NFPA 17 are the standards for operations of career fire departments (NFPA 1710) and volunteer departments (1720). Waste water removal and air flow need to be considered when designed.

Laundry areas continue to evolve and are being separated where personal belongings can be cleaned in the living areas where PPE doesn’t enter the living space and is laundered near the apparatus bay. The standard that cover the maintenance and care of firefighter PPE is NFPA 1851 and it requires departments to have separate laundry facilities for contaminated PPE and uniforms and station clothing, towels and bedding. While it should be on the minds of all responders, sometimes simple items such as these can be overlooked. The space, Bettiol said, needs to have ventilation to remove particulates from the area and needs to be away from the living area.īettiol reminded attendees about standard 9.1.3.5, which requires the installation of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout the facility. The storage of PPE needs to be done in areas away from the sun, and with little fluorescent lighting. Designs can include common spaces for crews to talk and debrief, comfortable seating and areas to watch television or read are common practices. If hands-on training areas are built into the station's layout, considerations need to include decontamination of equipment and gear used before members return it to service or re-enter the living spaces.Īllowing firefighters to unwind and communicate in the station can help lower stress levels. Training areas allow crews to learn about the latest safety and health programs, so ample space that provides a functional learning space is part of this standard. Indoor and outdoor fitness areas have been used when space is limited, but they need to have easy access to the apparatus bays. Since departments are required to have to have fitness programs, many department opt for a physical fitness space.ĭesigns need to include safety features, such as windows to the workout area to assure firefighters are safe. NFPA 1500 is the Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program and it impacts fire station design in areas including cancer prevention, firefighter fitness and creating spaces where firefighters can unwind from the stresses of the job.Ĭancer is a hot topic that doesn't just focus on the fireground, but involves aspects of fire station design and use.īettiol said new fire stations include airlocks-the areas between the living space and apparatus bay-where positive-pressure airflow or an air curtain can help remove contaminants in the bays from living spaces.Ĭardiac events continue to be the leading cause of firefighter deaths and efforts are being made to reduce the strain on the heart during nighttime emergencies. “One of the things we came to understand in fire station design is that we can help them achieve these goals when we look at the standards and requirements when we begin to design the station,” Bettiol said. Jennifer Bettiol and Ray Holliday, from BRW Architects, discussed how NFPA standards 1500, 1710, 17 are critical to the layout and construction of new fire stations to keep firefighters healthy when they are not responding to calls. If you want to help us update this department with photos or information, contact us here.When first responders think about NFPA standards, it’s often focused on fireground operations or safety and apparatus policies, but two architects are focused on the NFPA standards that need to be implemented into fire station design. Pine Valley & Rural Fire Protection District merged into the district in 2015. San Diego County Fire Authority took over fire service from the San Pasqual Fire Department in 2014.

Navy to allow the region to request up to 30 additional aircraft. San Diego County Fire Authority is in partnership with CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), and also goes by CAL FIRE / San Diego Fire Authority, with 15 county fire stations, 32 Cal Fire stations, 3 county fire helicopters, 2 Cal Fire Air Tankers, and county agreements with U.S. San Diego County Fire Authority (SDCFA), established in 2008 and located in San Diego County (California) including the areas of Boulevard, Campo, Cuyamaca, Deerhorn, Deer Springs, De Luz, Descanso, Dulzura, Flinn Springs, Harbison Canyon, Intermountain, Jacumba, Jamul, Lake Morena, Lyons Valley, Miller, Monte Vista, Mount Laguna, Mount Woodson, Ocotillo Wells, Oyay, Palomar Mountain, Pine Valley, Potrero, Ramona, Ranchita, Red Mountain, Rincon, Shelter Valley, Sunshine Summit, Valley Center, Warner Springs & Witch Creek.