The 11th annual Station Design Conference, which will take place on May 19–22, 2025, at the Renaissance Hotel in Glendale, AZ, will provide 58 presentations from more than 65 speakers who are experienced in fire stations and public safety facilities as well as law enforcement properties. More than 115 exhibitors that specialize in services and products for fire and public safety departments will showcase their wares to help you to create the best fire station, headquarters or training center for your department and community.
The future is now
The National Fire Department Registry comprises 52,314 fire stations that are managed by approximately 1.2 million career, volunteer and civilian personnel.
Security InfoWatch magazine recently reported that approximately 43 percent of fire stations in the United States were constructed at least 40 years ago and are in urgent need of renovations. These facilities often lack the latest equipment, technology and infrastructure to serve their community effectively.
Ongoing research continues to show increasing numbers of firefighter cancers, not only in active personnel but also in retirees. Is turnout gear still in your apparatus bay? Is gear decontaminated on return from a fire? Does your station have showers for the firefighters who return from a fire?
Does your station have dorms for sleeping? In addition to matters of diversity, the mental and physical well-being of members has prompted changes in the design of station sleeping areas, including single and double sleeping rooms.
Are innovations in technology and station security updated at your station?
These are just some of the questions that departments must consider about their facilities and their department’s future.
The past 15 years have brought significant changes to departments and stations. Station Design Conference’s focus is on educating those who are responsible for designing, building and renovating stations for the future—and the future is now.
Access to architects
The always-popular 1-on-One pre-conference program will be held on May 19 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. It again will offer attendees the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with an architect who specializes in public safety facilities to get an objective second opinion on project plans. The program is restricted to fire and law enforcement departments, and preregistration and a nominal fee are required.
On the same day, from 1 p.m.–4 p.m., six pre-conferences will be open to all registered attendees and visitors. Among the topics that will be covered are storm shelters in public safety buildings, temporary quarters during renovation and gender-inclusive fire stations.
The main event
The 2025 Station Design Conference, which runs from May 20–22, features four tracks of presentations, and attendees can select from any track to attend.
Track One is designed to assist those who are beginning the process of a new station. Among 12 programs are presentations that cover the steps to developing a station program for an effective design, ways to identify and overcomie site plans, and the ins and outs of deployment models.
Selection of a design team that’s best suited to a department’s particular needs is a critical step in construction of a successful fire station or facility. “Mastering the RFQ/RFP: A Guide to Choosing the Right Team for Your Project”will explain how to develop an effective request for qualifications (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) to attract the best-qualified teams, facilitate a fair evaluation process and set the foundation for successful project delivery with a department’s unique project goals.
In-process projects
Track Two will offer programs for returning conference attendees and those who are further along in the design process of a facility. This level will include programs on building support and addressing costs and on fire station legal liabilities as well as a case study on building multiple stations simultaneously.
The upcoming 2026 edition of NFPA 1400: Standard on Fire Service Training will combine and update NFPA’s existing standards (1402, 1403, 1404, 1407, 1408, 1410 and 1451). “How the New NFPA 1400 Standard on Fire Service Training Impacts Training Facilities and Training Operations” will review the changes and how the new standard will address substandard training structures and props, to improve safety for training participants.
“Preparing for the EV Era: Infrastructure and Design Requirements for Electric Fire Engines and Fleet Vehicles” will provide insights into the infrastructure and facility upgrades that are necessary to support electric vehicles (EVs), including charging stations, electrical capacity and maintenance requirements. Attendees will take away knowledge to prepare realistic budgets and manage operational effects and to set clear expectations to plan for the EV future.
Non-fire station design
Track Three of the conference will focus on law enforcement facilities, and Track Four will provide sessions that are related to public safety facilities. The latter will include an update about designing mission-critical communications with broadband. It will be presented by the FirstNet Responder Network Authority and a retired deputy fire chief/architect and include the importance of proper radio frequency engineering and specific components and subsystems.
Funding issues can be daunting, yet grants, bonds and referendums are critical to new public safety facilities. “Funding Your Future with FEMA Preparedness Grants” will provide insights on funding to support, outfit, renovate or build a new public safety building. These will include an overview of federal homeland security/emergency management-related grant programs, including the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) program, with a breakdown of the stages of a grant cycle and allowable expenses.
The latest trend for public safety facilities is the incorporation of art. “Putting Art into Service: Successfully Integrating Public Art into a Public Safety Facility Project” will cover the whys and hows for amplifying a public safety organization’s connection to the community that it serves via a piece of art.
Multifaceted scope
The 2025 Station Design Conference will offer attendees the opportunity to start or continue their research for the best, most effective station, headquarters or other facility based on the latest trends and innovations. It will provide access to experts in public safety design and suppliers of components, materials and equipment that are key to optimal results. Last, but not least, is the opportunity to network with peers from across North America.
The conference committee’s diligent work is unsurpassed and promises an experience that’s certain to satisfy.
Janet A. Wilmoth | Special Projects Director
Janet Wilmoth grew up in a family of firefighters in a suburb of Chicago. Wilmoth, who is owner of Wilmoth Associates, worked with Fire Chief magazine for 27 years until it closed in 2013. She currently is the project director for Firehouse, overseeing the Station Design Conference.
