of total calls.

The Lakeland Fire Department says it will provide updates to the Board of Commissioners as plans for the fire station are developed.

The goal is to complete the project within the next 24 months and it will be located on the corner of Sleepy Hill Road and Mall Hill Drive.