Firefighters, local leaders and neighbors gathered Tuesday morning in Star to celebrate the official opening of Station 55, a firehouse that had quietly already been answering calls for more than two weeks before anyone cut a ribbon. By the time of the ceremony, the station had responded to more than 60 calls in 15 days and shaved at least five minutes off response times, according to Middleton-Star Fire Chief Greg Timinsky.
The station, located at 9415 W. Floating Feather Rd. in Star, began a soft opening on October 25, quietly serving the community before Tuesday's formal celebration, according to Idaho News 6. Timinsky told the outlet the station already ran over 60 calls in 15 days and already saved at least 5 minutes in response time. He welcomed attendees at the ceremony and thanked everyone involved in getting the project built, framing the new station as a sign of the community's commitment to protection and faster emergency response.
The grand-opening ceremony itself leaned on fire-service tradition, with a formal station dedication, a traditional hose uncoupling ceremony, and a push-in of the station's new fire engine marking the moment Station 55 became fully operational. Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick, who attended the celebration, said the station had been long awaited by the community.
A Backup Engine for the Rest of Star
Beyond serving its immediate neighborhood, Station 55 gives the rest of Star a backup fire engine, meaning crews no longer have to wait on an engine coming from Eagle or Meridian in certain situations, Timinsky said. He described the station as helping the entire fire district, from north to south and east to west, rather than just the area immediately surrounding it.
Star neighbor Julianne Brewer, who lives near the new station, said she and other nearby residents were excited and had supported funding the firehouse from the start. Brewer said the five-minute improvement in response time demonstrated the value of having firefighters stationed closer to neighborhoods, and she pointed to a personal reason the issue mattered to her: she said she had previously experienced a house fire in the middle of the night. She added that the station would benefit nearby senior centers and schools, and said supporters would continue educating the public to keep the fire station available.
Funding Built on Impact Fees and a Temporary Levy
Station 55 is currently staffed through a temporary levy that voters approved earlier this year, per Idaho News 6's reporting. Separately, the Middleton Star Fire District has described using development impact fees, which it implemented in 2018, to help construct Station 55 and purchase the required fire apparatus — though the district notes impact fees can fund new facilities but not ongoing operating costs. The district has also outlined a separate proposed levy increase, which would add $2,225,000 to its annual operating budget and would need approval from 66.67% of voters, intended to fund 24/7 staffing at Station 55.
The push for more fire coverage comes against a backdrop of rapid growth. The Star Fire Protection District says its population has grown roughly 55% since 2018 and now tops 22,000 residents, with emergency calls climbing to more than 1,240 in 2023 alone. Timinsky has told the Idaho Statesman that Star and Middleton are growing at an average pace of 13% a year, a trend the district says keeps it continually reassessing response times, staffing levels and facility coverage.
Next Up: Station 54 in Middleton
The Middleton and Star fire districts, which entered a collaborative partnership in 2019 and now share leadership and administrative staff, say that arrangement saves each district more than $430,000 annually. Together the districts cover about 165 square miles and serve more than 50,000 people, fielding roughly 3,000 emergency calls in 2023 across both communities.
With Station 55 now fully open, the district is already looking toward its next project. It expects to open Station 54 in Middleton next summer as it continues expanding service across both communities, according to the same Idaho News 6 report that detailed Tuesday's ceremony.
