Community Police & Fire

Here’s how Gig Harbor Fire is covering the city while Kimball Drive’s Station 51 is being rebuilt

Only a small amount of rubble remains of the 47-year-old fire station on Kimball Drive, but Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One will soon be laying a foundation for a new, modern station at the same location.

The new building will be double the size of the old Station 51, the community’s busiest.

Demolition began in September and construction will take about 18 months. 

Excavators clear debris at Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One’s Station 51 on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by Vince Dice

Station 51 crews reassigned

During that time, Gig Harbor Fire reassigned crews from Station 51 to other fire stations. The Station 51 engine company is working out of Fox Island and its medic crew relocated to Pt. Fosdick Drive near Stone Drive. The battalion unit is stationed at the 144th Street NW station in Purdy, according to the fire district.

From September 2024 to September 2025, Station 51 responded to 2,303 medical calls and 1,916 fire calls, said Tom Wescott, fire district public information officer and division chief of prevention.

“Our deputy chief of operations has dug into the data and come up with the best plan,” Wescott said. “They were concerned about response times. We’re going to work to ensure that we can respond in a timely manner during construction.”

According to fire district data, the median emergency response time from Station 51 from September to December 2024 was about 7 minutes, 26 seconds. That was quicker than other stations in the region. 

The median response time to addresses typically covered by Station 51 from September through December of 2025 — while it was closed for construction — was 8 minutes, 18 seconds. 

A sign outside the construction site shows what Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One’s new Station 51 will look like when it re-opens. Photo by Vince Dice

The median represents the mid-point of the data. Response time is measured from the moment South Sound 911 enters a call to the arrival of the first unit on scene, Wescott said.

Bond-funded project

The district is using funds approved by voters in 2022 that enabled it to update two other stations and completely rebuild Station 51, Wescott said. In December, the district awarded the Station 51 contract to Pease Construction for $14.2 million.

Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber said she looks forward to completion of the two-story, 20,740-square-foot station. In addition to housing fire equipment, the new station will have a dedicated decontamination facility and proper storage for structural firefighting gear. It will comply with new Washington energy codes and include solar panels, dormitory space for up to 11 people and a fire pole for quick access from the second floor.

“We are excited to see the plans for the new Fire Station 51 coming to life,” Barber said. “Supporting high-quality public safety services is a key part to our mission for a safe, thriving Gig Harbor. We are grateful for our close collaboration with the fire district, and the expertise and dedication they bring to protecting our residents.”

The design of the new station fits the community and is thoughtful, said Gig Harbor Community Development Director Eric Baker.  

 “(The new facility) will be a key asset to an area of the city planned for new housing, businesses, and employment,” Baker said.