This facility received the Career 2 Notable award in the 2024 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
Station #3 replaces the existing station on an adjacent lot to provide fire protection and EMS to west portion of Las Cruces. The 12,250-sq.-ft. station is designed with three apparatus bays and a capacity for as many as 10 firefighters per shift. The design and construction of the new station delivers on the goals that were sought by the department: fast turnout times, supporting mental health and supporting physical health and strength.
Fast turnout times were achieved by placing the bunkrooms and the dayroom in proximity to the apparatus bays and the turnout gear rooms. State-of-the-art, high-speed roll-up doors at the apparatus bay exits allow for very fast response times.
Mental health and well-being were addressed through abundant access to daylight via storefront windows at the dayroom and kitchen, which bring in morning light and views of nature. The orientation to eastern and western sunlight was critical to maintain strong circadian rhythms over long shifts.
Supporting physical health was achieved by providing multiple opportunities for various trainings and employing a decontamination sequence. A large outdoor training yard that’s adjacent to the fitness room and a training tower that’s linked to a large mezzanine as part of the apparatus bays allow for circuit training. The decontamination sequence was laid out with the decon showers and clean laundry acting as a transition from the Hot Zones of the apparatus bays to the Cool Zones of the residential and office areas.
The station is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification and cut energy consumption through use of a photovoltaic system that supports a very energy efficient variable refrigerant flow mechanical system.
Architecture: Dekker Arhictecture in Progress