Construction of Bellevue’s first new fire station in 29 years will begin later this month or in early April. The community is invited to a groundbreaking celebration at the construction site, Northeast 12th Street and 112th Avenue Northeast, on Wednesday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m. Fire Station 10 will make it easier for firefighters to respond quickly to fires and medical emergencies in Bellevue’s “vertical neighborhoods” downtown and in BelRed.
The Bellevue Fire Department is rated among the top 1% of fire departments in the U.S., but high-rise apartment and condominium complexes downtown and going up in BelRed make it harder for firefighters to continue to respond to calls within the department’s target of four minutes, from time of call to the arrival of the first unit. Traffic congestion, other incidents and the additional time required to move staff and equipment up 60+ stories can slow response.