City of Independence, MO
03/03/2026 | Press release | Archived content
Fire Station #8 breaks ground
The City of Independence broke ground on the new Fire Station #8, marking the first major construction project funded by the voter-approved 2021 public safety sales tax on Tuesday, March 2.
Mayor Rory Rowland, City Council members, Fire Chief Jimmy Walker, and Independence Fire Department personnel joined community leaders at the groundbreaking ceremony held at the new Fire Station #8 location on South Powell Road near M-78.
The new station will be relocated from East Truman Road to a site adjacent to the City's Fire Training Facility. The project is one of three new fire stations approved by voters to modernize facilities, support firefighter wellness, and strengthen emergency response across Independence.
"This groundbreaking represents a major step forward in our long-term plan to modernize fire stations and provide firefighters with the facilities they need to protect our community," said Mayor Rory Rowland. "It's the first of several projects made possible by voters, and that's an achievement worth celebrating."
In addition to the new station, the project includes construction of a training and storage facility south of the existing training tower, creating a centralized public safety campus that supports firefighter training, operational readiness, and emergency response for northern Independence.
"Fire Station 8 has served this area for more than 60 years," said District 2 Council Member Brice Stewart, whose district includes the station. "Rebuilding it here keeps that legacy in place while giving our firefighters and residents a facility built for today and the future."
The new station will feature three apparatus bays with bi-fold doors to speed emergency response times, along with modern firefighter living and wellness spaces, including private bunk rooms, a fitness area, a kitchen, a day room, and an outdoor patio.
"For firefighters, the station is our home base," said Fire Chief Jimmy Walker. "These stations are designed to support our well-being and give us the space and tools we need to stay ready and care for our community."
The budget for this Station 8 project is roughly $21.4M. It is funded by a $50M bond paid with the 2021 voter-approved Fire Safety Sales Tax increase. Find out more about the fire station projects by clicking here.
Station #8 construction is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2026.
Department: City Council/City Clerk, Fire, Newsroom
Type: Press Release
Category: Announcements, Events, Official Statements
City of Independence, MO published this content on March 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 13, 2026 at 17:39 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]