The new, modern Fire Station 2 is now complete. Located just east of El Camino Real by the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, the new station is almost three times as big as the 1960s-era one it replaced. The new station accommodates a larger crew, modern firefighting equipment and emergency response vehicles to meet the community's public safety needs.

Going from 3,600 square feet to 10,000 required close collaboration with the station’s neighbors and some creative design work. Fire engines will now exit the station directly onto El Camino Real.  

Constructed in 1969 for one full-time firefighter and a yearly call volume of less than 250, Fire Station 2 today maintains a staff of five full-time firefighters and responds to more than 4,000 calls a year. 

Design and features

The rebuilt Fire Station 2 was constructed to meet the needs of today and into the future. The new station occupies the same footprint, yet has about 7,000 more square feet, including room for modern fire equipment.

It can accommodate up to five emergency response vehicles, including a 60-foot ladder truck, fire engine and an ambulance. 

Carlsbad's Climate Action Plan requires new buildings in Carlsbad, including those built by the city, to meet strict criteria for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to incorporate other sustainability features. The new fire station includes:

• Energy-efficient electric, heating and cooling systems
• Solar voltaic panels on the roof
• Two EV charging stations for public use
• Drought-tolerant landscaping
• Solar hot water heater
• Low-energy-use LED lighting

As part of a City Council public safety goal, the temporary station set up during construction of Fire Station 2 will now move to the site of the old power plant to create a temporary Fire Station 7 on the coast. The long-term plan is to find a site for a permanent Fire Station 7, west of the railroad tracks to serve the busy coastal area.  

• See the plans used to build the two temporary buildings located at the Dove Library parking lot during construction to house crews and their apparatus. 

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More information

• Staff report for April 21 City Council meeting

• Staff report for Sept. 22 City Council meeting

• Proposed artwork for Fire Station 2 public input report for July 22 City Council meeting

• Steven Stewart, municipal project manager, steven.stewart@carlsbadca.gov, 760-602-7543