By Bailey Coyle, Fox23 News
OSAGE COUNTY, Okla. — The Frontier Shores Fire Department is preparing for a major upgrade, one Chief Steven Matias says is long overdue.
For more than a decade, the department has operated out of a community building that was originally loaned to them.
Inside, firefighters hold meetings and train, whether it’s reviewing plans on a whiteboard or running medical drills. But the space was never designed to serve as a fire station.
The new Station One will be built less than a mile away, inside the Frontier Shores community itself, on land donated by Sasha and Gary Grooms. Chief Matias and the department say they are grateful for the Grooms’ generosity, calling the land donation a critical step in making the new station possible.
Chief Matias says the move will dramatically improve response times.
“Everyone responds from home. It could take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes,” he explained. “The goal is the quicker the better.”
Right now, firefighters must leave their homes, drive to the station, get into their apparatus and then respond to calls, adding valuable minutes during emergencies. The new station will allow firefighters to stay overnight on shift and respond directly from the building.
“That’s about triple the time if we were at the station ready to go and then at the call,” Matias said. “This will increase response time by double.”
The new facility will also protect equipment and vehicles. Currently, several fire vehicles sit outside in the elements.
“We have multiple vehicles that just sit out in the sun and bake,” Matias said. “The goal is to keep the integrity of the vehicle intact.”
Plans call for a roughly 150-by-75-foot building, potentially two stories if wind conditions allow. The station would include covered bays for vehicles, a training room, communications room, map room, working showers and bathrooms, and space for long-term growth.
Right now, hosting training can be difficult due to gravel flooring, roof issues and heating problems. Matias described having to manually flip a fuse box repeatedly just to keep the building warm enough for firefighters during winter.
“Walking into a very cold building without heat… and trying to get it up to 40 degrees, it’s tough,” he said. “It takes a toll on people’s bodies.”
The department relies heavily on grants and donations, making the road to a new facility challenging. Funding was recently approved through a REAP grant, a program that provides funding for community infrastructure projects, including fire stations. County commissioners also approved funding for the project.
“It’s very hard to be in a department that depends on grants and donations,” Matias said. “But we made do with what we have.”
He also credited neighboring departments, including Prue, Green Country, North 48, Peninsula and Agra, for stepping up to support Frontier Shores over the years.
As a Marine veteran, Matias says quitting was never an option.
“There have been times when I ask myself why do I continue to do this? Because it’s tough. But there’s no quit in us,” he said. “My job is to be their voice.”
Beyond faster response times, Matias believes the new station will transform morale.
“Morale will be skyrocketed,” he said. “They’ll have a place to sleep. They won’t have to worry about rats running around or freezing inside the station.”
He says the new station will not only benefit firefighters but also the entire community.
“The opportunities are endless now that we have somewhere to call home.”
There is currently no construction timeline, as funding was just approved and the department is still working through paperwork, bids and contractor selection.
