Now years in the making, Denton Fire Station 9 opened for service Monday to provide increased support to Denton Enterprise Airport and the city's ever-growing
population west of Interstate 35.
City officials chose to place the $14 million facility next to the airport, as it’s one of the busiest in the state.
With two flight schools using the airport for training, the city wanted to provide faster service in case of an aircraft crash.
The station houses the city's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck as well as special fuel fire suppression foams and equipment that is better suited for large fuel spills and fires.
“This is something that we've been talking about for over a decade since we got into the ARFF business,” Battalion Chief David Boots said. “It's
been a dream for a long time.”
The Denton Fire Department will hold a grand opening for Fire Station 9 on July 26 at 10
a.m. Members of the public can stop by the station to learn more about the city's vision for the future of firefighting.
Maria Crane/For the DRC
Station 9 houses a traditional engine and fire trucks. It’ll get a new replacement engine in September.
From the new station at 4900 Airport Road, firefighters can now respond to airport emergencies in a significantly decreased time. The previous closest station, Station 3, had a five-minute response time to the airport.
In addition, the station provides increased support for civilians and industrial buildings west of I-35, which was formerly covered by smaller Stations 3, 5
and 7.
Denton's new Fire Station 9 means firefighters will be able to respond faster to emergencies on the city's west
side.
Maria Crane/For the DRC
“If anybody is on the west side of town and they have an emergency, they'll have first responders there quicker than they ever have,” firefighter/paramedic Davis Bird said. “If anything involving the airport crashes, fuel spills or fires [occur], we will be here much quicker, which
will save lives.”
A typical shift for a Denton firefighter lasts 24 hours. With that in mind, Fire Chief Kenneth Hedges and Boots took steps during the design phase to make the facility feel like a home away from home, including a media room, a gym that opens up for CrossFit training, improved dorms and a full kitchen with a custom dining table.
“What it means to me is more opportunities,” Bird said. “Newer technology, newer equipment, nicer facilities for all the firefighters that will be stationed here come with better response times, better living places for the environment and better sleep patterns ... . It creates a better work environment for your life in general.”
Standing in front of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) truck, Capt. Derek Oswald introduces the city's newest fire station, Fire Station 9. The station
will employ 12 firefighter/paramedics, whose salaries are funded by a grant.
Maria Crane/For the DRC
The station's design is also aimed at reducing cancer risks for firefighters. A decontamination bathroom and infrared sauna were added in the design process to help firefighters reduce their exposure to toxins.
“What I have heard is the benefit in regards to cancer, and anything possible that our Fire Department can do to help us have less of a chance of getting cancer at some point in our career is beneficial,” Bird said. “If that involves sweating out toxins, we love it, we all love it. Anything that they can do to help us, we really appreciate that.”
To accommodate the needs of the new location, the city hired 12 new firefighter/paramedics through a federal grant known as SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response). All of the new hires are cross-trained firefighter/paramedics.
The Denton Fire Department's innovations won’t stop with Station 9. Stations 5 and 6 will also be seeing renovations in 2025.
“It's a civic statement,” Hedges said. “It's what the city invests in and the way this is constructed. We put a lot of thought into the design process as our goal is for this building to last over 70 years. It's expensive on the front end, but over its lifespan, it will definitely pay off and return to the community as well.”
