Three New Programs Added to Station Design Conference

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, has said, “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.”

I believe him. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find a common interest, but those who attend the 2022 Station Design Conference have a head start with a common interest. The qualified (fire, law enforcement, public safety directors) attendees you meet at the conference are in the process of planning, designing, or building a public safety building. The exhibitors you meet, are specialized in providing services or products for fire, law enforcement, and public safety departments and agencies.

We believe in the many benefits of networking and meeting others with similar goals. In fact, breakfasts, lunches, and coffee breaks are held in the Exhibits area. The Welcome Reception is on Tuesday, after the presentations, and within the Exhibit Hall. Sharing solutions and questions are helpful and why we locate exhibits and meals in the same location.

Since 2014, the Firehouse Station Design Conference has helped introduce the trends and innovations to support the increased responsibilities of the fire service, rescue, and emergency medical services their needs in their fire stations. We offer knowledgeable presenters who are willing to share their experiences.

We believe within the span of the presentations this year, the conference will cover the needs of those building their first fire station and those with multiple experiences in public safety facilities to keep firefighters, EMS, and others safe and healthy.

Here are some of the most recent additions to the Station Design Conference in May:

• The conference program has increased and now includes 62 programs and 63 speakers among four tracks: two for fire/rescue, one for law enforcement, and a new track for shared facilities, EMS, and EOCs. Attendees can attend any session across the four tracks as it fits their needs.
• In response to requests for more case studies and lessons learned, among the presenters, are several fire chiefs, assistant fire chiefs, emergency managers, city managers, EMS directors, and a capital projects director. Each has individual has stories to share with problems to avoid.
• A good, basic program added this year is How to Read a Blueprint presented by Brett Hanson, AIA, and Jeff Humphreys, principal, MACKENZIE. More than reading a blueprint, this presentation will also focus on what are the different project documents, including basic views/drawing types, legends, and how to get clarification or make changes during construction.
• Maintenance in a new facility is not often considered during construction. CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department’s Matthew Murawski, fire facilities manager, will present Fire Interfacing with Facilities. Based on the sheer size and volume of CAL/FIRE departments’ maintenance, Murawski shares how department leadership can interface with facilities’ personnel to request maintenance, as well as requirements for maintaining the facilities within the county system. This presentation is applicable to all-size departments to learn how to improve maintenance tracking and learn efficient maintenance methods. 
• The fast-changing world of security requires more diverse and specialized products for both new and existing public safety facilities. In Police and Fire Station Physical Protective Design Strategies, Robert Miller, PSP, CDT, Imperial Professional Consulting’s program. Multiple layers of protection including climb resistance, vehicle crash resistance, and force entry protection are critical. Learn how to identify physical security problems and some strategies in designing your facilities to be safer for department personnel. Miller will also provide an update on the prevalent ASTM standards impacting perimeter security. And he promised to share three steps to incorporate immediately to mitigate security occurrences without spending anything.

Our goal for the Station Design Conference is to be a “win-win” for every attendee. So, as Bill Nye would agree, there will be much to learn from other attendees and exhibitors at the conference in May. I promise.

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