Firehouse, the fire service's leading media and events franchise, announced its plans to launch a station design awards program and design workshop in 2014. Firehouse's expansion in the station design segment comes on the heels of Firehouse Magazine's successful Fire Station Design supplement, which was published in August, 2013.
"Based on the popularity of our design supplement, and growing demand from department personnel and municipal officials for expert advice, best practices, and education, we see a real opportunity to better serve this segment," said Greg Toritto, Firehouse's group publisher. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Janet Wilmoth. Her experience and dedication to helping departments navigate the arduous process of building and renovating their public safety facilities is unparalleled. "
More than a decade ago Toritto and Wilmoth worked together to launch Station Style, a successful station design initiative that included an awards program and conference. Station Style was operated by Fire Chief Publications, which unexpectedly ceased operations late last year.
"I'm very pleased that Firehouse is making this commitment to individuals tasked with building and renovating their stations," Wilmoth said. "Designing a new fire station or public safety facility is a monumental task and often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for department leaders. Working with the Firehouse team, I'm confident we can bring quality resources and networking to people who really need our help."
Firehouse has released a tentative timeline for the Station Design Awards program, which will kick off with a call for entries in late March and a final entry deadline of Aug 15. Winners will be announced in October, followed by the publication of a station design portfolio that will showcase award-winning and notable station designs.
"This premier awards program will recognize and celebrate architects and fire departments for their design excellence, and Firehouse will be able to take it to the next level by leveraging our reach in print, digital, social media, and events," added Toritto.
In addition to the Station Design Awards program, Firehouse will host a one-day Station Design Workshop at Firehouse Expo, the leading educational conference on the East Coast, taking place July 16-19, 2014 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
This workshop will be added to a core curriculum that already includes more than 100 educational sessions. The program will focus on best practices and design innovations for public safety officials and municipal leaders who are responsible for department facilities. Speakers will include the biggest and most highly-respected names in the industry.
"Building a new fire station to meet the growing needs and demands of the fire service, and within community budgets, can be a daunting task for any fire department", said Ed Nichols, who serves as the vice president of events for the Firehouse group. "We will roll out a dedicated workshop this year in conjunction with Firehouse Expo with the hopes of expanding to a stand-alone conference in 2015."
"Firehouse Expo's conference team, under Firehouse editor-in-chief and conference director Harvey Eisner, is the best in the business," added Toritto. "Adding Janet to the mix for these special initiatives will strengthen an already solid team and give Firehouse an unprecedented one-two punch."
Final details about the awards program, and dates and times for the workshop, will be released shortly.
About Firehouse
Firehouse is the leading fire and emergency services brand, reaching more than 600,000 unique visitors and subscribers monthly, and thousands of attendees annually, via its live events and media portfolio. The Firehouse brand encompasses Firehouse Magazine, the Firehouse Tablet Edition, Firehouse.com, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, and a host of print and digital products targeting fire and emergency services personnel. Utilizing its multiple platforms and unparalleled reach, Firehouse sets itself apart from the competition by fostering a culture that encourages innovation and the use of the latest digital and database technologies to best serve its audience and companies serving the marketplace.
About Cygnus Business Media
Cygnus Business Media is a privately held, internationally recognized, technology business-to-business media company founded in 1996. The company offers comprehensive, integrated advertising and marketing programs for some of the world's strongest business-to-business brands. Its diverse portfolio serves 13 market categories with print and interactive products, and live events. Through its media, the company reaches more than 1.5 million print subscribers, and nearly 1 million industry professionals via its custom marketing services group and expositions, and attracts 2 million unique visitors to its websites monthly.
