Firefighters used two DJI Matrice 100 drones during the Skirball fire, Scott said. One had a high-definition camera used to survey the burn area, and the other had an infrared camera to assess hot spots.

The spacious new fire station boasts 80-foot bays for the fire engines, a medical treatment room, a laundry room, training areas, a kitchen, office spaces and five dorm rooms to accommodate mixed-gender crews.

Blackburn, 88, a third-generation firefighter, began working at the original firehouse in 1959 when police and fire were still one department, he said. Years later, Blackburn came back to work there as a captain in the 1980s.

He said the changing neighborhood in the years he was there necessitated a new updated fire station that was more workable.

Inside, the building has 16 beds — 10 in the firefighters’ dormitory and six in officers’ quarters. In addition, Hawaii Fire Department Battalion Chief Matthias Kusch highlighted gender-segregated bathrooms and locker rooms and a commercial-size kitchen.

“It’s unbelievable how much food 10 firefighters go through every day,” Kusch said.

Jones said the sizable kitchen might seem “excessive” for day-to-day use, but added that, in the event of a disaster, the kitchen will be able to serve community members seeking shelter.

Jones said the new building is highly reinforced using Metal Stud Crete, concrete panels built around steel frames. While Jones said such panels are usually used as exterior cladding, the Haihai station uses the panels to support the building’s structural steel frame, creating an exceptionally stable building.

“This place will still be around in 100 years, guarantee,” Jones said.