In the event of an emergency, minutes and seconds can mean the difference between life and death. First responders in Orcutt hope that, with the addition of a third fire station in the area, they can respond to everyday emergencies more quickly.
Orcutt is an unincorporated area that often relies on the Santa Barbara County for emergency services. Right now it has two fire stations: Fire Station 26 by Hwy 101 and Fire Station 21 by old town.
The new Fire Station 25 will be located on the north end of Orcutt on Union Valley Parkway.
"It's a great location because it will really allow for a more speeded attack to any incident," said Daniel Bertucelli, Santa Barbara County Fire Department Public Information Officer.
It will also allow for a more weighted attack.
"Having three engines coming in all from one location is very beneficial," said Bertucelli.
An increase in population led to the need for an additional fire station.
"The population of the Orcutt area, the call volume of the Orcutt area has been increasing steadily over the years," said Bertucelli.
Some residents say they wish the fire station would be positioned further north within Orcutt because residences in that area would like to see quicker response times.
Others are happy about the new addition, telling us it might make driving around town easier for them.
"It's the last road behind my house and it dead ends into the condos over here, and if they do that I'm hoping they just circle around and go right out to the parkway that would be perfect," said Orcutt resident Vary Simpson .
Simpson is hoping the addition of the fire station will create another road by his house to avoid traffic from nearby Righetti High School.
"So I'm hoping with that being there we can just have another exit. That would be fantastic," said Simpson.
Other residents also expressed their excitement at the meeting, saying this fire station is long overdue.
Orcutt resident Curt Warner is retired from Santa Barbara County Fire and says he remembers talking about the need for another fire station in the Orcutt area years ago.
"I'm very happy to see it come to fruition. I'm happy to see that the political powers that be were finally able to find the funding," Warner, and Orcutt resident, said.
They expect to have the new fire station up and running within the next two and a half years.
