Fire 6 Penny Project(s)

New Fire Station for the Table Mountain and Horse Creek Area:

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire Authority (LCFA) is requesting funding for two related projects that will improve fire protection services in the Table Mountain and Horse Creek areas of northwestern Laramie County. The total funding request for the fire station and structural fire engine project is $3,120,000.

The first project would construct a new three-bay fire station near County Road 109 to serve the growing Table Mountain and Horse Creek communities. The station would include apparatus bays for a structural fire engine, brush truck, and water tender, as well as office space, storage, a meeting room, kitchen, and restroom facilities.

The second project would provide a new structural fire engine to support LCFA's overall apparatus fleet. The addition of this engine will allow LCFA to strategically realign existing apparatus throughout its response area, ensuring that the communities served by both the current station and the proposed new station have the most appropriate firefighting resources positioned where they are needed most. This redistribution of equipment will strengthen emergency response capabilities across western Laramie County while maintaining adequate coverage for existing service areas.

Together, these projects will establish a permanent fire protection presence in a portion of the county that continues to experience significant residential growth while enhancing fire protection services throughout LCFA's broader response district.

Why is this project needed?

The Table Mountain and Horse Creek areas continue to experience new residential development and increasing demand for emergency services. Currently, the area is served by a small garage facility that houses a brush truck but is not large enough to accommodate a structural fire engine.

Because a structural fire engine is not permanently located within the area, portions of the community fall outside the fire protection distances recognized by the insurance industry. This can affect both the availability and cost of homeowners insurance.

In emergency response, time and distance are critical. Faster response times improve firefighter effectiveness, increase the likelihood of successful medical interventions, and reduce property loss during fires. Recent incidents, including the Dusty Road Fire, have demonstrated the importance of having firefighting resources positioned closer to the communities they protect.

The construction of a dedicated fire station and the addition of a new structural fire engine will allow LCFA to enhance coverage throughout its district by placing the right apparatus in the right locations. This project will provide the resources necessary to better serve residents today while preparing for future growth and development.

What will the project provide the community?

The new fire station and structural fire engine will significantly improve emergency response capabilities for the Table Mountain and Horse Creek areas by placing firefighters and equipment closer to residents and businesses.

The project is expected to reduce response times, improve fire suppression capabilities, strengthen wildfire response efforts, and enhance public safety throughout this rapidly developing area of Laramie County. The addition of a structural fire engine within the service area may also improve insurance ratings and reduce insurance costs for some property owners.

Beyond serving the immediate area, the new engine will allow LCFA to better distribute apparatus across its response district, ensuring that both existing and growing communities receive improved fire protection coverage. The station and apparatus will also provide mutual aid support throughout Laramie County, strengthening the overall emergency response network and ensuring resources are available when and where they are needed most.

Station Improvements and Archer Fire Station Completion

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire District #1 is requesting funding to complete the Archer Fire Station, a project that was partially completed during a previous 6th Penny funding cycle. The proposed improvements include completing the station's original drive-through apparatus bay design by installing four additional bay doors, constructing a wraparound concrete driveway for fire apparatus, expanding parking areas, and developing a dedicated firefighter training area.The project would also include a training pad, fire hydrant, and training prop to support firefighter education and skill development. The estimated cost of the project is $1.2 million.

Why is this project needed?

The Archer Fire Station was originally designed as a drive-through fire station to improve operational efficiency and firefighter safety. However, due to rising construction costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, portions of the original design were postponed in order to complete the station within available funding. As development continues to expand outward from Cheyenne, the Archer Fire Station has become an increasingly important component of emergency response coverage in central Laramie County. Completing the original design will improve apparatus movement, increase available parking, and provide dedicated training space for firefighters. The project will also allow the district to maximize the investment already made in the station by completing features that were included in the original vision for the facility.

What will the project provide the community?

Completing the Archer Fire Station will improve emergency response readiness and operational efficiency by allowing apparatus to enter and exit the station more safely and effectively. The addition of a dedicated training area will provide firefighters with a location to conduct hands-on training and maintain critical emergency response skills. These improvements will help ensure firefighters remain prepared to respond to structure fires, wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, and other emergencies throughout Laramie County. The project will complete a strategically located public safety facility that supports continued growth in the county and enhances emergency response capabilities for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Fire Apparatus Replacement and Expansion

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire District #3 is seeking funding to purchase two fire apparatus. The total funding request is $1,612,000. With Laramie County Fire District #3 providing a 10% match.

The proposed purchases include:

• A replacement water tender to replace an aging 30-year-old unit currently in service.
• A new Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) engine to strengthen fire suppression capabilities in growing residential areas.

The district intends to work with apparatus manufacturers to finalize costs and delivery schedules should funding be approved.

Why is this project needed?

District #3 operates in an area where portions of the community lack developed water infrastructure, requiring firefighters to transport water to emergency incidents. The district reports that much of its budget is committed to operational expenses such as insurance, retirement, and workers compensation, limiting its ability to replace large apparatus through normal annual revenues. The proposed replacement tender would improve water delivery capabilities, while the new WUI engine would enhance firefighting capacity in subdivisions located within wildland-urban interface areas. District officials also note that newer apparatus would reduce maintenance costs and improve firefighter safety.

What will the project provide the community?

