AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. – A new fire station in Airway Heights has officially opened its doors to the public. This marks the completion of a project initiated over two years ago when voters approved a bond for its construction.
Assistant Fire Chief Nate Whannell emphasized the necessity of the new facility.
“The facility that we were operating out of three days ago was built in the 60s, we had remodeled seven times and there was so much degradation it was time for an upgrade,” Whannell said.
The new fire station boasts modern features such as specialty dryers and indoor drains, enabling crews to wash fire trucks easily regardless of the weather. Whannell explained that every element of the construction was carefully considered.
The open house event attracted hundreds of visitors. It wasn’t just the firefighters enjoying the upgrades; the community, including many children, came to see the upgrades.
“I wasn’t sure if it being a holiday, if this was going to be a really good hit or no, everybody’s out of town. So, it’s been fantastic, it seems like. People just keep coming in, so that’s awesome. We want to show this off,” Whannell said. Whannell expressed his happiness in demonstrating to Airway Heights residents what their bond approval has achieved for their firefighters.
“We want to let the community know what they put their money towards and where they’re taking us,” he said.
Whannell hopes the event would bring some happiness and let people know: “We’re still here, we’re still moving forward with something new and you know kind of something joyful this week for the community.”
