Twenty years ago, few fire stations had designated rooms for firefighter fitness training. Weight benches were squeezed onto the apparatus floor. Often the extent of fitness training was a basketball hoop outside the building. Once a firefighter passed the department’s fitness test, if there even was one, ongoing fitness was strictly a matter of personal choice while off-duty.
Spurred by the initial research of Dr. Paul Davis III, creator of the Firefighter Combat Challenge, interest in firefighter fitness has increased over the past 20 years. In 2004, the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives included the Sixth Initiative, which seeks to increase awareness of the need for medical and physical wellness programs for every firefighter.
Every fire station in the Firehouse 2015 Station Design Award program had a designated physical conditioning room (PCR) for department personnel.
An architect and a former battalion chief with experience in designing fire stations shared his knowledge on designing a physical conditioning room for your next station.
Larry Enyart, FAIA, LEA Architects LLC, has won numerous awards for designing fire stations and public safety facilities. Enyart offered his insight on the design of the PCR for Phoenix Fire Department Station 59, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum fire station. “The station is situated near the fuel tanks for the Phoenix airport and the circular room, located at the entrance to the station, is functionally the PCR. It was a metaphor for the nearby fuel tanks,” said Enyart. “The windows 'step' up the outside and allow natural light in the room.”
Size and space matter
David Hartman, Hartman Fire Station Consultants, is a retired battalion chief with Charlottesville, VA, and has 10 years’ experience in fire station design. Hartman believes the first place to begin designing a fitness room is by looking at the department and its usage.
The type of department (career, combination, volunteer, or multi-agency) will determine the station’s fitness room design scope. The type of health and wellness program—one that drives core strengthening—could drive the needs of the room. The number of companies in the station, working out at the same time, should be considered in the design. “Who else is going to use the space?” asked Hartman. “Just on-duty, or also before duty or globally off-duty personnel at any time 24/7?” Some departments allow administrative staff, retirees, dispatchers, police or other municipal department employees to use the facilities, which may also suggest outside door access to maintain security of the station’s living areas.
Hartman emphasized the most important aspect on the design of this space is to make sure that it’s not an afterthought. The fitness room should be built around the number of staff who will be using it at the same time and the type of equipment that the department plans to relocate, purchase, or receive as donations. Each piece of equipment has a horizontal 360-degree space requirement and a vertical 360-degree space requirement.
As of 2006, Department of Defense guidelines for the Navy, Army, Marines, and Air Force fire stations’ make accommodations in their designs for one company working out together. They allow for four personnel in this calculation and the room is to be 437 sq. ft. However, numerous variables can affect a municipal or rural fire station.
Design considerations
Fitness rooms are one of the primary sources of infection, so infection control should be designed into the space. While it starts with good hygiene practices, Hartman suggests it must include HVAC that is engineered to exchange the air, control humidity, and maintain a temperature comfort zone that is different than adjacent spaces. The room should have at least two different independent means of providing variable speed forced-air for cooling and circulation.
According to Enyart, a couple of basics to consider for the design of a PCR include the ceiling heights, electrical outlets, and flooring. Some pieces of workout equipment can elevate the individual, such as stair climbers or fixed weights. Ceiling fans should be adequate for the movement of air. “I don’t mount ceiling fans too low or they give ‘crewcuts’,” Enyart chuckled.
Determine the placement of electric outlets. Certain pieces of fitness equipment have 220-volt power. Enyart suggests laying out the dimensions of each piece of equipment to make sure there is power access for each machine.
Consider double-width doors not only leading into the room, but also along the entire route that the fitness equipment will be brought into the station from the outside. Some equipment can’t be broken down and is wider than an accessible width single doorway.
Anticipate the overhead lighting in the PCR. The lighting should be variable on intensity so that the lighting can be adjusted by time of day and type of activity.
Most health cycles and treadmills offer video access and data ports to allow reading, studying or training while working out. Hartman recommends that CCTV and Wi-Fi access be in the PCR.
Large windows allow natural light, the ability to see outside and, for safety of individuals working out, the ability for others to see inside the PCR is important.
“I also recommend that you provide both visual and audible alerting to the staff because exercise can be loud,” said Hartman. “In addition, the room should include a phone for PA or 9-1-1 calling and a station alerting panic button in the event a person suffers a medical event, a witness can call out for help.” There should be a dedicated AED for the PCR in the same or an adjacent room; don’t rely on the AED on a rig in the event it is on a call.
Bare concrete, tile and carpet are a big NO in fitness rooms. Several options for flooring exist with the most popular made from recycled tires in interlocking panels that are fairly thick. New core strength conditioning and training (e.g., CrossFit®) includes people dropping weights and with thin flooring damage to the concrete can occur. Reinforced flooring in these areas is necessary.
Besides humidity levels in PCRs, be aware of moisture that can develop into mold and potentially breed toxins. Architects have had to mitigate against mold coming up from floor slabs. “Be very vigilant so the water does not come up and get trapped between the rubber mats,” said Enyart. Also, be mindful of water vapor, as water can be drawn out by air conditioning.
Both men agree that PCRs need some floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Mirrors open up the space, provide further reflective lighting, and most importantly provide feedback to those working out on form and posture for the type of activity they are performing. Mirrors also help keep others in their field of vision to avoid accidents with various items such as ropes, barbells, poles, balls, kettle bells, bands and steps.
Hydration is critical when working out. Enyart said, “Whether bottled water or a water fountain, if people have to walk out of the room for water, they won’t do it.” Make access to water convenient by either plumbing a water line or plan to have bottled water in the PCR.
The room used for physical conditioning should be a “green” room and PPE, shift boots or street shoes should not be allowed in this space. Only allow workout clothing and shoes. In addition, obvious signage should be posted for use of the equipment and for cleaning of it after use. The room should have plenty of cleaning supplies, spray bottles and paper towels available to wipe down the equipment. Do not allow used station towels to pile up or be left unattended.
“Firefighting is one of the most demanding professions,” said Enyart. “Staying in shape and wearing 100 pounds of gear…physical conditioning is essential.” The fire service has changed.
JANET WILMOTH grew up in a family of firefighters in a suburb of Chicago. Wilmoth, owner of Wilmoth Associates, worked with Fire Chief magazine for 27 years until it closed in 2013. She is currently a Project Director for Firehouse/SouthComm. Wilmoth currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Fire Emergency Manufacturers & Services Association and lives in Lisle, IL.
