BEAUMONT, Texas — Captain Jamey Wilkins has been suiting up for the Beaumont Fire Department for 26 years.
The department holds some of his fondest memories.
"My first day there," Wilkins said. "You meet a lot of guys with a lot of experience, and you try to take it what they're doing."
Nearly three decades later, and he can now add more. The Beaumont Fire Department now has a brand new facility. It's an $8.2 million project.
"This station is of course, larger, and the firefighters do have individual bedrooms," Chief Earl White said. "The kitchen is a lot bigger, and a great workout facility and a lot more storage."
Architects said every detail was planned out with the safety of the public and firefighters in mind.
"All the walls, exterior walls are load-bearing, filled with concrete to withstand a major hurricane, and be a first responder facility when something hits," VP of Architectural Alliance Rob Clark said. "In fact some quarters are flex use. It can be a meeting room, or it could be housing for 60 or 70 people."
It is hurricane rated, so they will use it as a shelter during disasters.
Mayor Becky Ames said it goes beyond that.
"We're trying to do so many things throughout the city to beautify and make things better," Ames said. "Over the last ten years, we've put up a lot of buildings, and I think this is just one more tribute to that."
Wilkins says he's grateful for the change, and he thinks it's something the community and firefighters can enjoy.
"This station does show how much they're investing in us, and we're proud to give some of that back to the community."