During the 2009 Fire Station Design Conference, we initiated a program for volunteer fire departments that focuses on identifying local fire station needs. This program uses an analytical approach to understand volunteer departments’ capital-improvement needs.

The typification of a fire station addresses the basic minimum requirements a station must meet — adequate storage for firefighting apparatus and related equipment. This minimum level of station design components also would make provisions for personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other fire-extinguishing equipment. From this initial basic-station type, additional levels of fire station design are addressed. This additional design “Kit of Parts” includes amenities such as restrooms, dormitory areas, kitchen area, work area, meeting rooms, office space, training areas, library reference area, and associated site amenities such as parking for firefighters and visitors. As the level of typifications increase additional infrastructure like communications systems, dispatching controls, station alerting and building emergency, power and UPS backup become important design considerations. As these facilities also are considered “essential building structures,” the structural design systems also must address seismic and weather-related factors.

Fire station typification also has a role within the emerging field of homeland security. Typification can play a major role in determining what a resource can do when it is called on to be a part of a bigger-picture emergency. We have determined that there is a wide range of variance in what fire-station facilities contain that could have a direct impact on its utility in a major emergency. This variance is measured across several dimensions. These dimensions included fire station construction type, the ability to adequately house equipment, and the ability to provide functional areas for emergency activity.

The classification of the varying attributes of a fire station could thus be assigned to any specific facility being designed. This classification system provides a set of guidelines enabling each
facility to be compared to a standardized template.

An example of the types of fire stations would be as follows:

Type 1: A full complement of services and building design features from apparatus bays, full firefighting amenities, training areas and emergency activity areas.

Type 2: A facility that includes all of the above features, except for dormitory areas, training areas and emergency activity areas.

Type 3: A facility that includes an apparatus area and minimum security and facilities to accommodate operations. For example: one apparatus bay and restroom facilities.

Type 4: A facility that provides minimum overhead shelter to a piece of equipment. This could include metal, simple metal structures that are open to at least one side and overhead shelter area that are open to all sides. Normally these facilities are subject to weather conditions.

Type 5: A facility that provides overhead cover only to apparatus to protect it from weather. Unrated – any fire truck out in the unprotected elements.

This process is based on a station typification process that not only assesses the physical needs and characteristics of the volunteer facilities. This process also analyzes the framework of staffing and community development, and the types of services provided.

We also use statistical information from the National Fire Incident Reporting System to assist departments in developing the capital improvement needs for a departmental master plan. Given the current federal funding for fire station design, we believe this process to be very timely.

For additional information on the typification scheme, e-mail stationstyle@firechief.com