$130 million East Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station opens at DFW Airport

A new $130 million East Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station was unveiled at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on May 11.

The station is part of the DFW Forward capital improvement plan, a $12 billion project that will update many portions of the airport that opened 51 years ago, according to the airport website.

The East facility, commonly referred to as ARFF, is the first part of combining four stations into two.

In addition, the airport also unveiled its new mobile command post, a 40-foot vehicle equipped with advanced cameras, satellite connectivity and multiagency radio interoperability, allowing teams to manage incidents in real time from anywhere on or around the airfield. The custom vehicle, which costs nearly $3 million, can operate independently for two days, according to a news release.

"DFW serves as the global gateway and economic engine for North Texas, and the completion of this project celebrates DFW’s commitment to our long-term vision for growth, while ensuring we maintain the highest standards of safety for our customers, employees and community,” said Vernon Evans, chair of the DFW Airport board of directors.

A closer look

The new East Station will combine stations 1 and 3, while the West Station will merge stations 2 and 4. The West Station will open later this year, according to the airport website.

J.E. Dunn Construction and PGAL are behind the design-build partnership for the ARFF projects.

The new East Station has 10 apparatus bays, 21 dorm rooms, a dedicated training and fitness space, a support area for hazardous material, decontamination and equipment storage, and includes an F5-rated storm shelter, according to a news release.

The work is supported by more than $75 million in federal funding secured over multiple years through the FAA Airport Improvement Program and additional federal support, according to a news release.

Quote of note

“The design of this facility enhances our ability to maximize performance when it matters most, and with these investments, our teams have the tools, proximity and environment they need to perform at the highest level,” said Daniel White, chief of DFW Airport Fire-Rescue. “We have better positioning and the ability to move multiple units concurrently, which means faster deployment to any number of airfield emergencies.”

Also of note

During the May 7 DFW Airport board of directors meeting, three ARFF contracts were awarded.

Oncor is providing and installing the necessary electric service infrastructure for both of the new ARFF stations for $1.27 million. The contract covers work through Sept. 27, according to board documents.

In addition, three new vehicles were approved for purchase. A Spartan pumper apparatus replacement was approved in an amount not to exceed $994,462 from Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists Inc. of Houston.

Siddons-Martin Emergency Group LLC of Denton was awarded contracts not to exceed $3.3 million for the purchase of a Pierce mid-mound aerial apparatus for $2.1 million and a Pierce fire apparatus pumper for $1.18 million.

These vehicles, like the aforementioned, will replace part of the current fleet, according to board documents.

Zooming in

DFW Airport was ranked the fourth-busiest commercial airport in the world in 2025, and third in total aircraft movements with more than 743,000 flight operations last year, according to a news release.

• Opened May 11
• 2920 E. 23rd St., DFW Airport
• www.dfwairport.com/dps/fire