Kaysville voters to decide on $16.5M bond for second fire station

KAYSVILLE — As Kaysville continues to grow, so does the number of calls its fire department responds to.

Now, city leaders say a second fire station could help firefighters and paramedics reach emergencies faster, but voters will have to decide whether the improvement is worth the additional cost.

Kaysville Fire Chief Paul Erickson said his department's call volume increased 18.6% from 2024 to 2025, going from roughly 1,900 calls to nearly 2,400.

"We average roughly about seven calls a day," Erickson said. "We're on pace to keep that up."

The increase is part of a longer trend.

According to Kaysville City, emergency calls have increased about 63% over the past decade.

The concern for Erickson isn't just the number of calls, but how long it can take crews to reach some of them.

Kaysville currently operates one fire station, Station 61, on Main Street.

The city says national standards call for emergency crews to arrive within six minutes of a 911 call 90% of the time. In 2025, Kaysville met that benchmark about 60% of the time, Erickson said.

On the city's west side, according to city numbers, response times average about eight minutes, with some areas reaching 12 minutes.

"Obviously, that's a problem for us," said Erickson.

Erickson believes the city has outgrown having just one fire station.

The proposed new fire station would be built on city-owned property near Deseret Drive and Burton Lane, west of I-15.

City officials say using land Kaysville already owns saves an estimated $1.2 million in land acquisition costs.

During a presentation of response-time projections, Erickson showed how having crews based at a second station could change coverage across the city, particularly on the west side.

According to the city's geographic information system projections, the second station would put more residents within roughly five to seven minutes of responding firefighters and paramedics.

It would also give Kaysville another available unit when multiple emergency calls happen at the same time.

Quicker response times, however, would come with a price.

"It is a $16.5 million price tag," said Erickson. "It is tough to swallow for anybody. You have to think about that, and I get the fixed incomes. I understand it. I'm not numb to it, that's for sure."

Kaysville voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to authorize the $16.5 million in a 20-year bond for a second fire station.

For a primary residence in Kaysville valued at $711,000, the city estimates the total additional property tax would be about $306.70 per year, or $25.56 per month.

The city says it already owns enough ambulances, fire engines and other equipment to supply the second station, although existing apparatus would be reassigned between the two stations.

"We've been hearing about it for the past eight, nine years that people want a fire station on the west side. Now they have an opportunity," said Erickson.

If voters approve the bond, construction is expected to begin in 2027, with Station 62 opening and becoming fully operational in 2028.

Kaysville City and the fire department have scheduled several meetings and events where residents can learn more about the proposal.

A schedule provided by the department shows the following dates:

• Sept. 24: Education Night, 6–7 p.m., Station 61
• Oct. 1: Public Hearing, 7 p.m., Kaysville City Hall
• Oct. 3: Community Pop-up, 7:30–11:30 a.m., Pioneer Park
• Oct. 7: Open House, 5–8 p.m., Fire Station 61
• Oct. 10: Community Pop-up, 7:30–11:30 a.m., Angel Street Park
• Oct. 15: Public Meeting, 7 p.m., Kaysville City Hall
• Oct. 17: Community Pop-up, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Smith's
• Oct. 29: City Trunk or Treat, 3–5 p.m., USU Botanical Gardens
• Oct. 31: Community Pop-up, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Smith's
• Nov. 2: Education Night, 6–7 p.m., Station 61
• Nov. 3: Election Day, 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Kaysville Library

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