BOISE, Idaho — Boise’s newly rebuilt Fire Station 5, located downtown, is reopening after a year of construction, replacing the city's oldest firehouse.
- The station now features 100% electric operations, including solar panels, aligning with Boise’s energy goals.
- Designed to accommodate future growth, the station will eventually house a new Squad 5 to meet the rising demand for medical calls.
- The facility also honors its history with a public display of artifacts dating back to the 1800s, preserving the past as the city moves forward.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
"We are reopening Station 5, a firehouse that's been in Boise since 1906 in some form or another,” says Boise Fire Department Chief Mark Niemeyer.
Near the heart of Boise, the new and improved Fire Station 5 replaces the city's oldest firehouse, originally built in 1951.
“We have, over the last 12 months, been rebuilding this firehouse for the next 40 to 50 years into the future, and we're excited to get it back open," says Chief Niemeyer.
Located downtown, Fire Station 5 is the busiest in the state and is once again ready to serve the community with updated technology.
The new station is 100% electric, with solar panels, gas-free stoves, and electric vehicle charging stations.
“We certainly focused on meeting our city's energy goals,” says Niemeyer.
As Boise grows, the station is designed to expand with it.
"In this facility, we're going to house Ladder 5 and Engine 5, which have been serving this downtown community for many years, but we built it for growth. So, someday, we anticipate a Squad 5 being in this firehouse as well," says Chief Niemeyer.
The future Squad 5 will assist in the increasing number of medical calls.
Alongside the technology upgrades comes a blast from the past — a public-facing historical display showcasing artifacts from the department's early days, dating back to the 1800s.
"It's the history that's important,” says Niemeyer.
The new modern building incorporates old wood and brick from the original building, as they aim to preserve the past while the future unfolds.
“When we tore down the other station, certainly some of our firefighters were very heartbroken because they had worked out of this firehouse for a very long time. The commitment to them was to build a new modern station, but incorporate some of the history as well,” says Chief Niemeyer.
For the firefighters, it's more than just a workplace, it's their home — where they spend birthdays and holidays with their extended family.
"We don’t call it a fire station; we call it a firehouse. We argue, fight, have a good time, and tell stories,” says former Fire Captain Chris Campbell.
