PoliticsAlaska · August 10, 2026
soldotna's $18 million fire station
Soldotna's fire crews just traded a 1950s community hall for an $18 million headquarters, and local voters are the reason why.
Daily Alaska staff · August 10, 2026
Central Emergency Services opened its new Fire Station 1 at 265 Wilson Lane in Soldotna, a 26,665-square-foot facility with 10 apparatus bays and sleeping quarters for up to 12 EMS personnel. The project was built by Blazy Construction and designed by K&A Design Studio, replacing a headquarters that began life as a community hall in the late 1950s.
The station serves about 25,000 residents plus seasonal visitors across the central Kenai Peninsula, from Kasilof through Soldotna and Sterling and out Funny River Road, answering roughly 2,000 emergency calls a year. The new building holds three times the capacity of the old one.
The roughly $18 million project was funded by a bond that Kenai Peninsula Borough voters approved in October 2022.
Fire Chief Roy Browning told the crowd gathered for the opening that the day honors nearly 70 years of people who made the station possible.
In this story
Questions people ask
How much did Soldotna's new fire station cost?
About 18 million dollars, funded by a bond that Kenai Peninsula Borough voters approved in October 2022.
What building did the new fire station replace?
A 1950s community hall that had served as Central Emergency Services headquarters for nearly 70 years.
How many people does the new station serve?
About 25,000 central peninsula residents plus seasonal visitors, and it answers roughly 2,000 calls a year.
What's in the new 26,665-square-foot facility?
Ten apparatus bays and sleeping quarters for up to 12 EMS personnel.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Central Emergency Services opened a new Fire Station 1 at 265 Wilson Lane in Soldotna that is 26,665 square feet with 10 apparatus bays and sleeping quarters for up to 12 EMS personnel. · peninsulaclarion.com
- The roughly $18 million project was funded by a bond Kenai Peninsula Borough voters approved in October 2022. · peninsulaclarion.com
- Blazy Construction built the station and K&A Design Studio designed it. · peninsulaclarion.com
- The station serves about 25,000 residents plus seasonal visitors across the central peninsula, answering roughly 2,000 calls a year. · peninsulaclarion.com
- Fire Chief Roy Browning said the opening honors nearly 70 years of people who made the station possible. · peninsulaclarion.com
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →