North Metro Fire District Fire Station 61 Rebuild Underway

By Bette Erickson

“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose,” French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

By now, many Broomfield residents and passers-by have no doubt seen the activity going on at North Metro Fire Station 61 on Midway Boulevard. The original fire station was torn down in December 2021 to make way for a larger, more modern station that will serve our community for decades to come.

“We are making great progress on Station 61,” said North Metro Fire Deputy Chief David Anderson. “We are looking to move in to the new station this fall, and look forward to hosting an Open House so our community can see and enjoy what they helped build. Station 61 has always been at the heart of Broomfield, and we are happy to be able to grow with our community and continue to provide excellent emergency services to our residents.”

What a landmark Fire Station 61 is. Those who have been in Broomfield for a long time may recall the numerous Flag Retirement ceremonies held at Station 61 at 1275 Midway Blvd., with police and fire honor guard, representatives from North Metro Fire Rescue Department (NMFRD), the Broomfield Veterans Museum, residents and local scout troops in attendance.

The new station will offer improved safety features meeting modern-day standards, such as better ventilation to keep toxic fumes out of the living quarters, equipment to allow firefighters to decontaminate their gear following incidents, better lighting and one-level living, and measures to reduce external noise for the surrounding neighborhood.

Additionally, the new station will allow NMFRD to add enhanced emergency response resources for Broomfield to meet the community’s growth into the future. Once completed, a battalion chief overseeing emergency operations and personnel in Broomfield will be housed at Station 61, in addition to Engine 61 and Medic 61.

Station 61 was originally built in 1956 and saw multiple remodels over the past 65 years. The new station will double in size compared with the former structure, providing approximately 12,000 square feet of space for living quarters and four bays housing emergency vehicles.

The new Station 61 was designed by Allred Architects in Broomfield and is being constructed by Golden Triangle Construction, with a scheduled completion date in late 2022. As of May, the underground infrastructure and construction of the exterior walls was mostly completed, with crews focusing on framing out the interior walls and roofing operations.

While construction is underway, North Metro Fire has strategically relocated its firefighters to minimize the impact to emergency response. Engine 61 and three firefighters are operating out of a temporary fire station on 1 st Avenue next to North Metro Fire’s Headquarters, while Medic 61 and two firefighters are operating out of Station 65, adjoining Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

For more information about the North Metro Fire Rescue District, visit www. northmetrofire.org. Residents may follow along with the construction progress via the fire district’s social media channels and by visiting its website at nmfr.org/construction.

Bette Erickson writes about people, places, and events. Contact her at bette_erickson@hotmail.com.