fire station design
TRANSCRIPT
Fire station
Fire station in Kostroma, Russia (1823-26) Parque de Bombas, a19th century firestation in Ponce, Puerto Rico
A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, orfiremen's hall) is a structure or other area set aside forstorage of firefighting apparatus such as fire engines andrelated vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses andother specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory livingfacilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Livingareas are sometimes arranged above the garage bays wherepersonnel without specific station duties during the night shiftare allowed to sleep unless a dispatch is called. In thatsituation, firefighters may have special means to allow entry tothe ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such
as sliding down a brass pole called a fireman's pole. Thisarrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry toprevent damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structureis sometimes used for hose hanging.
An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system forreceiving and annunciating an alarm, and indications of where andwhat caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only "alarm" is atelephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a volunteer firedepartment where volunteers do not staff the station, thefirefighters may be summoned to the fire station by siren, radioor pagers, making a station alarm system superfluous.
American MUTCD sign W11-8 warning of a fire station
In a more structured operation, full-time or on-callvolunteer or career firefighters staff the station some or all ofthe time. There may be office space for the officers, a libraryof reference and other materials, and a "trophy wall" or casewhere the firefighters display memorabilia.
Activities in a fire station include regular inspection andcleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and continuing educationin the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typicallyincludes various drills in which firefighters practice theirskills. Some fire companies also host public activities at thefire station during annual "fire prevention week" or similar, andthe facility may also be used for fund-raising by the "firemen'sassociation", "fire buffs", or "fire auxiliary".
The approaches to a fire station are often posted withwarning signs, and there may be a traffic signal to stop or warntraffic when apparatus are leaving or returning to the station.
In larger cities fire stations are often named for theprimary fire companies and apparatus housed there, such as"Ladder 49", or the district which they serve. Rural firestations are usually named for the county, town or village, butmay also be named for the independent fire district serving acollective geographic area.
Fire Stationby Eric G. MionLewis & Zimmerman Associates, Inc.
OverviewA fire station supports the needs of the fire department and
the community in which it is located. It must accommodateextremely diverse functions, including housing, recreation,administration, training, community education, equipment andvehicle storage, equipment and vehicle maintenance, and hazardousmaterials storage. While it is usually only occupied by trainedpersonnel, the facility may also need to accommodate the generalpublic for community education or outreach programs.
Fire stations will vary somewhat in design depending onspecific mission, i.e., the types of emergencies that will beresponded to or the types of fires that will be fought. Usually,the facility differences relate to the size of the firefightingapparatus and facility location. The location of the facility islargely driven by the need to minimize response time. Forexample, aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF) stations providefire protection to flight lines and aircraft and are locatedadjacent to the runways on airport property. Similarly, stations
with hazardous waste response teams are located near likely spillsites, etc.
Building AttributesA. Space Types and Building Organization
Major fire station functional areas include the following:
Apparatus bay(s): This is where the fire fighting andemergency response vehicles are stored.
Apparatus bay support and vehicle maintenance: Theseindustrial spaces are where the vehicles and other firefighting equipment are cleaned, maintained, and stored.
Administrative and training areas: These include offices,dispatch facilities, and training and conference rooms.
Residential areas: These include the dorm rooms, dayroom/kitchen, and residential support areas such asbathrooms and fitness spaces.
The two primary drivers for facility layout and functional spaceadjacencies in a fire station are the following:
1. Ensure that internal response times can be met (time for afirefighter to reach the apparatus and be ready to depart).
2. Separate the diverse and sometimes conflicting functionssuch as industrial maintenance spaces and residentialspaces.
Sample adjacency diagram for a firestation.Developed by DMJM Design, Arlington, VAApparatus Bays
By placing the apparatus bay between the maintenance andsupport functions and the residential and administrativefunctions, both primary layout goals can be accomplished. Some ofthe adjacencies shown above may be accommodated through a hallwayrather than a direct entrance/exit from one space to another.This is particularly true with the apparatus bay and the day roomas many facility spaces require an adjacency with these twospaces.
This approach to the layout can also accommodate expansionof the apparatus bay on the other side of the support andmaintenance areas, although care must be taken to ensure thatinternal response times can be met after any expansion.
Sizing the apparatus bay is critical, and it should bedesigned to accommodate variable vehicle sizes. Typically, theentire room is sized based on the bay size for the largestvehicle in the fleet or the largest anticipated vehicle. Baysalso include vehicle exhaust removal systems, compressed air andpower drop lines, and hot and cold water connections. Bay doorsmust also accommodate the largest vehicle and include a manual
means to open in case of power failure. Ideally, the site willaccommodate drive-through bays.
Sample functional layout for a firestation.Developed by DMJM Design, Arlington, VAApparatus Bay Support and VehicleMaintenance
Apparatus bay support functions include cleaning andmaintenance areas for the firefighter's self-contained breathingapparatus (SCBA), protective clothing, fire extinguishers, andother equipment. It also includes storage areas for firefightinggear and equipment and secure storage for medical supplies. Someof these areas are specialized spaces for disinfecting protectiveequipment and for maintaining and recharging the SCBA in a cleanenvironment. See also Light Industrial space type.
Agent storage is typically provided in a single-storystructure separate from the fire station building. It should belocated along the drive leading into the Apparatus Bay for ease
of loading and unloading of fire fighting agents. In some cases,it may be attached to the main structure.
