RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. – Leaders, project engineers and firefighters gathered May 6 at March Air Reserve Base to unveil the installation’s newly constructed fire station, which was a project managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.
The $5.4 million, 12,000-square-foot facility is now ready to house the members of the March Field Fire Department, who serve the Airmen and employees of the base, including the 452nd Air Mobility Wing and units of the Air Force Reserve Command.
Along with updated utilities and amenities, the new station is in a different area of the base. The move alone is expected to cut down on response time by three to four minutes, a change that directly supports installation life, health and safety efforts for all base personnel, whether they’re working in a base facility or on the flight line.
“This is an awesome day for March Air Reserve Base,” said Air Force Col. Rodney McCraine, commander of the 452nd Mission Support Group, which is part of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing. “This fire station provides an opportunity for us to have a significant amount of capacity that we just don’t have right now. In the line of work of first responders, that very much translates into life-saving ability. I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of this building.
“To our Corps of Engineers friends,” McCraine added, “this project wouldn’t be here without you and your efforts. Thank you so much for all that you have done and provided to us and this base.”
After the ribbon-cutting -- or, in this case, firehose uncoupling ceremony -- firefighters had an unencumbered opportunity to explore the station and all it has to offer, including living spaces and working spaces, storage and apparatus rooms, fitness areas and the two drive-through vehicle bays that can accommodate conventional fire engines and larger flight-line crash trucks.
“It’s great to see a project completed,” said Stuart Royal, project engineer with the LA District’s Construction Division at the Southern California Area Office, who worked with installation partners on it from start to finish. “It’s always good to work with March Air Reserve Base. They’ve been our partners in overcoming obstacles to get this project finished.”