The purpose was to build a fire station and emergency services facility in cooperation with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Collier Emergency Medical Services. The property, in a residential area, would need to be rezoned by Collier County for a fire station to be built there.    

However, some residents who live on or near Orange Blossom Drive have said they don't want to see a fire station built on the property. They think it would increase traffic and noise in the area, said John Garbo, president of the Orange Blossom-Pine Ridge Community Alliance, which represents all of the homeowners associations on or adjacent to Orange Blossom Drive.  

The city council has given the go-ahead to spend 800 thousand dollars to buy two ambulances.  The city is quick to point out the decision has nothing to do with the job performance of their current ambulance service Medstar.  "It's absolutely not a reflection against Medstar. Medstar is still in the picture. Medstar is still an ambulance service that depending on the number of calls at any given time once we get in that business they will be responding as well," says city administrator Ken Grimes.

The city replaced half of the fire department’s front-line engine fleet. Taxpayers spent about $1.8 million to put new trucks at the Engine 1, Engine 2 and Engine 5 firehouses. The new trucks feature 500-gallon water tanks and 1,500-gallon-a-minute pumps. Each has an auxiliary power unit, essentially a small generator that maintains lights and heat while letting the truck engine shut off during extended idling. Ortiz predicted that will provide 20 percent savings on fuel at emergency scenes.