IT'S A TALL ORDER...

Fire crews help out Titan Missile Museum

Green Valley Fire crews do much more than fight fires — they change light bulbs.

Light bulbs dotting the launch duct of the Titan II missile, that is.

“We can’t reach 75 percent of the lights in the launch duct without the help of the fire department,” said Yvonne Morris, director of the Titan Missile Museum, 1580 W. Duval Mine Road, Sahuarita.

The fire district comes out to the museum several times a year for training exercises and to help with maintenance of the 45-year-old underground, Cold War missile complex, she said.

Crews practice rapelling down the 130-foot length of the silo, changing the light bulbs along the way, and also conduct rescue drills in the missile silo elevator. They even climb to the top of the missile to dust and polish the nose cone, she said.

“The Green Valley Fire District is doing a lot to keep a national historic landmark in tip-top shape,” said Morris.

And with the museum’s Moonlight Madness tours starting up this Saturday, the timing couldn’t have been better.

This is the second year the museum has offered the nighttime tours, which feature special activities for kids, including launching seltzer rockets, sampling space food and taking the “astronaut test.”

Reservations are recommended for the popular tour, and the beautiful night views are well worth it, said Morris.

“The darker it gets, the more incredible the view is when you’re standing on top of the launch duct looking down at the missile. It’s stunning — it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.”

Moonlight Madness runs 5 p.m.-9 p.m., one Saturday per month throughout the summer. Dates scheduled are May 17, June 21, July 19, Aug. 16, Sept. 13 and Oct. 11. To contact the Titan Missile Museum, call 625-7736.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726