Station Design Conference: Indispensable

Designing a public safety project can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to overwhelm you.”

Wise words from the keynote speaker at the 2022 Station Design Conference.

“Overwhelm” is notable. Planning a new station typically begins with a wish list of needs, wants and goals and, often, sketches on paper. Quickly, the plans and documents can fill a thick notebook. There also are proposals from architectural firms, construction companies and consultants.

The Station Design Conference was created to help to educate fire chiefs and project managers on the process of building a new station. The 2023 Conference—the ninth since its inception—offers more than 60 presentations by fire chiefs, project managers and architects. Sponsors and exhibitors will explain how their products/services contribute to public safety facilities.

The core of design knowledge

The 2023 Conference’s programs are suited to all fire, law enforcement and combined agency facilities and to every level of experience. The ability for attendees to tailor their time at the event to their department’s needs never was so expansive.

For example, the down-to-earth information that will be provided during “Inexperience Is No Excuse” will counter misconceptions and educate in regard to architects and contractors, to help to save time and money and to minimize frustration.

Then, in regard to department operations, “Response Times and Deployment Methods” will review various planning strategies for career and volunteer departments, with a heavy focus on turnout times and on the mitigation of exposure risk.

“Designing FD Facilities for Functionality, Maintenance and Low Operating Costs” will delve deep into crucial considerations during the design phase. This will include the pros and cons of design solutions for fixtures, finishes and building aesthetics.

Taking the topic further, “4-1-1 on Materials” returns to once more provide the opportunity to touch and feel some of the latest building materials, on the way toward learning the positives and negatives of the items.

Standards & commissions

Security continues to be a high priority for all public-safety facilities. “How Physical Security Products Can Support FEMA Preparedness Grant Funding” teaches how to classify perimeter security products for submission for a FEMA preparedness grant. Coverage also recaps and updates the associated ASTM standards.

Fire service training centers are the subject of “How is NFPA Incorporated into a Fire Station Design?” NFPA 1402: Standard on Facilities for Fire Training and Associated Props provides guidance regarding the main components for effective, efficient and safe firefighter training. That said, for every rule and regulation, there’s a story of why it was adopted. Knowing the history of NFPA 1402 helps departments to fulfill the intent of the standard.

Often, just as station plans and the project team begin to move forward, zoning codes rear their ugly head. “Getting into the Zone: Architectural Review Boards, Planning Commissions and Zoning Appeals, Oh My!” can help to prevent surprises by explaining how zoning codes are written. Strategies on how to garner public support also will be covered.

Case studies

Opportunities to learn by example always are popular at the Station Design Conference, so the number of case studies of fire station projects was increased for 2023 compared with 2022. Fire chiefs and architects won’t be shy about pointing out what went wrong.

“Benefits from the Use of a Prototype Fire Station Plan” will cover intricacies of the prototype process and benefits to crew shifts.

Seven years after its introduction, the Hot/Warm/Cold Zone concept has evolved and now is a major priority in new fire station designs. “Health, Safety and Wellness by Design” will share the fire department’s and the architect’s views on how best to work together to prioritize and achieve key goals.

For those who aren’t certain whether building a new station is the right way to go, “How to Determine Whether to Renovate or Build New” can help to answer questions. Learn how to visualize when a building is a “diamond in the rough” and when it isn’t.

Upcoming & imminent

“Fire Station of the Future” will declare that the future of the fire service isn’t around the corner but that it’s here and now. Net-zero buildings and unmanned systems must be considered in every new fire and shared facility. New terminology in designs will include biometrics, technology-heavy systems and climate-change regulations. What effect will electric apparatus have on bay design, ventilation and clearances?

Come one, come several

No matter which stage of station or facility development you face, the Station Design Conference always packs a lot of information—this year more so than ever. This is why discounts for multiple attendees from one department are offered. Attend yourself? Obviously. Bring other team members? The more boots on the ground, the more indispensable information to glean.