Swiss Avenue Historic District residents visit Lakewood fire station

Dallas fire station 17. Photo by Renee Umsted.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Station 17 hosted an open house for residents of the Swiss Avenue Historic District.

The open house, held Sunday afternoon, was an opportunity for the neighborhood to meet the firefighters, tour the station, take photos with Sparky and get a close look at the equipment.

“We like knowing y’all, and y’all knowing us,” said station captain David Diggs.

Diggs gave an overview of the station, noting that the firefighters work 24-hour shifts, with 48 hours off. There are three shifts — A, B and C — at Station 17, located at the corner of Belmont Avenue and Skillman Street.

On Sunday, the B shift was working.

“We’re probably the most humble shift over here,” Diggs said. “B stands for the best.”

Station 17 is known as the Lakewood Fire Station, and the firefighters take an active role in the neighborhood. In addition to inviting neighbors to just drop by and say hello, the firefighters participate in the annual Lakewood Fourth of July Parade, and earlier this month, they attended the Swiss Avenue Historic District Mother’s Day Home Tour.

“I think it’s something that is so important that we have our communities working with our public servants, whether that be police or fire,” said District 14 City Council member Paul Ridley. “It just makes their jobs easier and more enjoyable, and I think we all learn something about what they face on a daily basis.”