A project to rebuild Fire Station No. 5 was almost finished in early November, with a planned opening in early 2026, Fire Chief Palmer Buck said. The previous building for Station No. 5 had severe structural issues, and additional space was needed for the growing department, which added a 10th battalion in 2023 but will need an 11th, he said.
Additionally, officials with the department said they hope to add firefighters and reduce response times amid the challenges of an increasing population and traffic.
Meanwhile, response times for the department have grown from under five minutes in 2019 to more than six minutes since 2020, Buck said.
“We’re looking to meet the challenges in the next five to 10 years,” Buck said.
The big picture
Work on the two fire 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 fire 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 firefighters 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 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 identified for those projects, Buck said. Both stations are fully functional but need some remodeling, such as additional firefighter 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.”
A closer look
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 fire 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, fire 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 first responders to respond to certain incidents, rather than taking the entire truck,” Craig Eissler, vice chair of The Woodlands board of directors, told Community Impact.
- “Public safety is always catching up with growth before. We’re still trying to catch up," Buck said.
- “With life and death situations, our Woodlands fire department is the gold standard," said Brad Bailey, chair of The Woodlands Township board of directors.
Despite the recent investments, the fire department has seen its response time increase from about five minutes to over six since 2019 as a result of increasing traffic and development in the region, Buck said.
“I see the department post regularly, just reminding people about making sure that if they’re parking on the street, that there’s still room for the [fire]truck to get through,” said Emily Hoppel, director of the Grogan’s Mill Village Association.
One solution is to use technology that allows emergency vehicles to communicate with traffic lights, Buck said. Montgomery County will update almost every light in the county in the next two years, he said.
Response time also contributes to the Insurance Services Office rating in the township, which evaluates fire protection services and can affect property insurance costs. TWFD has an ISO rating of 1, the highest awarded, he said.
While no major capital expenditures are planned in fiscal year 2026, The Woodlands Township budgeted an additional $2.1 million in the fire department’s budget next year.
That includes $1.81 million toward a 3.5% increase in salaries, as well as funds for a fleet technician, Buck said.
Meanwhile, the department must plan ahead for longer timeframes for essential equipment to be built, Buck said.
“The [fire truck building] turnaround times ... went in the last five years from being 12 to 14 months to 48 to 50 months,” he said. “So basically, from a year to four years to get a fire truck delivered.”
Funding for an 11th battalion of firefighters was not approved during this year’s budget allocation, but the department will request additional funding next year, Buck said.
Going forward
New road projects underway through the $480 million Montgomery County Road bond, which was approved in May, could help to improve response time, Buck said.
For example, a project outside of The Woodlands to connect David Memorial Drive with Hwy. 242 east on I-45 is slated to be completed with 2025 road bond funds.
Completing David Memorial Drive will make it easier for emergency vehicles to reach Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital in Shenandoah, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler said. Shenandoah also contracts with TWPD for fire services.
Recent shoulder widening projects through the county’s bond program will make it easier for emergency responders to navigate through traffic and respond to the call, Wheeler said.
“Together, these mobility enhancements ensure that all residents and first responders benefit from these mobility improvements,” Wheeler said.
Another challenge to emergency response on the horizon is dealing with increasingly tall buildings, Buck said. He told The Woodlands board of directors in August that a high-rise fire requires 42 to 48 firefighters on the scene within about 14 minutes.
Two high-rises are currently under construction in the township—1 Riva Row will be 13 stories with 268 units, and the Ritz-Carlton Residences will have 111 private residences in 15 stories. Developer Howard Hughes has stated that those will be completed in 2025 and 2027, respectively.
