2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide
FireStation
byEricG.Mion
Lewis&ZimmermanAssociates,Inc.
Lastupdated:06012009

Overview
Afirestationsupportstheneedsofthefiredepartmentandthecommunityinwhichitislocated.Itmust
accommodateextremelydiversefunctions,includinghousing,recreation,administration,training,
communityeducation,equipmentandvehiclestorage,equipmentandvehiclemaintenance,and
hazardousmaterialsstorage.Whileitisusuallyonlyoccupiedbytrainedpersonnel,thefacilitymayalso
needtoaccommodatethegeneralpublicforcommunityeducationoroutreachprograms.
Firestationswillvarysomewhatindesigndependingonspecificmission,i.e.,thetypesofemergencies
thatwillberespondedtoorthetypesoffiresthatwillbefought.Usually,thefacilitydifferencesrelateto
thesizeofthefirefightingapparatusandfacilitylocation.Thelocationofthefacilityislargelydrivenby
theneedtominimizeresponsetime.Forexample,aircraftrescuefirefighting(ARFF)stationsprovide
fireprotectiontoflightlinesandaircraftandarelocatedadjacenttotherunwaysonairportproperty.
Similarly,stationswithhazardouswasteresponseteamsarelocatednearlikelyspillsites,etc.

BuildingAttributes
A.SpaceTypesandBuildingOrganization
Majorfirestationfunctionalareasincludethefollowing:
Apparatusbay(s):Thisiswherethefirefightingandemergencyresponsevehiclesarestored.
Apparatusbaysupportandvehiclemaintenance:Theseindustrialspacesarewherethevehiclesand
otherfirefightingequipmentarecleaned,maintained,andstored.
Administrativeandtrainingareas:Theseincludeoffices,dispatchfacilities,andtrainingand
conferencerooms.
Residentialareas:Theseincludethedormrooms,dayroom/kitchen,andresidentialsupportareas
suchasbathroomsandfitnessspaces.
Thetwoprimarydriversforfacilitylayoutandfunctionalspaceadjacenciesinafirestationarethe
https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

1/6

2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

following:
1.Ensurethatinternalresponsetimescanbemet(timeforafirefightertoreachtheapparatusandbe
readytodepart).
2.Separatethediverseandsometimesconflictingfunctionssuchasindustrialmaintenancespacesand
residentialspaces.

Sampleadjacencydiagramforafirestation.
DevelopedbyDMJMDesign,Arlington,VA
ApparatusBays
Byplacingtheapparatusbaybetweenthemaintenanceandsupportfunctionsandtheresidentialand
administrativefunctions,bothprimarylayoutgoalscanbeaccomplished.Someoftheadjacencies
shownabovemaybeaccommodatedthroughahallwayratherthanadirectentrance/exitfromone
spacetoanother.Thisisparticularlytruewiththeapparatusbayandthedayroomasmanyfacility
spacesrequireanadjacencywiththesetwospaces.
Thisapproachtothelayoutcanalsoaccommodateexpansionoftheapparatusbayontheothersideof
thesupportandmaintenanceareas,althoughcaremustbetakentoensurethatinternalresponsetimes
canbemetafteranyexpansion.
Sizingtheapparatusbayiscritical,anditshouldbedesignedtoaccommodatevariablevehiclesizes.
Typically,theentireroomissizedbasedonthebaysizeforthelargestvehicleinthefleetorthelargest
anticipatedvehicle.Baysalsoincludevehicleexhaustremovalsystems,compressedairandpowerdrop
lines,andhotandcoldwaterconnections.Baydoorsmustalsoaccommodatethelargestvehicleand
includeamanualmeanstoopenincaseofpowerfailure.Ideally,thesitewillaccommodatedrive
throughbays.
https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

2/6

2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

Samplefunctionallayoutforafirestation.
DevelopedbyDMJMDesign,Arlington,VA
ApparatusBaySupportandVehicleMaintenance
Apparatusbaysupportfunctionsincludecleaningandmaintenanceareasforthefirefighter'sself
containedbreathingapparatus(SCBA),protectiveclothing,fireextinguishers,andotherequipment.It
alsoincludesstorageareasforfirefightinggearandequipmentandsecurestorageformedicalsupplies.
Someoftheseareasarespecializedspacesfordisinfectingprotectiveequipmentandformaintaining
andrechargingtheSCBAinacleanenvironment.SeealsoLightIndustrialspacetype.
Agentstorageistypicallyprovidedinasinglestorystructureseparatefromthefirestationbuilding.It
shouldbelocatedalongthedriveleadingintotheApparatusBayforeaseofloadingandunloadingof
firefightingagents.Insomecases,itmaybeattachedtothemainstructure.
Avehiclemaintenancebaymayalsobeincludedinafirestation.Itisadedicatedmaintenanceareafor
thefirefightingapparatusandincludesaheavydutyliftandallutilityconnectionsrequiredforlarge
vehiclemaintenance.
AdministrativeandTrainingAreas
Administrativeareasincludestandardofficesandconferenceandtrainingrooms.Theareawillalso
likelyincludeadditionalspecializedspacessuchasthechief'sofficewithsleepingandshowerfacilities
andcomputertraining/testingfacilitiesforfirefightercontinuingeducation.Somestationsmayincludea
highlyspecializeddispatchroomforreceivingemergencycallsfromthepublic.
ResidentialAreas
https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

