BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise and the Boise Fire Department held a grand opening for its newest fire station on Friday.
Boise Fire Station #5 is a new state-of-the-art building replacing the city's oldest fire station, which was built in 1951 at South 16th Street and Fairview Avenue in downtown Boise.
The old building was taken down in January 2023 to accommodate an all-hazard response.
During Friday's ceremony, instead of a ribbon cutting, they celebrated the firehouse's reopening with the traditional uncoupling of a red fire hose. Two retired firefighters previously stationed at Station #5 had the honor of uncoupling the hose.
"Today marks a significant milestone for our community as we open the new fire station downtown. This facility not only enhances our emergency response capabilities but also prioritizes the health and safety of our firefighters," Mark Niemeyer, Boise Fire Chief, said in a new release.
According to Boise Fire, the new fire station aims to achieve the City of Boise's energy goals as the building is 100% electric. The building has solar panels on its roof and an EV charging station.
Boise Fire said the building has safety features, including a "decontamination storage room for firefighters' contaminated gear, helping to keep harmful toxins out of their living quarters."
"We're proud to support our firefighters with the best resources while taking a significant step towards a clean future for our city," Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said in a news release. "Located in the heart of downtown, Station 5 has been an important part of our community, and opening this modern, all-electric fire station strengthens our commitment to public safety and reflects our dedication to sustainability and innovation."
The new fire station is the fourth to be built at the location, and to honor those before, it contains artifacts and a display highlighting history dating back to 1901, Boise Fire said.
