Final preparations are underway for Helena’s third fire station, which is expected to begin construction in December.
The city aims to finish the third fire station by June 2027, bond documents state.
It will be on the corner of Custer Avenue and Kelleher Lane, north of Costco and adjacent to the Helena Wastewater Maintenance office at 2218 E. Custer Ave.
Funding it all is $7 million in bonds, which were narrowly approved by voters in June 2024. Financial details were presented to city commissioners Wednesday alongside a general timeline.
The new station will have an on-campus training area and expanded office space.
Helena had been looking to build a third fire station since 2006, when early evaluations reported the city was outgrowing its two-station model.
The big problem lies in Helena’s fire response time. The national standard for fire response was 6.5 minutes, but Helena Fire hovered around 12 in 2022, according to previous IR reporting.
Both completed fire stations are south of the train tracks, opposite from where the town is steadily expanding. The city has cited slow emergency response times to push for an underpass where the railroad crosses Montana Avenue.
Even with a third fire station, response times won’t get any faster without a bigger crew, Fire Chief Jon Campbell previously told the Independent Record.
A staffing levy ran alongside the stations bond in 2024 and failed with a 55% disapproval.
Sometimes, 10 fire staff are on call, but over 90% of the year, Helena Fire only has eight people available, Campbell estimated.
He wouldn’t be able to split his crew between three buildings, and the two southern stations at the Helena Civic Center and 650 Hannaford St. are better placed for emergency response than the new northern one.
Although the new station could be used for training or offices, Campbell said Helena won’t see better emergency services until it finds a way to fund staff.
A staffing levy currently isn’t set to be on the upcoming primary or general election ballots for the city of Helena.
As for the bond's sale, city commissioners will be asked to approve sales this Monday, city documents state. Receipts, which will document the bonds' proceeds, are scheduled for city review Aug. 14.
Christine Compton is a reporter for the Helena Independent Record.
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