3/6

2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

Sampledayroomlayoutforafirestation.
DevelopedbyDMJMDesign,Arlington,VA
Thedayroomaccommodateskitchen,dining,andliving/recreationfunctions.Itisoftenseparatedinto
subspacesforthosethreefunctions,butanopendesignmayalsobeeffectivetoencourageinteraction
betweenthespaces.Thediningspacemayalsodoubleastrainingormeetingspaceandmightinclude
provisionsforaudiovisualequipment.
Dormroomdesigncanvarywidelyfromstationtostationanddepartmenttodepartment.Each
firefighterisprovidedwithaplacetosleep,work,andstorepersonalitems.Carefulconsiderationshould
begiventothelocationanddesignoftheareatoensureresponsetimescanbemet.SeeEmerging
Issuesbelowformoreinformationondormrooms.
Otherresidentialareasincludealaundryroom,aphysicalfitnessroom,bathroomsandshowers,and
possibleadditionalrecreationspacessuchasanoutdoorpatioandgameroom.

B.DesignConsiderations
Keydesigngoalsandconsiderationsforfirestationsincludethefollowing:
PromoteOccupantQualityofLife
Firestationsareoccupied24hoursaday,sevendaysaweekbypersonnelincontinuous24hourshifts.
Therefore,ensuringacomfortablelivingenvironmentforthefirefightersisparamount:
https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

4/6

2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

Provideamplenaturallight.
Provideindividualdormrooms,ifbudgetallows.
Provideamplerecreationareasandseparatenoisyareas(suchasagameroom)fromquieterareas
(suchasatelevisionroom).
Avoidinstitutionalandunnaturalfinishes,textures,andcolors.
MaintainaSafeandHealthyEnvironment
Asabove,duetothecontinuousoccupationofthefacilitybyfirefightersandthepresenceofhazardous
materials,specialattentionmustbegiventodesigningthefacilitytoaccommodateequipmentand
operationalstrategiestobothprotecttheoccupantsandmaintainahealthyenvironment.Considerthe
followingcriticalelements:
Provideasecurefacilityforbothpersonnelandmaterialssuchascontrolledmedicalsuppliesand
hazardousfiresuppressionagents.
Usenontoxicbuildingmaterialsandimprovedmaintenancepractices.
Ensuregoodindoorairqualityandabundantnaturallightintheresidentialandadministrativeareas.
Ensuregoodventilationofindustrialareassuchastheapparatusbayandpreventcontaminationof
cleanspacessuchastheSCBAmaintenanceareas.
Ensurethatequipment,furnishings,andfinishesdonotcontainasbestosorlead.
EnsureFlexibility
Asfirefightingtechnologyevolves,firestationsneedtoevolveaswell.Considerthefollowingareas:
Planforpotentialexpansion,bothintheapparatusbayareaandtheresidentialareas.

EmergingIssues
Oneemergingissueinfirestationdesignistheadditionalattentiongiventofirefighterqualityoflife.As
notedaboveindesignconsiderations,onewaytopromotequalityoflifeistoprovideseparatedorm
roomsforeachfirefighter.Typically,eachroomissharedbetweenfirefightersofdifferentcrews/shiftsso
thattheroomisneveroccupiedsimultaneously.Individuallockersareprovidedforeachfirefighter.A
bed,nightstand,anddeskareshared.
Somedepartmentsaretakingthisonestepfurtherandprovidingseparatebedsforeachfirefighter.
Wallbeds,alsoknownas"Murphybeds,"arealsobecomingacommonalternative.Thesecombinethe
qualitiesofanindividualbedwithaddedspacesavings.

https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

5/6

2/15/2016

FireStation|WholeBuildingDesignGuide

Threesampledormroomlayoutsforafirestation.
DevelopedbyDMJMDesign,Arlington,VA

RelevantCodesandStandards
Standardfederalandstatebuildingcodesapply,asappropriate.Therearealsonumerouscodesand
standardsthatapplytothestaffingandoperationofafire/rescuedepartmentkeystandardsincludethe
following:
AirportRescueandFirefightingStationBuildingDesignAdvisoryCircular150/521015,byU.S.
DepartmentofTransportation,FederalAviationAdministration(FAA).1987.
FireSuppressionRatingSchedule(FSRS),byInsuranceServicesOffice,Inc.(ISO).
NFPA403:StandardforAircraftRescueandFireFightingServicesatAirports,byNationalFire
ProtectionAssociation(NFPA).2003.
NFPA1500:FireDepartmentOccupationalSafetyandHealthProgram,byNFPA.2002.
NFPA1581:FireDepartmentInfectionControlProgram,byNFPA.2005.
NFPA1710:StandardfortheOrganizationandDeploymentofFireSuppressionOperations,
EmergencyMedicalOperations,andSpecialOperationstothePublicbyCareerFireDepartments,by
NFPA.2004.
NFPA1720:StandardfortheOrganizationandDeploymentofFireSuppressionOperations,
EmergencyMedicalOperations,andSpecialOperationstothePublicbyVolunteerFireDepartments,
byNFPA.2004.

https://www.wbdg.org/design/firestation.php

6/6