Reports from viewers about a fire station in North Sparks showing a sign stating it was unstaffed raised questions about whether the facility was closing, prompting clarification from the City of Sparks.
According to the City of Sparks, staffing and equipment are being moved from Fire Station 6 to Fire Station 5 while officials evaluate response and deployment data. The department said the change does not reduce the number of firefighters, personnel, or available resources. Both ambulance and truck services are currently operating from Fire Station 5.
City officials said the sign reading “Station Unstaffed. In case of an emergency, call 911.” is a standard sign posted whenever a station is unstaffed to inform the public that personnel are not on site and to direct anyone needing immediate assistance to call 911 rather than go to the station.
Information posted on the City of Sparks website, City Council highlight materials, and the City of Sparks official Facebook page shows Fire Station 6, located at 6963 Scheidbar Road, was approved in 2024 as part of the city’s capital improvement planning process. At a March 18, 2024, Special Sparks City Council meeting, council members approved a $9,384,161 construction contract with K7 Construction for the station, along with prior related financing actions that approved up to $15 million in bond funding to both build and equip the facility.
In May 2024, the city announced a groundbreaking ceremony for Fire Station 6, stating it was intended to support growth in the Spanish Springs area and improve emergency response coverage. City materials said construction was expected to take about 18 months.
After construction, the City of Sparks later promoted the station’s opening in November 2025 on its official Facebook page, describing it as a modern facility designed to improve response times and support firefighter safety and operations, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In previous coverage in September 2025, the City of Sparks said fire operations then based at Fire Station 5 would transition to the new Fire Station 6 once construction was complete. Fire Station 5 is located at 6490 Vista Blvd., and Fire Station 6 is located at 6963 Scheidbar Road. The announcement included the following statement from Sparks Fire Chief Walt White:
“Our mission has always been to protect lives and property while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Sparks Fire Chief Walt White. “This transition allows us to maintain high-quality service coverage and ensure our resources are deployed where they are needed most. We have always been, and will continue to be, committed to delivering the highest level of fire and emergency medical services to the community.”
City officials said Fire Station 6 is not being closed and there are no concerns with the facility itself. They said the current operational change is based on ongoing review of service demand, response data and deployment patterns, with a long-term goal of staffing both stations.
According to the City of Sparks, the adjustments are intended to better align emergency coverage with current needs while managing taxpayer resources.
The City of Sparks says staff and equipment is moving from station six to station five -- while officials evaluate response and deployment data.
