ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 97th Civil Engineer Squadron celebrated a significant milestone with the grand opening of the Altus Air Force Base Headquarters Fire Station on Dec. 1, 2023.
The station cost more than 21 million dollars and culminates 13 years of work from nine different commanders at the 97th Air Mobility Wing and several organizations from the base and surrounding community.
It will provide aircraft crash rescue and firefighting services, as well as firefighting equipment, a fire alarm system, and an emergency communications sensor center. It also has five vehicle bays, which holds the capabilities of ten firefighting vehicles to respond to emergencies, while keeping them out of outdoor weather hazards.
“The new facility is more energy efficient and will decrease maintenance and utility costs for the base,” Staff Sgt. Peyton Terry, 97th CES fire specialist explained. “It secures the health and well-being of Altus AFB personnel and the local community for now and long into the future.”
Col. Jeff Marshall, 97th AMW commander, commemorated the opening of the fire rescue center by twisting off a fire hose after giving a speech to reflect on how the partnership between the base and the community contributed to officially opening the doors of the new firehouse.
“The teamwork we have here is one of a kind,” Marshall said. “Projects like this are not easy to do. It took tons of work by our dedicated civil engineer and contracting teams, the Army Corps of Engineers, and great support from local partners. That’s what makes us Mobility’s Hometown.”