The Mohave County Airport Authority in conjunction with the Laughlin Bullhead International Airport officially opened the new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Station.
The Darryl E. Thompson Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Station at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport is a new, state-of-the-art fire station serving the airport. Its location, at the center point of the runway, gives firefighters equal-distance access to all points of the airfield.
D.L. Withers Construction is general contractor for the $5.9M, 14,000 SF facility. The project was designed by Stantec Consulting Services Inc. and DWL Architects + Planners.
The facility incorporates the current and future anticipated growth requirements for the airport, and it will serve as a key design element in the planned future passenger terminal to the south.
The site posed a unique design challenge. Because it is located approximately 50 feet down the side of a mountain, nearly 75,000 cubic yards of material had to be hauled off. In perspective, that would be the size of a baseball field 22 feet deep.
This design challenge led to the placement of a second-floor public entrance and airside access from the first floor.
DL Withers’ expertise in projects of this type resulted in the project budget and schedule coming in at the anticipated costs and timeframes. At nearly 14,000 SF, the building is a fully self-contained facility with three apparatus bays, sleeping quarters, kitchen and training accommodations.
A distinctive feature to this station is the second floor Crisis Command Center, which overlooks the entire airport and serves as the operations room during emergency disaster drills or actual events. Additionally, this facility will serve as a back-up to the Airport Tower in the event the main tower becomes incapacitated.
