Fire Station 4 opens with a look ahead

The Bloomington Fire Department went through big changes in the last year. It has hired and trained 24 new firefighters as it shifts its staffing model. It also opened the new Station 4, Bloomington’s newest fire station.

“It is exciting to see the BFD grow in recent years with new, up-to-date stations and a new staffing model,” said Fire Chief Ulie Seal, who has been with the BFD since 1976. “These changes increase our ability to provide an increasingly higher level of service.” 

To accommodate full-time firefighters, the new Station 4 is double the size of the station it replaced. The extra space accommodates living quarters, decontamination facilities, health and wellness facilities and other critical functions. 

Station 3 was updated in 2020. The remaining four Bloomington fire stations will be replaced as part of the City’s capital improvement plan. Fire Station 2 is next. Hiring and training new firefighters will continue until staffing levels are met.

For more information on the Bloomington Fire Department, including fire safety tips, visit blm.mn/bfd.