That's the solution being studied for the Embarcadero at Pier 221/2, where the city hopes to replace the cramped and dilapidated facilities now there with quarters that would support three fire boats and one fire engine, with 12 firefighters on duty around the clock. It would be the only fire station on the shoreline and is seen as an essential piece of the city's response to a major earthquake.

The design dilemma is how to place a structure with a 75-year life expectancy on the bay side of the Embarcadero seawall -- a century-old structure that not only needs to be strengthened so it won't buckle during a major earthquake, but also might need to be elevated several feet to prepare for the likelihood of sea level rise.

After investigating several options, the favored approach at City Hall is to replace the existing pier with a floating steel barge that would hold the new station. The small historic station located on the Embarcadero would continue to house the station's fire engine.

"Significant new Fire Department facilities should be as resilient as possible, and on the Embarcadero that means preparing for sea level rise," said Gabriella Judd Cirelli, Pier 221/2's project manager at the city's department of Public Works. "This would be cutting-edge for San Francisco, but certainly not bleeding edge."

In fact, large public structures that float can be found in waterfront locations from Alaska (a school) to Australia (a ferry terminal). At a smaller scale, locally, houseboats are a renowned part of Sausalito's charm.

But a floating fire station on the Embarcadero would be a novelty -- and a relatively trouble-free one at that, at least on paper.

A waterborne pier held loosely in place by mooring piles would be less susceptible to earthquake damage than a standard pier attached to load-bearing piles driven deep into the mud beneath the bay. As for funding, the estimated $6.3 million cost of the proposed pier is $100,000 less than a fixed-pier option.

And then there's sea level rise.

San Francisco now requires all major infrastructure projects along the bay to take into account scientific projections that sea levels could climb several feet by 2100.

At two stories and 24,300 square feet, the new station is about 10,000 square feet bigger than its predecessor.

The $7.5 million building will have a ground-floor apparatus bay with room for up to 10 vehicles. And for the first time, that bay will be open on both sides, which means trucks won't have to turn around and back in but can pull directly through whether they're coming from either direction.

A lobby with an antique fire truck on display will greet first-floor visitors, Bradner said. The rest of the first floor will be office space and a training room that can be accessed by the community.

Upstairs, crews will find individual bunk rooms as opposed to the large, dorm-style room partitioned off by a handful of dividers that the old Station 11 had. 

There will be locker rooms and showers for both men and women, a large kitchen and dining area and more office space, and an outdoor patio to bring in light and fresh air.

The new station also will boast two brass fire poles for firefighters to slide down: a new one and the pole salvaged from the old building, which was salvaged from an even earlier structure and might date back to the early 1900s, Bradner said.

The cost of the six-month study will depend on the response the city receives from a request for proposals, which will be opened on Jan. 11. Eighteen firms from throughout Maine and the U.S. are weighing whether to submit proposals, according to the city.

"The consultant will identify future fire station locations and current fire station updates and upgrades to meet the future service needs of the community," the city's request for proposals says.

The move comes as city officials are looking to get a handle on capital investment needed to improve the city's infrastructure. The highest profile buildings in need are the city's four elementary schools, and Mayor Ethan Strimling and parents are pushing for a $60 million to $70 million bond to pay for upgrades.

Fire Chief David Jackson said that, like many city buildings, deferred maintenance in lean budget years has taken its toll of the city's nine fire stations, which include the Marine Division in the Casco Bay Lines parking garage on Commercial Street and the Air Rescue Division at the Portland International Jetport.

Few investments have been made in those stations with the exception of the Marine Division, which received a $300,000 investment in 2012.

Before making investments in the city's stations, Jackson said it makes sense to look at the city's call volumes and neighborhoods with the largest demand for services to determine where the city's stations are ideally situated.

The study will look at future growth projections for certain areas of the city and whether its makes more sense to invest in existing stations or replace them, according to the city's request for proposals.

Austin police received a call around 11:10 p.m. Friday, reporting the woman was hit on Loop 360 near Westbank Drive. Austin Fire Department Division Chief Palmer Buck said the fire engine was driving to a non-emergency call when a cluster of cars in front of the truck swerved to avoid the unidentified woman and several vehicles collided with her. Buck described conditions at the time as "dark and rainy."

"It's very unfortunate," Buck said. "The crew did what they could - they stopped the truck and immediately started care, but it was readily apparent that the victim suffered injuries not compatible with life."

Buck said the fire department took part in an investigation with the police department, but no arrests have been made and the fire department has not been found to be at fault.