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A new $42.3 million aircraft rescue and firefighting station has now opened at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The Fire Station 2 project is the “first phase of consolidating public safety and airport operations into a high-tech facility for more advanced airport operations and emergency response,” according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which announced the completion of the project on Monday.

The new Fire Station 2 is located on the north end of the airfield and is 50% larger than the station it replaced earlier this month, the MAC said in a news release. The previous station was built in 1965. The MSP Airport Fire Department also operates Fire Station 1, which opened in 2005 on the south side of the airfield.

“We have made great strides in designing facilities, systems and equipment to enhance the vital work our firefighters do every day,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the MAC, which owns and operates MSP, in a statement. “This is an important step in our efforts to maintain the highest standards of public safety while serving our passengers, airlines and other community stakeholders.”

According to MAC, MSP firefighters respond to about 3,200 emergency calls per year. The fire department covers the airport’s 3,400-acre site and has “mutual aid agreements” with surrounding communities to respond to emergencies outside the airport, according to MAC.

“The true focus of this new facility is a design based on the safety, health and well-being of our firefighters to support our 24/7 mission to protect and serve passengers and the public,” MSP Fire Chief Mark Watczak said in a statement. “There is a clear separation between living quarters and equipment room, providing greater protection and comfort for firefighters.”

According to MAC:

• The station offers “significant improvements in comfort and privacy” and features, among other things, individual dormitories, locker rooms, a larger kitchen and “interactive meeting rooms.” Each firefighter spends an average of 121 nights per year at MSP.
• The station is the first phase of a “broader project to accelerate emergency response and streamline operations by bringing airport operations and emergency services under one roof. This summer, construction began on the next phase of MSP, a future public safety and operations center that will be connected to the new fire station.”
• The 158,000-square-foot Public Safety and Operations Center is designed for the “future co-location of the MSP Airport Police Department, Emergency Communications Center, Airside Operations and other teams. These teams currently operate at multiple locations on airport property. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2027.”
• The MAC is seeking LEED certification for the two-phase project, which includes “improved insulation, energy-efficient mechanical systems, and environmentally friendly materials and finishes,” sustainable landscaping, native plants, and a “water reclamation system.”