A vehicle maintenance bay may also be included in a firestation. It is a dedicated maintenance area for the fire fightingapparatus and includes a heavy-duty lift and all utilityconnections required for large vehicle maintenance.
Administrative and Training Areas
Administrative areas include standard offices and conferenceand training rooms. The area will also likely include additionalspecialized spaces such as the chief's office with sleeping andshower facilities and computer training/testing facilities forfirefighter continuing education. Some stations may include ahighly specialized dispatch room for receiving emergency callsfrom the public.
Residential Areas
Sample day room layout for a firestation.Developed by DMJM Design, Arlington, VA
The day room accommodates kitchen, dining, andliving/recreation functions. It is often separated into subspacesfor those three functions, but an open design may also beeffective to encourage interaction between the spaces. The diningspace may also double as training or meeting space and mightinclude provisions for audiovisual equipment.
Dorm room design can vary widely from station to station anddepartment to department. Each firefighter is provided with aplace to sleep, work, and store personal items. Carefulconsideration should be given to the location and design of thearea to ensure response times can be met. See Emerging Issuesbelow for more information on dorm rooms.
Other residential areas include a laundry room, a physicalfitness room, bathrooms and showers, and possible additionalrecreation spaces such as an outdoor patio and game room.
B. Design Considerations
Key design goals and considerations for fire stations include thefollowing:
Promote Occupant Quality of Life
Fire stations are occupied 24 hours a day, seven days a weekby personnel in continuous 24-hour shifts. Therefore, ensuring acomfortable living environment for the firefighters is paramount:
Provide ample natural light. Provide individual dorm rooms, if budget allows. Provide ample recreation areas and separate noisy areas
(such as a game room) from quieter areas (such as atelevision room).
Avoid institutional and unnatural finishes, textures, andcolors.
Maintain a Safe and Healthy Environment
As above, due to the continuous occupation of the facility byfirefighters and the presence of hazardous materials, specialattention must be given to designing the facility to accommodateequipment and operational strategies to both protect theoccupants and maintain a healthy environment. Consider thefollowing critical elements:
Provide a secure facility for both personnel and materialssuch as controlled medical supplies and hazardous firesuppression agents.
Use non-toxic building materials and improved maintenancepractices.
Ensure good indoor air quality and abundant natural light inthe residential and administrative areas.
Ensure good ventilation of industrial areas such as theapparatus bay and prevent contamination of clean spaces suchas the SCBA maintenance areas.
Ensure that equipment, furnishings, and finishes do notcontain asbestos or lead.
Ensure Flexibility
As fire fighting technology evolves, fire stations need toevolve as well. Consider the following areas:
Plan for potential expansion, both in the apparatus bay areaand the residential areas.
Ensure appropriate product/systems integration. Design for the changing nature of work.
Emerging Issues
One emerging issue in fire station design is the additionalattention given to firefighter quality of life. As noted above indesign considerations, one way to promote quality of life is toprovide separate dorm rooms for each firefighter. Typically, eachroom is shared between firefighters of different crews/shifts sothat the room is never occupied simultaneously. Individual
lockers are provided for each firefighter. A bed, nightstand, anddesk are shared.
Some departments are taking this one step further andproviding separate beds for each firefighter. Wall-beds, alsoknown as "Murphy-beds," are also becoming a common alternative.These combine the qualities of an individual bed with added spacesavings.
Three sample dorm room layouts for a firestation.Developed by DMJM Design, Arlington, VA
Space Requirements for Fire Stations
Function Each fire station is unique, with variable conditions
altering its use and building parameters. Some stationshouse larger fire engines, whereas others have more compactengines, especially in small towns.
Identification In general, a basic fire station's space requirements should
include an apparatus bay to house the necessary vehicles andaccessories for fire fighting, as well as an apparatussupport area for on-site repairs. Additionally, office spaceis needed for administrative support, such as dispatch andconferencing rooms.
Considerations What makes fire stations different than other business-type
buildings is the necessity of residential space.Firefighters occupy the space 24 hours a day, all year long,through varying shifts that necessitate the need forsleeping areas and recreational areas.
PLANS
Fort Lauderdale Fire Station #49Soon to be completed, this 2-story two bay 12,000 sf fire
rescue facility is located directly on the bay surrounded byhigh-rise residential. Sleeping quarters for 7, full commercialkitchen and dining area, medical exam room, day room,administration offices, multi-purpose community room, weightroom, and covered boat lift for ocean rescues are provided. Itsmodern design reflects its surroundings with views to thewaterfront created wherever possible.
Ave Fenix Fire Station in Mexico by AT 103Architects and BGP Arquitectura
Clark County Fire Station #33Fire Station #33 is the second of six fire
stations based on the Prototype Fire Stationpreparatory design program completed here at BJG. Fire Station #33 programming and schematic designintentions reflect the Prototype’s characteristicsand influences. This station is unique due tolocation approximates to the LVCVA and that it addedone additional bay to the prototype design, handlingcritical homeland security issues that may arise onthe strip.
ELEVATIONS
INTERIOR
EXTERIOR
TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES363 P. CASAL ST. QUIAPO MANILA
ARCH’L DESIGN 5 (RESEARCH WORK)
SUBMITTED BY:
SHAINA MAE B. LUZSUBMITTED TO:
ARCH. JOSEPH PASCUALSECTION:
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