In Quarters: Salem, UT, Fire and EMS Station 151

This facility received the Combination Silver award in the 2025 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

The design of Station 151 prioritizes the health and wellness of firefighters and EMS personnel through an approach that combines strategic planning, thoughtful materials and day-to-day comfort considerations.

Individual sleeping quarters reduce noise and support proper rest cycles. The kitchen, fitness area and dayroom are organized for easy socialization and decompression. A variable air volume HVAC system ensures zoned climate control throughout the building, to support individualized comfort in active and rest areas. Views toward the Wasatch Front and two private interior courtyards provide biophilic benefits. The timber truss structure and natural materials bring warmth and calm to the interior environment.

A Hot/Warm/Cold Zone strategy underpins the spatial organization, to support NFPA-compliant decontamination processes and minimize cross-contamination risks. The apparatus bay includes gear wash and turnout storage zones.

One of the Station Design Awards judges deemed the facility’s alignment with health, wellness and safety the strongest aspects of the design.

Clear visibility throughout Station 151, in combination with secure access zones, contributes to crew safety and operational efficiency.

Large overhangs, high-performance glazing and a tight building envelope mitigate solar gain.

Not only is the heavy timber structure a regional design nod, but it’s a renewable material choice that has low embodied carbon.

Station 151 exemplifies regionally inspired civic architecture. The glulam-king post truss system showcases local craftsmanship and celebrates timber construction, to honor the culture of the surrounding area. Brick detailing in decorative soldier coursing and a modified Flemish bond introduce rich textures and shifting shadows that animate the façade throughout the day. “Materials are splendid,” one Station Design Awards judge  remarked.

The station’s integrated technology includes individualized alerting systems to support rapid response while minimizing sleep disruption. Administrative and training areas are tech-ready, supporting virtual training, remote meetings and digital incident tracking.

The firehouse was designed with the future in mind. Although currently operating as a combination department, the layout and support spaces accommodate the planned transition to a fully staffed, full-time department (e.g., modifiable sleeping quarter arrangements, flexible offices and expandable storage zones).

The training room, which provides views of the Wasatch Front, doubles as a community space, embracing the needs of a volunteer department while allowing room for in-house training and shared emergency simulations.

The five apparatus bays support both fire and EMS services with safe, direct access to major response corridors. Secure back-of-house circulation ensures smooth vehicle transitions and reduces conflicts between public and emergency traffic. Site design emphasizes clear sightlines, efficient turn radii and safe pedestrian routes throughout.

Located near key city routes, the building maintains a civic presence while buffering operational zones from public areas. Landscape design enhances visual identity while supporting public wayfinding and access.

Station 151 is a testament to thoughtful, future-ready civic design, supporting today’s hybrid staffing model while preparing for tomorrow’s full-time operation.

Architect: ajc architects