Tempe Fire Medical Rescue is hosting a grand opening event on April 12 for its new Station No. 2 — an upgraded, 16,000-square-foot facility built to meet the needs of a growing community and to protect the health of the firefighters who protect us.
The event will run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 3025 S. Hardy Drive in Tempe.
Designed to serve Tempe for decades to come, the station triples the number of fire trucks it can support, adds dedicated space for a hazardous materials team and includes advanced features focused on firefighter wellness and safety, a city release explained.
The station also features a public tribute to firefighter Tommy Arriaga, who passed away in 2020 from work-related cancer.
Station No. 2 has served the Tempe community for more than five decades. When it was originally built in 1972, Tempe had just 70,000 residents. The facility was designed to house two fire trucks and 10 crew members — enough for the time, but not for today’s needs, the release stated.
With nearly 200,000 residents now calling Tempe home, the original station could no longer keep up with the demands of modern emergency response. The new Station No. 2 expands capacity with six fire truck bays, dorms for 16 firefighters, advanced life support capabilities, and dedicated training and operations space.
It also serves as one of Tempe’s two Hazardous Materials response stations, equipped to respond to hazmat incidents throughout the city and region, the release noted.
Once Phase 2 is completed in fall 2025, the new facility will offer 16,000 square feet of modern, functional space built to serve Tempe’s growing population for decades to come.
The new Fire Station No. 2 was designed with firefighter health and safety at the forefront. Features include dedicated decontamination areas to reduce exposure to carcinogens, a Smart Dorm Alerting System that minimizes sleep disruption during overnight calls and updated living quarters designed to support the physical and mental well-being of 24-hour shift crews, according to the release.
Sustainable design elements such as solar panels, EV charging stations, LED lighting, and drought-tolerant landscaping reinforce Tempe’s commitment to energy efficiency and long-term community investment.
