Although it can be a difficult proposition, it's a given that the number and location of fire-rescue stations in a community must be re-evaluated periodically, as new development and a changing population will produce corresponding changes in the face of a community.

The number of stations a department will require to accomplish its primary mission is a balance between the cost of the facilities and associated maintenance on one hand, and the need for additional stations on the other.

For example, if a station were located near the most fire hazardous sections of a community, such as a heavily populated area of multiple-occupancy or wood-frame structures, then station relocation might be inappropriate.

Station relocation would be more reasonable if the facility were located in a rural area that was a considerable distance from the normal population flow and from urban housing and development. This was the situation that the City of Gastonia found itself facing in the late '90s.

Statistical justification

While 1994-1998 response data confirmed an average first-due response time for all emergency incidents of 4.08 minutes, further analysis of the data showed that these companies were able to arrive on scene in under five minutes on only 80% of all incidents.

The problem was becoming more acute in developing areas to the south and west of the city. For example, during 1998 Station 7 on the south end of town had an average first-due response time of 4.46 minutes, the highest in the city. Absorption of additional geographic areas into Gastonia from future annexations would serve only to underscore the problem, eventually increasing response times and delaying service.

To maintain acceptable emergency response times as well as plan for future growth, the fire department administration and city staff worked together to develop a fire station distribution plan. Using the 1H-mile first-due response distance (or 4-minute response time) recommended by ISO as a guide, it quickly became obvious that some of the older stations located in the city's inner core were too close to each other, while stations in areas to the west and south were spaced too far apart.

Based on this information, the fire department administration's relocation strategy recommended that the city's three oldest stations be replaced and relocated to improve overall response time for an expanding community. In addition to the relocations, a new station was recommended to ensure adequate response times and service levels for a recently annexed area in the western end of the city.

The team gets to work

Using these studies, the fire department's strategic planning documents were incorporated into the city's capital improvement program in 1998. Over the next two years, the city acquired the property needed to construct the new stations in the selected areas.

However, the fire department administration was now faced with a formidable task. Three existing stations, including the department's headquarters station, would have to be replaced and relocated, and one additional station would have to be constructed.

While all of the property had been acquired, the organization would now have to decide on the types of facilities that would be required. To make this determination, the fire chief formed a fire station design task group in September 1999. This working group was assigned the goal of assessing the department's future facility needs and developing an overall organizational philosophy that would guide station design and construction.

The task group members who undertook this project were an eclectic team of individuals possessing the skills and knowledge common to many fire departments in the nation. Their number included top staff officers, firefighters and company officers, as well as members of the city's planning and engineering departments.

Like most fire departments, many on the task group worked at other professions and trades during their off-duty hours. The diversity of knowledge came from custom builders, carpenters, electricians, painters, tile masons, computer specialists, landscaping experts and even an architect. The department's life-safety educator, formerly an interior designer, also provided insight that would prove to be invaluable when designing the stations' interiors.

Laundry list

One element the task group had to consider is that fire stations often provide space for other community functions such as polling places for elections, temporary shelter in times of disaster or meeting places for community groups. As a result, the group realized that considerable thought and planning would have to be invested to ensure that the needs of both the fire department and the community were addressed.

Another vision shared by all team members was that, regardless of what they decided to build, the stations needed to be able to support full-service delivery for many decades to come. Like some other departments, Gastonia had been victimized in the past by a lack of vision and forethought for previous stations. Stations had been constructed that were too small for modern apparatus, too cramped to add additional companies, or land-locked and unable to expand existing quarters.

To prevent this, the team developed a set of guiding principles for what the end product should be.

• Stations would be as maintenance-free as possible.
• At least three acres of property would be acquired for each station.
• All stations would be equipped with complete sprinkler system protection.
• The stations would be aesthetically pleasing and fit in with their neighboring communities.
• Each station would include adequate space for both training and community meetings.
• All stations would have adequate storage for everything from office supplies to apparatus and equipment.
• Each station would have adequate office, berthing and apparatus floor space to house two full companies, plus a chief and/or EMS unit.
• Each station would have adequate parking for two full shifts and visitors.
• Each station would be equipped with the proper amenities to provide a comfortable setting for a diverse group of firefighters.

Architects enter the picture

Once the task group had developed the overall station design philosophy and its accompanying guiding principles, the department hired Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects to create the final design and construction documents and oversee the project. This firm was well-experienced in the development of fire station design, having completed work on more than 75 previous fire service facilities.

The goal of using maintenance-free materials prompted buildings of masonry construction surrounded by landscaped areas with a minimum of grass to cut. Ground cover and the abundant use of trees would replace vast expanses of open lawn. Parking areas, ramps and lots were to be paved with concrete, which is more expensive initially but lasts much longer than asphalt and requires less long-term maintenance. All windows and doors were to be of metal construction, generally aluminum, that wouldn't require painting.

The apparatus room for each of the three satellite stations was designed to be a two-bay drive-through plus one half-length bay, or three bays in front and two in the rear. Each drive-through bay was designed to be 80 feet in length to house either a quint or two modern pumping apparatus back to back with ease. The area behind the half-length bay contained workshops, utility and storage areas, as well as a personnel decontamination area and washing machines for protective clothing. A large second-floor mezzanine area was incorporated over the workshops and storage rooms. In addition, each apparatus room contained permanent metal storage cubicles for protective clothing.

