In Quarters: Indio, CA, Public Safety Campus Fire Station 86
This facility received the Career 2 Notable award in the 2024 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
Fire Station 86, which is located in the Coachella Valley city of Indio, was built originally in 1974 to house the chief of the department and two firefighters. Although efficient for its time, the station was outgrown because of growth in population that demands more personnel and resources for response. Today, a staff of 10 firefighters per day responds to calls on three apparatus that are housed in the new bay that’s complete with bi-fold doors (to decrease potential for door collisions) as well as a Plymovent system to capture engine exhaust, to reduce carcinogenic exposure.
The look of the new station is mid-century modern, designed for a 50-year service life with space for future staffing and expansions. A commercial kitchen that has industrial-grade appliances provides ample cooking and dining space for the entire crew. The semiprivate and individual bedrooms have sound-deadening insulation to provide space for quiet down time.
The variant refrigerator flow heating and cooling system allows for individualized setting of environmental controls in each space of the facility.
The station uses design elements to eliminate 90 percent of direct sun light, to reduce solar heat gain, which is a necessity in the desert, where temperatures reach more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months. The use of electrochromic glazing allows for the adjustment of the tinting of the windows automatically to minimize direct sunlight while allowing natural light, eliminating glare and further enabling the station to stay cool in the harsh climate.
A fully equipped, 468-sq.-ft. gym that connects to a 400-sq.-ft. outdoor fitness area enables the members of the crews to work out in-house, which ensures that they remain ready for emergency responses.
An additional 2,000 sq. ft. of space was dedicated to a soon-to-be-built training tower, to allow crews from throughout the battalion to train together.
The end result of the design and construction of Fire Station 86: a gem of the desert.
Architect: Holt Architecture