New AFD, ATCEMS joint station opens in northwest Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Dozens of people, including city council members and the chief of the Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County EMS, gathered for a ribbon cutting on the newest station Saturday.

ATCEMS Station 43 and AFD Station 54, located at 9804 N FM 620, will serve people living in northwest Austin.

The joint station will be home to both AFD and ATCEMS.

"With this station here, we believe it is going to help us enhance our response time capabilities," said AFD Chief Joel Baker.

As the city grows, Baker said public safety will have to grow as well.

"It not only helps the residents of Austin but also the nearby residents of Travis County as we try to address the growth and address the needs in this absolutely wonderful city we have here in the city of Austin," ATCEMS Chief Robert Luckritz.

According to ATCEMS, this joint-use station is the final facility funded by the 2018 council initiative to build five stations in six years.