The Department of Defense is planning to award $25 million for the construction of a new fire station at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The funding was approved on March 15 for the project, according to the Department of Defense.

U.S. Congressman Bill Joyce shared the letter he and U.S. Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, along with Congressmen Michael Rulli and Michael Turner, submitted to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on May 20, stating the importance of funding for the new fire station at the base. 

In 2024, YARS received $2.5 million for the planning and design stage of the new fire station and reached out to request funding to build it. 

The fire station was approved and listed in the Military Construction Operating Plan for fiscal year 2025. 

Capt. Donnie Hatheway, 910th Airlift Wing chief of public affairs told 21 News, “The 910th Airlift Wing is appreciative to our community supporters, especially our federal delegation, in their efforts to secure the 25 million dollars in funding for the military construction of a new fire station at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio,” said Col. Chris Sedlacek, 910th Airlift Wing commander. “This facility will enhance the first response capabilities of our 910th Civil Engineer Fire Department while they protect our Airmen and assets at the installation, provide crash rescue services at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and mutual aid to our partners across the Mahoning Valley. We do not have a definitive time frame for construction to begin.”

“As the Youngstown Air Reserve Station transitions to its new C-130J airframe, it is critical that it has a fire station that can support its mission requirements,” said Joyce. “I am proud to see this funding finally secured for the base, a major national security asset and employer in OH-14. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the troops in Northeast Ohio have everything they need to protect our country.”

Rulli added, “This investment is a significant victory for Northeast Ohio—solidifying our region’s strategic importance and fostering positive economic growth.”

Guy Coviello, President and CEO of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, said that Joyce worked for two years to get the fire station. 

“Rep. Joyce worked with the community over the last two years to bring the new fire station at YARS to reality. We are grateful for his long-standing efforts and his recent efforts with his colleagues in Ohio to prioritize this project for the Defense Department,” Coviello said.

The current fire station was built at the base in 1982.