P.J. Farrell had a lot to look forward to on Christmas morning. Getting home, waking up his kids, seeing the excitement wash away the tired in their eyes, and watching as they opened the tightly wrapped presents underneath the family tree. But instead, at about 5 a.m., as he was finishing up his shift as a part-time newspaper courier for The Spokesman-Review, he got a phone call from his wife, Melinda: The house is on fire, come home now.
- PUB DATE: 12/25/2018 2:10:25 PM - SOURCE: Spokane Spokesman-Review

Arson is to blame for two early morning fires set with two blocks of each other in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, and at least one business owner has video proof. The largest fire was reported at 3:46 a.m. Monday in the alley behind the Red Star Taco Bar and the Habitude Salon and Spa in the 500 block of North 36th Street.
- PUB DATE: 12/24/2018 5:50:13 PM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000

Firefighters battled a blaze early Christmas Eve morning at an apartment building in West Valley. Fire officials were called at 12:21 a.m. to reports of a structure fire at a four-unit apartment building at 407 S. 81st Ave., according to a Yakima Fire Department news release. A resident in one of the apartments was cooking with a pan of oil on the stove when the fire started and escaped with minor burns to her hands, the release said.
- PUB DATE: 12/24/2018 12:46:44 PM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic

Due to the lapse of funding causing a Federal Government shutdown, the campus of the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the home of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, is closed to the public. Until the shutdown is resolved we ask for everyone’s patience and understanding.  

Until the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) can resume normal operations at our Emmitsburg office, the following measures are in effect: 

• Any mail being sent to the Foundation’s Emmitsburg address should be sent to:   PO Drawer 498 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 

• Any package deliveries that do not ship to a PO Box should be shipped to the Foundation’s Crofton office address at:   National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 2130 Priest Bridge Drive, Suite 6 Crofton, MD 21114 

• Visitors will not be allowed on campus, including visits to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. 

 

We appreciate everyone’s support and understanding and we wish everyone a Happy Holiday! 

By Chris Mc Loone

Since 2016, “The Fire Station” has covered myriad station designs, offered dozens of design tips, and covered a variety of station-related products. As 2018 comes to a close, I started to look back over the year and a few station-related items come to mind.

First, it continues to strike me that while designing a station might be a daunting task, it is not all that different from planning a fire truck purchase. Departments will look at their wants and needs, boil them down, pic different options, and then go about writing a document that has all the info so work can start. Yes, that’s a very simplified way of looking at it. But, one of the most critical parts of the process is that document. That document is the equivalent of your apparatus spec. If something isn’t in writing there, it doesn’t exist. That program document is your roadmap. Not ensuring that you have devoted the time necessary to get it right is the same as not focusing on your apparatus spec and getting a rig with hosebeds that don’t fit your hose. You will pay more for your station and have it a lot longer than your rig. Get the program document right.

Second, on the rig side we’ve seen a lot of talk about the “Clean Cab Concept.” Over the last two years cancer awareness in the fire service has become more mainstream, and this has understandably transferred to station design. Long available are diesel exhaust systems that remove diesel exhaust from the apparatus bays. Stations designed today are more and more including separate rooms for personal protective equipment (PPE) to get it off the apparatus floor. And, “hot zone” design has begun to gain favor with new stations. Hot zone design categorizes different sections of a fire station based on risk of contamination. It’s worth a consideration, especially since firefighter health and safety starts at the station.

Finally, just a few of my personal favorite fire station design elements:

• Photos of past chiefs in conference rooms.
• Antique fire apparatus displays.
• Confined space rescue training space under the apron in front of the firehouse.
• Red light/green light indicators indicating it is OK to leave the firehouse (i.e. door is completely open, etc.)—and don’t forget to have them on the outside as well for backing/pulling in.
• Power to the gear racks. Firefighters need to charge their phones/tablets while on duty.

Looking ahead to 2019, we look forward to bringing you more coverage of fire stations throughout the country as well as the products that help you do your jobs more efficiently while on duty for the next call.