BUCKEYE (AZ) STATION 3 GALLERY >>

By Alan M. Petrillo

Buckeye, Arizona, is a community that has a huge footprint with 400 square miles in the city of Buckeye that makes up the majority of the 600 square miles the Buckeye (AZ) Fire Department covers with six stations. Each station houses a 1,500-gpm engine, two of the stations have brush trucks, the hazmat vehicle is at Station 5, and a 100-foot TDA (tiller drawn aerial) that has extrication equipment and the technical rescue support vehicle are at Station 3, which is co-manned. Four of Buckeye's stations were permanent, while Stations 3 and 5 were temporary. It was at Station 3's temporary location where the most problems occurred.

Bob Costello, Buckeye's chief, says the area grew so fast that the growth outpaced the ability of the fire department to construct new stations to respond to the expansion. "Buckeye Station 3 was housed in temporary quarters in an old Caterpillar Corp. testing facility," Costello says. "It was a 45-year-old shop building that had been converted to living quarters for the firefighters, working spaces, and apparatus bays. But it was an old, run-down building that had a lot of environmental problems—and by that I mean problems with critters because we are in the desert."

The critters Costello refers to are snakes—western diamondback rattlesnakes as well as other varieties and a pair of large adult owls. "We found rattlesnakes inside the building in the living and working areas and often outside the doors of the firehouse," Costello says. "The two big owls were roosting in the rafters and would go out, catch prey, and bring it live into the firehouse. Then they would eat the prey and drop the bones on the apparatus floor. The fire department really needed to move that station."

Beyond the issues of the old structure not being entirely suited to a firehous, and the critters populating the temporary station, Perlman Architects of Arizona, the firm charged with getting a new Station 3 built, faced other planning and design challenges. "From a site planning perspective, the site was small—less than two acres—and in a curved, triangular shape," says Ken Powers, a principal at Perlman Architects. "Also, the site is located in the Verrado master planned community, and the developer has high design standards for its communities, with extensive design guidelines that have to be considered."

Powers says he worked hand in hand with the developer and came up with two different elevation styles for the firehouse: one a brick structure and the other a Spanish mission style. The community chose the brick design as one that gave the structure a small town feel, yet made an iconic statement because the station site is on a prominent corner on one of Verrado's major roads. "We were able to incorporate a tower element into the station, which the community has told us gives it a grandiose feel," Powers observes.

Buckeye wanted a sustainable fire station, Powers says, and the finished Station No. 3 was awarded a Leadership in Energy and

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – O2X Human Performance is excited to announce a partnership with Roger Williams University to offer two college credits to any participant following completion of the O2X Human Performance four-day workshop.

By developing this partnership, RWU and O2X are providing firefighters, first responders, military personnel and other tactical athletes with the opportunity to continue to pursue higher education so they can finish their careers as strong as they started.    

O2X Human Performance’s core mission is to provide science-backed, comprehensive training and education so individuals and elite teams can achieve and sustain high levels of performance. Not only is the revolutionary program saving the lives of our nation’s heroes, it is also helping participants live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

“This is an exciting partnership between RWU and O2X,” said Adam La Reau, co-founder of O2X.  “It’s an unprecedented opportunity for first responders to receive college credit for their experiences in the O2X workshop. O2X and RWU are aligned in both ethos and mission. First responders will receive the necessary training to thrive in their careers and finish as strong as they started.”

Roger Williams University is an educational institution that aims to “strengthen society through engaged teaching and learning,” using experiential learning that connects theory with practice. O2X’s unique EAT SWEAT THRIVE methodology bridges the gap between theory and practice. Taught by world-class human performance experts, the O2X Human Performance curriculum delivers a systematic, hands-on approach to making incremental changes that lead to major, long-term lifestyle improvements. 

“We are honored to be partnering with O2X,” said Jamie Scurry, dean of RWU’s School of Continuing Studies. “Adam and his colleagues have developed a powerful, relevant and transformational program for first responders. We, like O2X, are committed to ensuring that those who engage in this program have a meaningful experience and can apply that training to achieve their personal and professional goals.”

The partnership between O2X and Roger Williams University means that any student who successfully completes the O2X Human Performance four-day workshop is eligible for two college credits toward a RWU bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree or School of Continuing Studies certificate. This eligibility applies to anyone who has previously completed the four-day O2X workshop and anyone who attends a future workshop.

For more information on O2X, go to https://o2x.com or on social media @o2xhumanperformance.

For more information on the RWU School of Continuing Studies, go to https://scs.rwu.edu or on Twitter @RWUSCS.

About O2X:

O2X was born from VO2 Max, the gold standard for measuring cardiovascular fitness. O2X strives to be the gold standard in providing human performance training and education to firefighters, first responders, military personnel, elite organizations, and other tactical athletes. O2X provides comprehensive human performance training so tactical athletes can finish their careers stronger than they started. The team is comprised of U.S./UK Special Operations veterans, Olympic and collegiate athletes, and 30+ human performance experts who provide the latest cutting-edge science and research in each of the primary fields of health and wellness.

About RWU:

With campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the heart of Providence, R.I., Roger Williams University is a forward-thinking private university committed to stre