Tavares – Lake County broke ground on the new location of Fire Station 39 that will continue to serve the communities of Sorrento, Mt. Plymouth, Seminole Springs and Wekiva. The new station will replace Station 39 located at 31431 Walton Heath Ave. in Sorrento, FL.

“This 8,000-square-foot fire station will be equipped with a community room, large apparatus bay capable of safely housing six fire units and will have plenty of space for expansion as demands on services in this area increase due to growth,” said Lake County Fire Rescue Chief Jim Dickerson.

“This new station will improve the quality of life for our first responders and growing community,” said Lisa DuRant, immediate past president of the East Lake County Chamber of Commerce and a vocal supporter of the new station. “Fire Station 39 is our closest government entity, and the new location at the East Lake Sports & Community Complex places it in the heart of our community.”

The current station was constructed in the mid-1980s and was only rated to withstand a Category 2 hurricane, while the new structure will last for 50+ years and can survive Category 4 hurricane-force winds. The station will be equipped with a Class A fire engine, 3,000-gallon tanker and wildland response vehicle. It will service a population of over 12,000 and will respond to an excess of 1,200 calls annually.

For more information on Lake County Fire Rescue, visit https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/offices/fire_rescue or follow the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyFireRescue.