The brand-new Tejon Public Safety Center in Mettler is a groundbreaking facility that Kern County leaders are calling a game-changer for public safety. It’s the first of its kind, uniting sheriff’s deputies and firefighters under one roof to deliver faster, stronger protection for this community.
Music, speeches, and a ribbon cutting made it the eventful morning it was on Thursday as the community gathered to welcome the brand-new Kern County Sheriff’s Tejon Substation and Fire Station 54, a shared hub for emergency response just steps from the casino.
“This facility represents much more than a building, it represents years of planning, partnership, and a shared commitment to public safety, emergency response, and responsible growth in this region,” said one representative.
A project years in the making, officials say it was all made possible without* the use of taxpayer dollars.
Fire Station 54 is now the department’s 49th, but Captain Andrew Freeborn says this one stands out — built to elevate response times, by having four fire personnel on staff 24 hours a day along with other safeguards not found in other stations.
“Specifically designed and built at lowering the risk of our firefighters having cancer, when fire personnel get back from these emergencies covered in that smoke and soot, they’re able to go into rooms, decontaminate themselves, get fresh clothing before going into the forestation that they live in,” said Captain Freeborn.
Tribal officials, casino leaders, and Kern County fire and sheriff representatives say the facility will also help to speed up response times and sharpen coordination between first responders.
Though the grand opening was done Thursday morning, the substation has been in full swing operations, providing services 24/7.
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