Florida State Fire College

The Florida State Fire College is located at:

11655 NW Gainesville Road
Ocala, FL 34482

This facility is operational year-round with both full-time personnel and trainees who rotate in and out of the facility each semester. The facility includes onsite administrative buildings, dormitory facilities, a cafeteria, classrooms and fire training areas. The facility is served by one onsite potable well and one fire suppression well used for training exercises.

Onsite groundwater contamination by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as well as soil contamination have been detected above DEP’s provisional cleanup target levels. DEP continues to work and assess the extent the contamination and oversee the development of a cleanup plan to remove or contain the contamination to prevent environmental impact and human exposure.

DEP advised the Florida Department of Health of these results and directed them to develop and implement a community sampling plan. DOH completed the sampling of 117 potable wells around the Florida State Fire College on Sept. 26, 2019, and found 15 wells that exceeded the Health Advisory Level. DOH efforts are ongoing. 

Through the DEP’s Water Supply Restoration Program, if a well is contaminated with a man-made chemical that does not meet health advisory guidance, DEP is able to provide potable water while funding resources are available. Available options may include connection to public water supply water system, a treatment device or financial assistance with installation of new well depending on each situation. 

A link summarizing important events at this facility is included below.  More information about this site can be accessed through DEP's information portal.  The Facility/Site ID is ERIC_6494.

• Timeline of Activities

Return to the Fire Training Facility Site Assessments page.