The project would improve emergency response capabilities by providing a reliable water supply at incidents and increasing firefighting capacity in developing residential areas. District #3 states that the apparatus would also strengthen mutual aid support provided to neighboring fire districts throughout Laramie County.

New Fire Station for Pine Bluffs

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire District #5 is requesting funding to construct a new fire station on the east side of Pine Bluffs. The proposed facility would replace the district's current station, which was originally constructed in 1949 as a public utility building and later converted for fire department use. The new station would be designed specifically for modern fire and emergency services operations and would be constructed on land currently owned by the Town of Pine Bluffs.  The estimated cost of the project is $4 million.

Why is this project needed?

The current fire station is more than 75 years old and was never designed to function as a fire station. While numerous renovations and upgrades have been completed over the years, the building no longer meets the operational needs of a growing emergency services organization. The existing site offers little opportunity for expansion, limiting the department's ability to accommodate additional personnel, equipment, and training needs. Apparatus storage is constrained, equipment storage has exceeded available building space, and several functions are being conducted in areas not originally intended for their current use. At the same time, emergency call volume has increased significantly. Twenty years ago, the department responded to approximately 75 to 100 calls annually. Today, that number has grown to between 250 and 300 calls per year, reflecting the increasing demands placed on the department and the community it serves.

What will the project provide the community

The new station will provide a modern emergency services facility designed to support the needs of today's firefighters and emergency responders while accommodating future growth. The project will improve operational efficiency, provide adequate space for equipment and training, enhance firefighter health and safety, and ensure emergency services can continue to meet the needs of the Pine Bluffs community for decades to come. The station will also continue to support the long-standing partnership between Laramie County Fire District #5 and Pine Bluffs EMS. By housing both organizations within the same facility, emergency responders can continue to work together efficiently and provide coordinated fire and medical response throughout southeastern Laramie County. The proposed location on the east side of Pine Bluffs will also improve emergency response times for residents and businesses on the north side of town. By locating the station closer to the new railroad crossing and the growing residential developments in that area, firefighters will be able to reach emergencies more quickly while reducing delays caused by rail traffic. This improved access will enhance service to existing neighborhoods and support continued growth, including the community's newest subdivision.

Designed with future growth in mind, the new station will provide the infrastructure necessary to support a professional volunteer fire department while enhancing public safety for residents, businesses, and visitors in the Pine Bluffs area.

New Fire Station and Headquarters for Hillsdale

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire District #6 is requesting funding to construct a new fire station and headquarters facility in the Hillsdale area. The total funding request is $5,543,716. The project would replace the district's existing station with a modern facility designed to meet the needs of today's firefighters, emergency responders, and the growing communities served by the district. The new station would provide adequate apparatus storage, operational space, training areas, and administrative functions necessary to support emergency services now and into the future.

Why is this project needed?

The current station has served the community for many years but is no longer capable of meeting the operational demands placed on the district. The facility was designed for a smaller department and a different era of emergency response. As the Hillsdale area continues to grow, the district has experienced increased demands for fire protection, emergency medical response, wildland firefighting, and rescue services. The existing station is undersized for current apparatus, equipment, personnel, and training needs, limiting the department's ability to operate as efficiently and safely as possible. Modern fire stations are designed to support firefighter health and safety through improved ventilation systems, decontamination areas, equipment storage, and living quarters. The current facility lacks many of these features, making replacement more practical and cost-effective than continued upgrades. Emergency call volume has also increased substantially over the past decade. In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the department typically responded to slightly more than 200 calls each year. Today, annual call volume exceeds 300 incidents, an increase of more than 40 percent. This steady growth demonstrates the increasing demands placed on Fire District #6 as it serves a larger population, expanding development, and a growing number of residents, businesses, and travelers throughout the district.

What will the project provide the community?

The new station will provide a modern emergency response facility strategically located to serve residents throughout the Hillsdale area and surrounding areas of Laramie County. The project will improve emergency response readiness, enhance firefighter safety, and provide sufficient space for apparatus, equipment, training, and future growth. It will also strengthen the district's ability to respond to structure fires, wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and other incidents that occur within its service area. By replacing an aging and undersized station with a purpose-built facility, Laramie County Fire District #6 will be better positioned to provide reliable emergency services for decades to come while supporting continued residential and commercial growth in the Hillsdale community.

Fire Engine Replacement

What is the project?

Laramie County Fire District #10 is requesting funding to purchase a new all-risk fire engine to supplement and modernize its apparatus fleet. The total funding request is $1,500,000.

The district estimates the cost of the apparatus at approximately $1.5 million, including standard equipment and outfitting. The engine would be designed to respond to structure fires, vehicle accidents, wildland fires, and rescue incidents.

Why is this project needed?

District #10 serves approximately 168 square miles and averages around 100 calls annually. The district reports that a significant portion of its responses occur along Interstate 80 and near railroad corridors.

The district recently removed a 1998 fire engine from service due to extensive rust and safety concerns, reducing the number of primary engines available for response. Officials note that increasing apparatus costs have made replacement difficult to fund through annual tax revenues alone.

What will the project provide the community?

The proposed engine would improve reliability and response capability throughout the district while replacing aging equipment. District officials state the apparatus would support structural firefighting, wildland fire response, motor vehicle accident response, and rescue operations across the district's service area. The project is intended to ensure continued emergency response capability for residents and travelers throughout western Laramie County.