Las Vegas dedicates new fire station

The city of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue dedicated its newest facility, Fire Station 48, with a ceremony and open house event, Dec. 12.

The station, which officially opened three days earlier, is located at 9133 Elkhorn Road, adjacent to the city’s Winding Trails Park at Elkhorn and Fort Apache Road.

“This is yours,” Ward 6 City Councilman Steve Ross told the audience at the dedication. “I hope everyone realizes how important this is.”

Louis Baker of the city of Las Vegas’ Architectural Services Department said the building of the station was unique because of the demand to reduce construction costs.

“This is an example of excellent teamwork,” Baker said. “We would not be able to do it without the work of the contractor, consultants and many city employees. We’re very proud of this station, and we want to thank the citizens for allowing us to build it. Public safety is our No. 1 priority.”

The 10,738-square-foot, three-bay station cost $4.14 million to build. Richardson Construction Inc. served as the general contractor.

Prior to the opening, some of Station 48’s crew of six paramedics, three captains, three engineers and six firefighters had been operating out of a temporary station near the intersection of Sky Pointe and Grand Teton drives.

“We had that temporary station up for almost a year just to protect that northwest area, with all of its growth,” fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. “When you have a lot of residential construction going on and you have wood-framed buildings, if you have a fire and you’re not on top of it, you could lose 10 or 12 buildings because they’re not protected by drywall or stucco.”

The fire department has not made plans yet for the temporary facility.

Szymanski said the slow economy allows the city and the fire department to “play catch up” in terms of providing facilities in needed areas and improving response times.

“You look at response times, but where land is available also has a lot to do with where you (build a station),” he said. “We’ve worked with the (Bureau of Land Management) and tried to get it in the general area of where response times are lagging. The farthest station north for many years was the one near the Santa Fe Station on Lone Mountain Road. Then, in 2000, we opened Station 41 on (Buffalo Drive).”

Situated just off the growing thoroughfare of Durango Drive between U.S. Highway 95 and the Las Vegas Beltway -- and minutes from Centennial Hills Hospital -- Station 48 is expected to pick up the slack, serving the community around the hospital, along 95 north, in the Providence area and out to Kyle Canyon.

“It has good access in both directions,” Szymanski said. Contact Centennial View reporter Brock Radke at bradke@viewnews.com or 383-4629.