By Breven Honda

After more than two years of discussion, Mesquite Fire Station #1 is getting a makeover.

On Oct. 5, the Mesquite City Council along with Mesquite Fire and Rescue broke ground on a new station. (Mesquite NV Fire Rescue Facebook page)

Mesquite Fire Chief Jayson Andrus said it was relieving to finally reach the ground-breaking stage.

“For a long time, we never thought it was going to come just because it took so long,” Andrus said. “It took about two and a half years to get to that point to the planning process and budgeting approval.”

The building, which is expected to be completed in January 2025, is expected to cost $11.5 million in taxpayer money.

“That’s no small amount of money. We don’t take it lightly,” Andrus said. “I would tell (Mesquite residents), ‘Thank you for the support and for the confidence.’ It helps me understand, they understand, the residents understand how important public safety is and keeping our residents safe.

“This is a backbone to our critical infrastructure for our community because it’s not if, it’s when more emergencies happen.”

On Oct. 5, all five members of the Mesquite City Council and Mayor Al Litman were present alongside the Fire and Rescue Department for the ground-breaking ceremony for a new fire station.

Andrus said the ground-breaking event was a proud moment to have the people of Mesquite also hand for the ceremony.

“It felt very supportive,” Andrus said. “When our electees are completely supportive of this project, community members are all our volunteers. This is something that I believe our community is really excited about.”

Excitement is going through a lot of heads in Mesquite, including the firefighter personnel.

Mesquite City Manager Peter Jankowski added that having a lot of people from the community, in addition to the town’s elected officials being present, is a great opportunity for a new chapter in the history for the fire and rescue department.

“That’s exactly what community is when everyone comes together,” Jankowski said. “I was very proud that everyone who showed up, did that for the city. So, I thought it was a good event for everybody.”

This ground-breaking ceremony last month comes after the fire station was not primarily used to house firefighters and their resources.

From being a home to a daycare to a doctor’s office and then a fire station, it was time for the Mesquite Fire and Rescue to upgrade its facility and be a location-friendly spot in town, next to city hall.

This new station is going to not only house the firefighters, but also be the headquarters for the department’s administrative needs.

However, this construction process will not be easy.

Currently, drivers along Mesquite Boulevard are moving at lower speeds, but Jankowski believes motorists can be understanding.

“Right now, you’re seeing some traffic because you’re blocking off the roads, and doing some underground utilities,” Jankowski said. “That always is labor intensive, and it creates some inconveniences on the Boulevard, especially this area for people traveling. But I think those inconveniences are more than a fair trade off for the new facility.”

Ultimately, the entire community of Mesquite cannot wait to see the construction process come together.

Andrus said he and his colleagues cannot wait to work inside their new facility as they will see much needed upgrades. 

“Our station alerting system will be up to date,” Andrus said. “The carbon dioxide exhaust removal from the base will be an updated system that works to keep the fumes out of our station and out of our rooms. We have a lot better monitoring system for carbon monoxide to keep our firefighters safe.”

Having these improvements in place elevates the abilities for the firefighters to do their job as they continue to work against new dangers in a safe manner.

“You don’t have to turn on the TV for very long, hearing more and more emergencies happening across the country and the world,” Andrus said. “We’ve got to be prepared within our own community.

“To have an operational fire station with an emergency management operation center, this is pivotal for our community.”