Fire Fighting Trends to Incorporate into Your Next Station

Becker Morgan Group Principal Ernie Olds, AIA, and Wilmington Fire Department Chief Buddy Martinette discuss important trends in fire facility design.

Mental Health

Create a welcoming environment recognizing that anxiety, depression, and PTSD are a reality within the fire service. It is crucial to design facilities that are not institutional. The firehouse should feel like a home and be a space to decompress after each call. Open kitchens and community living spaces promote communication and camaraderie amongst the crew to process events together. Natural light and connections to the outdoors are incorporated to reduce stress and anxiety naturally.

Physical Health

Healthy building design will decrease the likelihood of chronic illness in firefighters later in their lives. The firehouse should have two distinct areas: the living space and apparatus bays. By design, the living area is a ‘clean’ area and free from all carcinogens. Specialized air filtration systems, decontamination and designated turnout gear space protect the firefighters from harmful substances.

Property & Building Floorplan

Reduced response times save lives. Thoughtful building placement and floorplans can make the fire service more efficient and maximize the site. Traffic signals, easements, and natural amenities should all be considered in the design process.

Designed to Last

The fire service needs to be functional when disaster strikes. Buildings and their infrastructure need to be durable to handle severe weather and natural disasters to remain operational. The wind and rain of hurricane season is especially significant in the Coastal regions.

Becker Morgan Group takes these trends into each fire station project.