Would this let us defer building a station, or reduce investment in fire response?

Most departments in the country respond as all-hazard agencies, and station location and staffing should reflect the community's full risk profile, including EMS demand, travel time and geography, not fire risk alone. In most districts, EMS is the majority of the call volume.

The more immediate return is on the infrastructure side. Where a jurisdiction has adopted the relevant fire code appendices, sprinklered development can reduce required fire flow, widen hydrant spacing, and permit narrower streets and more flexible lot arrangements. Those are capital costs a community does not incur, and unlike station deferral they are available at the time of development.