Residents stopped by the Flathead County Search and Rescue building Thursday evening to learn about and share feedback on Kalispell’s forthcoming fire station.  

The Kalispell Fire Department’s third station is slated to go up on city-owned land at 490 Mountain Vista Way, just east of Farm to Market Road. Officials hosted an open house July 9 to solicit feedback and suggestions on the project.  

After issuing a request for proposals in February, architectural firms LSW Architects and TCA Architects were selected to design the station. The firms have partnered on similar projects in the past.  

The project remains in the early design stages, with the station expected to open in summer 2028. When finished, the station is expected to house an engine, ambulance and reserve vehicle that will be staffed by a firefighter, engineer and fire officer (one or more of which would also be a paramedic). 

The station will feature drive-through apparatus bays to improve safety and spare neighbors the loud backup beeps that would sound if fire engines reversed into the building, according to Brian Harris, principal architect with TCA Architects. The Seattle-based firm specializes in designing fire facilities and is working on Bigfork’s forthcoming fire station. 

Rich and Lori Sheets, who live a block from the site, said they appreciated the department’s efforts to minimize noise. The two have lived in the neighborhood since 2008 and always knew a fire station would eventually go up on the property.  

Emergency vehicles will pull into the station from Jackson Peak Drive and pull out onto Mountain Vista Way. There were initially conversations over having vehicles pull out onto Farm to Market Road, but the Montana Department of Transportation forbade it partly because of a bike path running parallel to the road, according to Casey Wyckoff, principal architect with LSW Architects.  

The current design includes three apparatus bays, though officials are considering adding a fourth if funding allows. Because the facility is expected to serve the community for decades, it must be able to accommodate future staffing and service demands, according to Harris.  

As the city continues to grow, Fire Chief Jay Hagen envisions staffing the station with two dedicated units — in line with Kalispell’s two existing stations.  

The firefighters’ living quarters will be located on the east side of the property, directly across the street from a residential neighborhood. Harris said the layout is intended to better integrate staff, who will be on 24-hour shifts, with the surrounding community. 

Funding for the facility will come from a mix of impact fees and revenue from the city’s emergency services levy. Hagen said that the cost for the new station is looking to be just over $7 million.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.