New ARFF Station 21 Opens at Dallas Love Field Airport

PGAL joined the City of Dallas, Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR), and members of the project team on August 13 to celebrate the grand opening of the airport’s new Aircraft Rescue + Firefighting (ARFF) Station 21 and Airport Operations building.

The opening marks the completion of a five-year effort to modernize critical emergency response infrastructure at DAL. At 33,400 square feet, the facility is the second-largest ARFF station in Texas and fourth-largest in the United States, bringing DFR’s ARFF personnel and DAL’s airside operations team together under one roof.

PGAL’s planning and design centered on a critical priority: response time. Strategically located between the airport’s primary runways, 13L and 13R, the station integrates with DAL’s Crossfield Taxiway reconfiguration and provides emergency personnel and equipment with direct access to both runways. The shared facility also strengthens coordination among the teams responsible for emergency response, airfield safety, regulatory compliance, and ground operations.

“Response time drove many of the planning and design decisions for this facility,” said Ken Pope, PGAL Project Manager. “Strategically positioning the station on the airfield allows first responders to deploy quickly when every second matters, while the shared environment gives ARFF and Operations teams new opportunities to work more closely together.”

Station 21 replaces the airport’s original ARFF station, constructed in the 1960s, with a modern facility designed around the evolving needs of DAL and DFR. Four response bays feature rapid-deployment bi-folding doors, while two maintenance bays provide dedicated space for servicing critical emergency response equipment.

Training and preparedness are also integral to the facility. A dedicated training room features a virtual reality simulator for immersive, scenario-based aircraft emergency exercises. The station also includes a battalion administration office, designated storm shelter, and personnel amenities supporting around-the-clock operations.

The facility incorporates infrastructure for DFR’s Rosenbauer PANTHER 6×6 Electric, the world’s first fully electric ARFF vehicle, further supporting DAL’s investment in the future of emergency response.