Four-year-old CJ Herndon, who loves firemen, looks a little puzzled as everyone laughs at the unscrewing of a fire hose, a tradition when a new fire station opens. From left: Councilman Chris Herndon, Fire Chief Eric Tade, newly re-elected Mayor Michael Hancock, and Public Safety Director Troy Riggs participate in the grand opening of Denver’s newest fire station, #39, in North Stapleton. The photo was taken days before the city runoff election in which Hancock was re-elected to his third and final term. Herndon was re-elected to a third term without a run-off.

Denver Fire Station 39

Station 39, a nearly 13,000-square foot, $9.4 million facility opened on May 31, 2019. It is home to one engine company with 12 fire fighters on staff. Shifts are 24 hours, with a crew of four on duty at all times. Staffing is expected to grow to 15 depending on call volume and community growth. Mayor Hancock, Denver Fire Chief Eric Tade, representatives from DPS and Denver Urban Renewal Authority were among the attendees at the opening ceremony.

Mayor Michael Hancock speaks at the opening of the fire station.

Denver Fire Department (DFD) Captain Greg Pixley said, “This facility will give us the opportunity to get to people in the area that much sooner; we were struggling to meet the national standards in terms of response time.” He says the new site will allow the DFD to better reach their goal of being on the scene within 4 minutes of a 911 call, increasing the safety of the neighborhood. Station 39 was built to allow for future growth, including adding a fire truck or a specialty company. Fire trucks are equipped with ladders and equipment to rescue people; fire engines pump water and are usually the first to respond to a medical call. The station was constructed to be as green and energy efficient as possible, says Pixley.

The fire station, located at 9150 E. 50th Ave., was built through the collaborative efforts of five partnering agencies: Brookfield/Forest City Stapleton, the Park Creek Metropolitan District, Denver Public Schools, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, and the City and County of Denver.

Under Stapleton’s tax increment financing (TIF), sales and property taxes that would otherwise go to the City of Denver and Denver Public Schools are being used to build Stapleton’s infrastructure. Funds from the TIF, which spans a 25-year period ending in 2025, covered the construction of this fire station. Other public buildings in Stapleton funded by the TIF are Station 26 on Martin Luther King Blvd. and six school buildings in Denver Public Schools.