by Hanna Singh
Years in the making, Ruston Fire Station No. 2 finally held its grand opening Tuesday, welcoming the public to view the new location.
Located at 1609 W. California Avenue, the station will be home to a second company of firefighters, broadening the reach and service capabilities of the Ruston Fire Department.
David Wells, director of Emergency Medical Services, shared the importance of opening the second station and highlighted what it will bring to the community.
“The main thing about adding the new location is that the department, along with the city, is growing,” Wells said. “With this station, we’re opening up an additional company there. They will have an ambulance, a rescue truck and a fire engine. Having those services there will add additional response to that area and increase deployments around Louisiana Tech, Grambling and that part of town.”
In honor of the late fire chief, the station will be named Chief Chris Womack Fire Station.
A distinguished leader in the community, Womack died in November 2025 after battling cancer. During his 35 years with the Ruston Fire Department, Womack had expressed a need to expand the department. He was a large part of the initiative to open a second station, and despite not being able to see the culmination of his efforts, he was honored for his dedication to the project.
Mayor Ronny Walker emphasized the work that went into developing the fire station and touched on the impact it will have on the local area.
“It’s an incredible facility for our city,” Walker said. “We say that excellence grows here, and that’s kind of what that station really stands for. Chief Womack pushed really hard for this station. So that’s why it is being named after him, after his untimely death. The city has been talking about getting a new fire station for over 30 years now, so that’s something that I really focused on when I came on board. The citizens of Ruston should be very proud of not only the new building, but also that it was named after Chief Womack.”
With the new fire station, the Ruston Fire Department will begin a new chapter of service to the community, offering a broader scope of service, more deployment availability and a larger reach across the city.
The dedicated firefighters and safety personnel in the city of Ruston will continue to serve and protect the growing community. Chief Womack’s advocacy and efforts to bring the station to life are being honored through the new station’s name. His service and vision will be remembered by Ruston’s firefighters and community.
