What to Know Before Your Next Capital Improvement Project

Becker Morgan Group Principal, Ernie Olds, AIA, and Wilmington Fire Department Chief Buddy Martinette discuss essential aspects of capital improvements for your fire department. Their key takeaways are:

Come up with a Plan

When you can show your city council or funding agency that you have a plan and a vision for the future, it will set your project up for success. Initial research and a comprehensive feasibility study will define your problem, the costs, and the schedule.

Important Considerations

As you develop your plan, keep in mind your ISO rating, reaction time, and reliability factors. Improvements to all or some of these make the new facility an even more significant asset to the community.

Valuable Input

No one knows the needs of a fire station more than those using the facility. It is crucial to create a design committee that can share insights into the current operations and how things can be improved. Becker Morgan Group hosts a kick-off meeting called a design charette where the team listens to ideas, input, thoughts, concerns, and criticisms from everyone in the room. The feedback gathered here is incorporated into the design and creates a better-finished product.