Fire ghting’s future From the cover
A closer look
The big picture
As the region has grown in population, so have calls to the department. This has necessitated more personnel and caused more wear and tear on re engines and other equipment, Buck said. Community Impact previously reported that The Woodlands grew from 101,423 to 121,514 residents from 2013-23, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The majority of calls received by TWFD are for EMS-related events, Buck said. He said in The Woodlands, re trucks accompany EMS vehicles on all calls. “Something to be probably looked at in future budgets is … adding one or two smaller vehicles for the certain rst responders to respond to cer- tain incidents, rather than taking the entire truck,” Craig Eissler, vice chair of The Woodlands board of directors, told Community Impact .
battalion that was added two years ago. The current station at 10100 Branch Crossing Drive is still in use, but the new station at 8005 McBeth Way will take over operations later this year, Buck said. Station No. 5 serves the western side of the township in areas including Sterling Ridge. After completing these projects, the department will work through improvements at stations No. 3 and No. 4, though no funds have yet been identi ed for those projects, Buck said. Both stations are fully functional but need some remodeling, such as additional re ghter bedrooms. “We have had a comprehensive station facility plan done, and we still need to do some work at station [Nos.] 3 and 4,” Buck said. “Those are our oldest stations now that haven’t been touched. We’ll look to do that in the next couple of years, depending on how budgets go.”
Work on the two re department projects included upgrades to the department’s Emergency Training Center, such as adding 3,000 square feet of space, an outdoor learning pavilion and facilities such as a full kitchen, more gym space and additional restrooms, Buck said. In addition to addressing structural issues at the previous location, the new two-story re station is located closer to the Woodlands Parkway. Unlike the previous station, it is not located in a school zone, which could also lead to a better response time, Buck said. The building will serve as the department headquarters for the still-growing western portion of the township. It will house eight re ghters who are part of an engine company and ladder company, as well as a battalion chief and a Montgomery County Hospital District ambulance with two or three paramedics, Buck said. This includes the 10th
The Woodlands Fire Department annual calls
14,762
13,664
13,537
12,785
Projects set for completion in 2025
2022
2023
2024
2025*
*YEAR TO DATE AS OF OCTOBER SOURCE: THE WOODLANDS FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT
What they’re saying
“Public safety is always catching up with growth
1488
STONEYHURST DR.
45
before. We’re still trying to catch up.” PALMER BUCK, CHIEF, THE WOODLANDS FIRE DEPARTMENT
MCBETH WAY
242
N
N
Emergency Training Center Project: The renovations rehabilitated 12,000 square feet and added 3,000 square feet as well as showers and bathrooms. Update: According to township sta , renovations to the Emergency Training Center were completed as of June 1. • Location: 16135 I-45 S., Conroe • Timeline: August 2024-June 2025
Fire Station No. 5 Project: The new 23,000-square-foot station will house the re department and members of the Montgomery County Hospital District. Update: Construction is expected to be nished by the end of the year, and a grand opening is expected in January 2026. • Location: 8005 McBeth Way, The Woodlands • Timeline: September 2024-late 2025
“With life and death situations, our Woodlands
re department is the gold standard.” BRAD BAILEY, CHAIR, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SOURCE: THE WOODLANDS FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT
38
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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