Prepared-to-order omelets and other magnificent dishes were recently cooked and served as a “station warming” breakfast treat for Dallas firefighters at the newly opened Station 27 in North Dallas near Preston Center. The meals were prepared by the executive chef of Edgemere, Dallas’ premier senior living community.
Edgemere’s executive chef, Victor Jaime, as well as Edgemere residents Ted Gilles, Col. Jim Gilliland, Jane Lilley and Carl Mottek came to personally express gratitude to the firefighters for their service on behalf of all Edgemere residents and everyone who lives in the surrounding community.
“Edgemere is proud to be an involved member of the Dallas community, and the staff and residents were very excited to welcome Dallas’ finest to their new station and show appreciation for their service,” said John Falldine, managing director of Edgemere. “We thought breakfast would be a fun and thoughtful gesture because firefighters typically cook their own meals at the station. Chef Jaime said they have a fabulous kitchen, and the residents loved touring the new station.”
Among the Edgemere residents who especially enjoyed visiting the station was Ted Gilles, one of the founders of the Texas Fire Museum, who has been involved in the restoration of numerous vintage fire engines since the mid-1980s. Always fascinated with fire engines since childhood, Gilles served as an auxiliary firefighter as a teenager during World War II when older crew members were away at war.
“It was great to see this state-of-the-art station, and I was very impressed,” said Gilles. “Two things that really stood out to me were the drive-through design, so fire vehicles no longer have to back into the station, and the improved traffic control system, which enables them to get out of the station and onto Northwest Highway much better. We all enjoyed meeting the crew, including the battalion and division chiefs, who were all very nice and appreciative. Our Edgemere team really enjoyed our time with them.”
Station 27, located at the corner of Northwest Highway and Douglas Avenue, opened in December 2016. The most expensive fire station in the city’s history, it is the first two-story station to be built in more than 60 years.