City celebrates Fire Station 87 with hose uncoupling ceremony

Published on August 12, 2026

The City of North Port celebrated the official opening of Fire Station 87 with a traditional hose uncoupling ceremony Tuesday, marking the milestone in true fire service fashion rather than a standard ribbon-cutting. 

Located at 17890 Preto Blvd. in the Wellen Park area of North Port, Station 87 has been in service since June, providing faster response times to the growing collection of neighborhoods across the community. The station was built to keep pace with Wellen Park's rapid growth, which includes thousands of new homes along with retail, dining and recreational destinations continuing to take shape throughout the area.

"Station 87 is a direct response to the growth we're seeing in Wellen Park. As more families call this community home, our job is to make sure help is always close by," said North Port Fire Chief Scott Titus. "This station allows us to keep response times where they need to be for the residents who count on us." 

The $10.2 million project, including the station, apparatus and equipment, was made possible through a partnership between the City of North Port and Wellen Park, with all funding provided by the developer as part of its agreement with the city. Wellen Park will be reimbursed through impact fees as they're collected in the Wellen Park community. The arrangement reflects a shared commitment to ensuring public safety infrastructure keeps pace with residential growth.

"When people choose to live in, or move to Wellen Park, they do so primarily because it is a safe and secure community. We are proud to partner with the City of North Port to provide the public safety infrastructure needed to support our growing neighborhoods," said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park.

Station 87 adds to North Port Fire Rescue's growing footprint, now totaling 7 stations, as the department works to keep response times low across one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. With the new station now fully operational, crews are positioned to serve Wellen Park residents and visitors for years to come.