Douglas County Commissioners Approve Construction Contract for Helitack Hangar for Aerial Firefighting Program

The $4.2 million contract with TCC Corporation will fund construction of a permanent home for Douglas County’s Helitack helicopter and firefighting personnel. Construction is expected to begin later this year.

This contract approval marks the first phase in expanding the county’s Regional Joint Public Safety Training Center, which is also set to include a joint training facility for law enforcement and wildfire response and a training equipment facility.

Douglas County has made significant investments in wildfire preparedness and response in recent years, including year-round aerial firefighting support and a highly trained Helitack team, an AI-assisted wildfire detection system and cost-sharing grants for wildfire mitigation projects.

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said in a press release that “The Board’s investment in this hangar ensures our Helitack crew and helicopter have a dedicated, reliable base of operations. This project, along with the future expansion of the joint training facility, ensures our deputies and local fire crews are trained together and ready to protect our communities side-by-side.”