| ITEM #: 6. DATE: 09/14/2026 AI #:3431 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | FIRE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BUILDING UPDATE |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Paul Luizzi, Fire Chief; Tim Wayne, Deputy Fire Chief |
SUMMARY
With the city of Goodyear's significant expansion and population growth over the past two decades, the Goodyear Fire Department has experienced similar growth in staffing, equipment, and facilities in order to meet the city's increased public safety needs. A new Fire Resource Management Facility is being developed to support the mission of the Goodyear Fire Department.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
Council will receive an update on the development of a new Fire Resource Management Facility, including the project's schedule and budget. No Action will be taken. (Paul Luizzi, Fire Chief; Tim Wayne, Deputy Fire Chief)
FISCAL IMPACT
In November 2023, Goodyear voters approved a $232 million General Obligation (GO) Bond initiative, which included authorization for $80 million in funding for Public Safety facilities. The Fire Resource Management Facility project is currently budgeted at $31.14 million and is planned to use the voter-approved General Obligation Bond authorization as its primary funding source.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS
The Goodyear Fire Department (Fire) provides services to the public out of its eight fire stations located across the city. Over the next 5 years, Fire anticipates adding an additional 2 stations to meet the city's growing public safety needs.
Although Fire primarily operates out of its fire stations, the fire resource management program provides critical logistics support to the fire stations. The fire resource management program helps facilitate the repair of fire communication equipment, manages all of the equipment and facilitates them getting repaired as well as repair and servicing of the air bottles that firefighters use in hazardous environments. In 1992, the fire resource management program began operating out of a portion of Fire Station 181 located at 14000 W. Yuma Road. In 2016, firefighters were moved out of the station to remediate environmental concerns in the building. A new Fire Station 181 at 450 N. 143rd Avenue was opened in 2021. During that time, the fire resource management program expanded to utilize the rest of the previous Fire Station 181 building. In order to support the growing needs of Fire, a purpose-built Fire Resource Management Facility was identified as a critical need and was included within the $80 million Public Safety question as part of the November 2023 $232 million GO Bond election.
With voter approval of the 2023 GO Bond Program, in fiscal year (FY) 2026, Council approved $1.76 million in GO Bond funding to initiate the design of the Fire Resource Management Facility.
Although Fire primarily operates out of its fire stations, the fire resource management program provides critical logistics support to the fire stations. The fire resource management program helps facilitate the repair of fire communication equipment, manages all of the equipment and facilitates them getting repaired as well as repair and servicing of the air bottles that firefighters use in hazardous environments. In 1992, the fire resource management program began operating out of a portion of Fire Station 181 located at 14000 W. Yuma Road. In 2016, firefighters were moved out of the station to remediate environmental concerns in the building. A new Fire Station 181 at 450 N. 143rd Avenue was opened in 2021. During that time, the fire resource management program expanded to utilize the rest of the previous Fire Station 181 building. In order to support the growing needs of Fire, a purpose-built Fire Resource Management Facility was identified as a critical need and was included within the $80 million Public Safety question as part of the November 2023 $232 million GO Bond election.
With voter approval of the 2023 GO Bond Program, in fiscal year (FY) 2026, Council approved $1.76 million in GO Bond funding to initiate the design of the Fire Resource Management Facility.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The location of the new fire resource management building on city-owned property will be centrally located in proximity to the fleet building. The 30,000-sq-foot working facility will provide easy access for the fire crews from across the city. In November 2023, Goodyear voters approved a $232 million General Obligation (GO) Bond initiative, which included authorization for $80 million in funding for Public Safety facilities.
The Fire Resource Management Facility project is currently budgeted at $31.14 million and is planned to use the voter-approved General Obligation Bond authorization as its primary funding source. Design costs are $1.76 million and will be completed by January 2027. Permits are planned to be completed by late spring 2027. Final budget for the project will be incorporated into FY2028 through the annual budget process. Construction will be completed in summer of 2028, and construction to begin in Fiscal Year 2028.
Since 1992, the city of Goodyear and the fire department have expanded from a single fire station to eight, and this growth underscores that facilities which once met our needs can no longer support the level of service expected over the next two decades. A recent evaluation of the old Fire Station 181 by facilities staff and fire department personnel found that the 34-year-old building is inadequate to sustain the expanding Fire Resource Management Program. Although every available space within the station has been maximized, the continued rapid growth of the program requires a larger, purpose-built facility to support long-term, sustainable operations over the next 20 to 30 years. The 4 apparatus bays are full of reserve emergency vehicles and large equipment that cannot be stored in other parts of the facility. Each room in the building has a function and purpose for storing important equipment, that it was never contemplated for. However, the need for a climate-controlled environment has necessitated staff to be innovative in our approach to find storage for our equipment to include emergency medical services equipment, personnel protective equipment, and other firefighting equipment.
The City of Goodyear’s growth from one to eight fire stations has outpaced the capabilities of the 34-year-old building, which is no longer adequate to support the expanding Fire Resource Management Program. Despite fully utilizing every available space, the station cannot meet long-term operational needs or provide appropriate climate-controlled storage for essential equipment. Therefore, staff recommend completing the building’s design and beginning construction in FY28 to ensure sustainable operations for the next 20–30 years.
The Fire Resource Management Facility project is currently budgeted at $31.14 million and is planned to use the voter-approved General Obligation Bond authorization as its primary funding source. Design costs are $1.76 million and will be completed by January 2027. Permits are planned to be completed by late spring 2027. Final budget for the project will be incorporated into FY2028 through the annual budget process. Construction will be completed in summer of 2028, and construction to begin in Fiscal Year 2028.
Since 1992, the city of Goodyear and the fire department have expanded from a single fire station to eight, and this growth underscores that facilities which once met our needs can no longer support the level of service expected over the next two decades. A recent evaluation of the old Fire Station 181 by facilities staff and fire department personnel found that the 34-year-old building is inadequate to sustain the expanding Fire Resource Management Program. Although every available space within the station has been maximized, the continued rapid growth of the program requires a larger, purpose-built facility to support long-term, sustainable operations over the next 20 to 30 years. The 4 apparatus bays are full of reserve emergency vehicles and large equipment that cannot be stored in other parts of the facility. Each room in the building has a function and purpose for storing important equipment, that it was never contemplated for. However, the need for a climate-controlled environment has necessitated staff to be innovative in our approach to find storage for our equipment to include emergency medical services equipment, personnel protective equipment, and other firefighting equipment.
The City of Goodyear’s growth from one to eight fire stations has outpaced the capabilities of the 34-year-old building, which is no longer adequate to support the expanding Fire Resource Management Program. Despite fully utilizing every available space, the station cannot meet long-term operational needs or provide appropriate climate-controlled storage for essential equipment. Therefore, staff recommend completing the building’s design and beginning construction in FY28 to ensure sustainable operations for the next 20–30 years.