Internally, each station was provided with 10 individual dorm rooms to house two full fire companies and a chief officer. In addition, extra offices were provided at all buildings to support and house EMS units. While the Gastonia Fire Department currently provides only first-responder medical care, EMS units in the stations could be a reality in the future.

Each facility includes a separate room for physical fitness, as well as a library where members can study. All stations have a combination training and community meeting room, complete with both inside and outside entrances. These rooms can seat 30 people and were an immediate hit with local community watch and civic groups.

Funding and construction

The city manager prepared a bond issue capable of generating more than $8 million to pay for the stations. In May 2000 the project received formal approval from the Gastonia City Council, which voted to authorize a bond package that would allow all four stations to be built simultaneously, provide for minor renovations at other stations, and allow for the purchase of apparatus for the new station.

In developing the strategy for the bidding process, city and fire department administration and financial personnel decided to offer the project in two separate packages: one bid for the three satellite stations, and another bid for the headquarters station.

The three satellite stations were identical, allowing considerable savings to be realized through planning and site specifications. The headquarters station, on the other hand, was a unique structure that would be more than twice as large as the satellites. It was hoped that the difference in design and the fact that the second bid was for only one structure might attract more bidders than the satellite stations, producing savings in the final bid.

During late 2000 and early 2001, the task group and architect continued work on the development of construction documents for the three satellite stations, and by March 2001 the project was ready to go out for bid. With the acceptance of the successful bid by city council, the task group and the architect began to work with the general contractor on the development of a construction schedule. A member of the task group became a liaison for the fire department, city engineers and planners, the architect, and the general contractor.

Actual construction on the satellite stations began in late June 2001, and the first of the three stations, Station #8, was completed in May 2002, nearly $60,000 under budget. This completion was followed closely by Station #3 in July and Station #4 in August. Bids for the headquarters station were sent out in September 2001, and the project was awarded in November. Construction on this station is scheduled to be completed this December.

Dedicated to the community

No new fire station construction project would be complete without an official dedication ceremony, and Station #8's Community Dedication Day was set for May 12, a Sunday afternoon.

During planning for the opening of the new stations, task group members felt that the communities around each new station should share in the dedication. With that in mind, a community open house was held in conjunction with the dedication ceremony for each station.

To prepare for Station #8's official opening, department personnel prepared and distributed handout material and door hangers to all homes and business establishments within the new station's response area. In addition, press releases and announcements for the event were widely distributed through the media.

The actual event was well attended by virtually everyone: both on- and off-duty department personnel, other city employees, other area firefighters, elected officials and, most importantly, many members of the community. To see the pride exhibited by department members and citizens alike that afternoon made all of the efforts involved in this large undertaking worthwhile.

Completion of the Gastonia Fire Department's fire station redistribution plan and accompanying improved response times has ensured that the city is properly protected for the foreseeable future. Of course, future growth and additional annexations could produce a corresponding need to construct, equip and staff additional fire-rescue stations over the next five to 10 years.

To stay abreast of future growth, fire department administration will need to maintain a close working relationship with city planning and engineering staff, and plan for expansion of services accordingly. For example, the existing fire department strategic plan notes how areas to the south of the city are developing rapidly, and more growth is projected. While these areas are currently on the edge of city boundaries, future annexations could drive the need to construct and/or relocate other stations to maintain acceptable response times.

---

Robert L. Ridgeway has served as chief for the Gastonia Fire Department since 1996. A 40-year veteran of the fire service, he has served as chief of three different departments during his career. Nationally, he serves as a commissioner for the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, on several IAFC committees, and as a principal member of the NFPA 1021 committee. He holds a bachelor's degree in fire science management and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. In 2001, he attended the John F. Kennedy School's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University.

Gastonia facts and figures

The City of Gastonia is located in the Piedmont section of North Carolina, 13 miles west of Charlotte and bordering South Carolina. Originally founded as a Southern textile mill town in the 1870s, the city has grown to nearly 70,000 inhabitants with a greatly expanded commercial and residential base. Continued growth in the Charlotte region is helping to drive development in Gastonia, as the city has grown significantly over the past 10 years. In addition to increasing population, Gastonia's borders have expanded through annexations by over 40% to encompass nearly 50 square miles.

To meet the demands for service imposed by a growing community, the Gastonia Fire Department provides a full range of preventive and emergency services including: fire prevention and education, arson investigation, fire suppression, emergency medical service, hazmat response team, and technical rescue. Services are provided by 148 highly trained and capable personnel who currently staff the 10 fire-rescue companies that operate out of eight stations.

In 1998, the fire department undertook the goal of becoming an accredited fire service agency as recognized by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. In conjunction with its participation in the accreditation project, department staff conducted in-depth analyses of fire station distribution and accompanying apparatus response times. These studies, data and resulting recommendations for improvements were incorporated into the department's strategic plan, which served as the foundation for both the accreditation project and fire station relocation and construction recommendations.