by Malcolm Butler
The late Chris Womack made a lasting impression.
Due to his impact on Lincoln Parish during his career with the Ruston Fire Department, Womack’s memory will live on in this area as well as in the state of Louisiana.
Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker and the City Council is doing their part to make sure Womack won’t soon be forgotten. The newly constructed, but not yet operational, Ruston Fire Station No. 2 will be named after Womack.
Womack, who passed away November 18, 2025 following a battle with cancer, began his career with the Ruston Fire Department in the early 1990s and steadily worked his way up the ladder, ultimately holding the position of Fire Chief for more than a decade.
“Chris Womack was an incredible fire chief,” said Walker. “He was my first leadership hire I made when I became mayor more than a decade ago. From the very first day on the job, Chris began talking to me about the new fire station.
“The new fire station was something he fought for for more than 10 years. I am so thankful we were able to use our ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money which came from Covid to build two structures. One was the animal shelter and the other was this new fire station.
“To name it after the person who fought so hard for it and who did an incredible job bringing our city up to a Class 1 rating, it’s speaks volumes to his dedication to his job, this city, and to the firefighters who served under him.”
Womack left a legacy, not only in Lincoln Parish, but within the state, according to all who knew him. He was a Louisiana Fire Chief Board Member, and he sat on the state’s Fire Certification Advisory Committee. He also served on the 911 Commission.
“It’s touching, and its the right gesture to do,” said Interim Fire Chief Joe Dan Martin. “I know how much that station meant to him. There were two things that he wanted to see through before he retired, and that fire station was one of them.
“Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to see the day come but Mayor Walker knew how important it was to Chris and how important Chris was to the fire department; the whole city, the whole parish.”
The existing Ruston Fire Station No. 2 was constructed and opened in 1949. During it’s more than seven decades of existence, it has served the city of Ruston well. However, with the growth of the city, a new one was needed. Martin said the new station would help with response time in that area of the city.
The new facility is expected to be 10,000 square feet and will have a two-story bay station, meaning four vehicles can be housed at the station. Six to seven personnel will be able to stay comfortably on overnight shifts. The new station will also have an office for the Fire Prevention Bureau.
It was built at a cost of $4.5 million.
“The current Fire Station #2 would fit in the living room of this one,” said Martin. “I am not exaggerating.That’s the truth.”
The new Ruston Fire Station No. 2 will be located at 1609 West California Avenue.
“The optics of it … having a good, new, fresh station that has more room and all of this up-to-date technology,” said Martin. “Ruston is growing so fast. It’s so nice to see such a great station grow with it. Chris helped design that station with the idea of expanding one day.”
A final walk-through of the new fire station is scheduled for Wednesday.
“It will take a few months to get all the furniture in there and all the equipment in there,” said Walker. “My hope is that sometime this summer we can have it operational. That would be my hope.”
Regardless of when the new Fire Station No. 2 opens for operation, it will bear the name of a man who dedicated his career and life to the profession and the residents of Ruston.
“This was the perfect thing for the mayor and for the city council to do,” said Martin. “Chris did so many things, and yet he never wanted to take credit for anything. (The plans for Fire Station #2) started 26 years ago with Donny Watson and it was important with Chief Austin. And then Chris being Chris, he took the bull by the horns and pressed to make sure it happened.
“His legacy will live on forever. Part of it will be through that station. Seeing his name out there, people years down the road will see his name on the wall and ask who is this guy, and there will be a great story to tell about Chief Chris Womack. It means the world to us.”
