Rio Rancho broke ground Monday on Fire Station 8 — the city’s first new fire station since 2011 — and city leaders say the $14.4 million project could do more than speed up emergency response: it may lower homeowners insurance rates across the city.
The new station at 1930 14th Ave. SE — at the corner of Miranda Road and Cabazon Blvd., across from Maggie Cordova Elementary — will house 15 firefighter-EMTs, four apparatus bays, 12 bunk rooms, and a community room designed to double as a polling location. Construction begins this spring and is expected to take approximately 15 months.
Why it matters to your wallet
Rio Rancho Fire Rescue holds an ISO 2 rating, placing it in the top 10 percent of fire departments nationally — a designation that directly influences what homeowners pay for insurance, though individual premiums vary by insurer. Former Mayor Gregg Hull warned that rapid growth without new infrastructure puts that standing at risk.
“If you fall behind when you have the growth we’re seeing, you risk lowering that ISO rating,” Hull said in April.
Built for the south side — and the people who serve it
Fire Chief James Wenzel said years of heat mapping and emergency call data drove site selection, targeting rising call volume from The Village, the Rust corridor, and Unit 10 subdivisions — pressure currently absorbed by the department’s two busiest stations.
“Everything kind of hit just right,” Wenzel said.
Councilor Nicole List pushed back on any perception that the station’s modern design is excessive, noting that firefighters work 48-hour shifts and sometimes bring their families to work on holidays. “The men and women are serving over holidays — sometimes that means your kids have to come on Christmas day to see you,” List said. “They need a space that is safe and accommodating.”
Funding
The Governing Body unanimously approved the $13,666,323.97 construction contract. Funding draws from a city revenue bond and general fund, plus 2024/2025 state capital outlay appropriations: $2 million from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, $1.7 million from Sen. Craig Brandt, $1,347,320 from Rep. Joshua Hernandez, $500,000 from Sen. Jay Block, and $487,000 in combined House and Senate capital funds.
Fire Station 8
- Address: 1930 14th Ave. SE, Rio Rancho (corner of Miranda Road & Cabazon Blvd.)
- Contact: Rio Rancho Fire Rescue — rrnm.gov
- About ISO ratings and homeowners insurance:isomitigation.com/ppc/