Designing a new fire apparatus is an expensive and daunting task. With updates in technology, NFPA Standards and, most recently, firefighter health and safety protocols, you need to keep abreast of trends with emergency vehicles.
Well, designing a new fire station or renovating your existing one is a lot more complicated and expensive than an apparatus. A new fire station costs multiple-times more than a rig, and costs can increase rapidly. So how do you invest and build a station to last for the next 50 to 75 years and avoid costly mistakes?
Educate yourself. Attend a conference focused on fire and public safety facilities. What about meeting with a specialist for a second opinion? If you were facing a major medical illness, would you seek out a second opinion to confirm or perhaps change the treatment plan? Yes!
That is exactly what the Station Design Conference’s 1-on-1 pre-conference program will do for you and your new build or renovation project. A team of award-winning architects, who specialize in fire, police and public safety facilities, offer to sit down and review your plans without bias at whatever stage you are in—sketches, site selection, or building plans. Even if you have already started construction, an unbiased second opinion can confirm your project is on track or suggest tweaks to help you build the best facility for your department and community.
Many previous attendees believe the 1-on-1 was one of the most valuable parts of the conference. Matt Sabo, the fire chief in Concord Township, OH, has attended the Station Design Conference every year since 2017 and participated in the 1-on-1 program each year.
According to Sabo, “For the first two years of attending, I had nothing other than an idea and a bunch of questions on what is involved in a fire station project. Last year (Chicago, 2019), I brought schematic designs with me as that was where we were in our project.”
Meeting with an architect from LeMay Erickson Willcox offered Sabo a unique perspective on his project. “They were able to pull together what seemed to me a great deal of information and offer a kind of 10,000-foot view of the project. Their expertise provided me with more of an understanding of how we can put together a successful project,” Sabo said.
Sabo added, “The biggest impact was that the architect helped me realize that while a fire station construction project is very complex and at times very political, it is possible when the proper players are involved from the very beginning.”
Chief Greg Flynn of the West Bloomfield, MI, Fire Department brought a rough set of drawings to his 1-on-1 meeting at the 2017 Station Design Conference in Fort Worth, TX. Flynn was impressed with the unbiased review of his fire station plans.
“The session also provided an opportunity for me to explain our design approach to a subject matter expert,” Flynn said. “The 1-on-1 architect had no skin in the game and provided constructive feedback.” The session also provided take-away talking points for his architect in Michigan.
“You get one chance to get your design right in an effort to stay on budget and avoid unnecessary change orders,” he said. “Taking advantage of an independent review of your drawings is a value-add and only available at the Station Design Conference.”
This year, Chief Flynn will be presenting “Case Study: The Road to Station 3” as an end user’s view of the journey from a rough set of drawings and the ups and downs to the station’s opening last year.
Fire Chief Jake Patterson with Clallam 2 Fire Rescue (WA) participated in the 1-on-1 session and 2019 Station Design Conference for the first time.
Patterson’s project was in the very early planning stages. “I have had limited experience with getting the process started on station design and construction,” he said. “I was starting from the very beginning with how to begin the process of design evaluation, site locations and construction timelines."
During the 1-on-1 session, the chief met with a subject matter expert from TCA Architecture + Design, and Patterson was pleased with the attention given to his specific project.
“We are a small fire district with limited resources and the architect I spoke with was very helpful in giving insight into similar-sized projects,” he said. “While I anticipated there would be several large fire agencies represented who go through the design and construction process of fire stations on a regular basis, it was very helpful to have the architect provide examples of smaller projects undertaken across the United States. It was interesting to hear of the challenges faced by small rural departments in their efforts to replace stations."
Patterson was encouraged with learning how to successfully start the process of building a new station. With limited experience in designing stations, his goal for the conference was to get insight on where to even start the project.
Patterson said, “There was a lot of information and having the 1-on-1 was helpful in breaking it down into smaller items, so that the project doesn’t seem too daunting. The ability for the architect to look at my project specifically and lay out a rough step by step process was extremely helpful.”
Based on their experience, the architect offered Patterson suggestions on how to proceed and gave some real-world challenges faced by similar-sized projects where space is not an issue, but the primary constraint is financial.
All three fire chiefs we contacted were pleased with the 1-on-1 session and recommended signing up. Patterson added, “Especially if they are new to the process and have limited experience in designing new fire stations. While the entire conference was great and provided a lot of information, it was very helpful to get professional advice on our specific project.”
This year, the 1-on-1 program is scheduled for the afternoon of Monday, May 11, the day before the Station Design Conference begins on May 12. To participate, register online to reserve a 1-on-1 meeting appointment at the program. The 1-on-1 can be attended by one or more department members; however, your architect is not permitted to attend the program. (Would you take your doctor with you for a second opinion?)
To participate, register for the conference and also the 1-on-1 program. A survey will be emailed to you before the conference and will help the 1-on-1 team understand what stage you are in with your project. You are encouraged to bring questions, notes, plans and other project-related materials to the meeting with the architect.
The day of the 1-on-1 meeting will begin with a brief overview of the schedule and you will receive your assigned meeting time with an architect. Before and after your scheduled meeting, team members will have short presentations on related topics.
The Station Design Conference is filled with a great deal of information, but Chief Sabo said, “Having the opportunity to participate in a 1-on-1 gave me the chance to pull all that information together into a format that was more easily shared with my elected officials.”
Sabo also offered, “Having attended three conferences on my own, my biggest suggestion to any fire chief considering a fire station project is to bring your strongest supporter from your elected officials with you.”
The 2020 Station Design Conference will be held May 11-14, in Rosemont, Ill. Click here for more information
Janet A. Wilmoth | Special Projects Director
Janet Wilmoth grew up in a family of firefighters in a suburb of Chicago. Wilmoth, who is owner of Wilmoth Associates, worked with Fire Chief magazine for 27 years until it closed in 2013. She currently is the project director for Firehouse, overseeing the Station Design Conference.
