Denver International Airport, Denver Fire Celebrate Opening of Fifth On-Airport Fire Station
On Jan. 26, Denver International Airport (DEN) and Denver Fire officially opened Denver Fire Station 35 – the airport’s fifth on-site fire station and the first one accessible to the public.
Located at 25365 E. 75th Ave., near Jackson Gap Road and E. 75th Avenue, the new fire station is the first to be dedicated to responding to public safety events on the airport’s landside properties. The station’s location was selected to provide firefighters with quick access to Peña Boulevard, the Federal Aviation Administration’s radar control center, the Final Approach cell phone waiting area, the Jeppesen Terminal, the Westin Denver International Airport and transit center, DEN’s transit-oriented development at 61st and Peña Blvd. and other structures. The other four DEN fire stations are located on the airfield and focus on aircraft rescue firefighting and structural response.
“As Denver International Airport continues to grow its physical infrastructure to support our traffic growth, this new fire station will ensure that we have appropriate fire protection assets in place,” airport CEO Kim Day said. “We are exceedingly proud of our close partnership with Denver Fire and all our first responders, whose dedicated men and women help keep our passengers, employees and visitors safe every day.”
The contemporary designed building features about 18,000 square feet of space with four, large apparatus bays and an arced roof which was designed to resemble an airplane hangar. Metal panels on the façade give the station a modern look, adding texture that gives the building depth and different appearances throughout the day as sunshine and shadows create interesting visual effects. The station was designed and constructed by PCL Construction Services at a cost of about $11 million. The building is designed to meet LEED Gold certification standards and includes sustainable features such as a permeable paver system for storm water and a state-of-the-art roofing system. The building also includes firefighter training equipment built into the structure itself, such as a stairwell that simulates common structural response environments.
Initially, four firefighters, or one company, will be stationed 24/7 at Fire Station 35. There will be one fire engine prepared to respond to calls for service such as medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, hazardous materials incidents and fires. In the future, a fire truck equipped with numerous ladders and other supplies is planned for additional support. Staffing for the station comes from a combination of firefighters from other stations at the airport and individuals transferring from other stations in the city. All of the firefighters who work at the new station are Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) certified.
“Denver International Airport is one of the safest airports in the world, and we are proud to support the airport’s critical mission by providing first responders, structural protection and other services for the airport and the traveling public,” said Angela Cook, division chief for Denver Fire’s airport operations. “We are also excited to become more connected to the passengers we serve by providing opportunities for the public to see Fire Station 35 up close.”
The project also qualifies for public art under the City and County of Denver’s “1 percent for art” ordinance. An international call for artists was announced November 2014, and Seattle-based artist Steve Gardner was selected to build a fused-glass work of art for the west façade of the building. That signature artwork will be installed later this year. The artwork will be made up of laser-cut aluminum and fused and cast glass panels. It will be installed in front of the band of windows on the west side of the building.
