It's hard to miss the newly remodeled Rollins Volunteer Fire Department on U.S. 93 along the west shore of Flathead Lake. 

Construction of the nine-bay station began in May 2025 and wrapped up earlier this year, adding approximately 9,000 square feet of garage space to the original 6,000-square-foot station. The entire L-shaped building was painted a fiery red and features new safety equipment, including an extractor to remove cancerous chemicals from turnout gear and a 20,000-gallon water cistern.  

Property owners in the fire district funded 100% of the reconstruction, according to Fire Chief Carey Cooley. 

A dedication ceremony on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., celebrates the rural department's official ownership of the new station at 21324 Big Lodge Rd. Plaques carved with donors' names will be hung in the entryway. Guests are invited to explore the station and meet with the fire chief during an open house after the ceremony. 

The former six-bay fire department was cramped for space, Cooley said. Fire personnel could barely squeeze through the fire trucks, and maintenance work had to be done outside of the narrow facility.  

Three of the nine apparatuses couldn't fit in the department, she said, and were kept on the volunteer's private property, including her own. Tucked between the crowded garages were a couple of closet-sized bathrooms and a tiny kitchenette.  

"We did a lot in that old building," Cooley said. 

Saving for a new fire station felt out of reach, she said, with maintenance and operating costs eating up the $85,000 annual budget. A new fundraising arm called the Rollins Fire Foundation, Inc., was formed in May 2024 to raise money for a nine-bay fire station. To the fire chief's astonishment, dozens of property owners chipped in $2.2 million by 2025, and ground broke for the new station in May that year.  

THE REMODELED fire department features myriad new amenities. 

Fire personnel no longer have to drive home covered in filth thanks to new showers installed in remodeled bathrooms. An upstairs recreation room sports a Ping-Pong table, gym equipment and a mounted TV.  

The fire chief couldn't help but marvel over the new kitchen built along the north wall of the meeting room, where the old fire hall used to be, equipped with an oven, stainless steel refrigerator, spacious cabinets and a countertop island.  

HOWEVER, THE department is still strapped for cash, Cooley said.  

Their main structure fire engine broke last month, and it'll cost about $30,000 to repair. Department Treasurer Linda Gore said they'll likely take a chunk out of their donations account to cover the cost.  

Meanwhile, emergency calls have more than doubled in the last five years, according to stats provided by the department, and the call volume this year is tracking approximately 20% higher than 2025.  

The Rollins Fire District covers approximately 550 homes in an 11 square-mile area, with a current volunteer staff of 21 fire and medical personnel. To keep up with inflating costs and replace aging fire trucks, the fire district put a new levy on the ballot this November.  

The levy would rake in an additional $91,000 a year, with $20,000 funneled into a new cash reserve for vehicles and equipment and $60,000 to compensate a full-time fire chief who is currently volunteer, and/or an emergency medical technician.  

Annual property taxes would increase by $11.96 per $100,000 of home market value under the new levy, and taxes would increase by $85.92 on a $600,000 home. Cooley said the initial estimated tax increase figures provided to the department were incorrect.  

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.