Training (Safely) in the Firehouse
Michael T. Pry, AIA LEED AP | Principal
Health and safety in the firehouse is essential for effectively serving our communities. Firefighters must be proactive in everyday fitness and training to maintain a healthy lifestyle to ensure a long injury-free career. Additionally, as architects, it is important for us to understand the unique training goals of each department to assist with developing cost-effective ways to integrate everyday training into the design of the modern firehouse. There are three areas for design exploration to address the Health, Safety, and Welfare needs of firefighters: Training, Fitness, and Wellness.
Training
Training can take various forms, from traditional classroom learning and daily fitness routines to more intense fireground training activities. The CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) is considered the gold standard for firefighters and is the most common and well-known physical ability test among firefighters in the US. Its rigorous physical test covers eight areas: Stair Climb, Hose Drag, Equipment Carry, Ladder Raise and Extension, Forcing Entry, Search, Rescue Drag, Ceiling Breach & Pull. Each of these focus areas can be easily incorporated into a typical apparatus bay design eliminating the need to move personnel off-site or suspend training due to weather conditions. Having easy access to these training zones within the station will encourage daily use by the firefighters to support their continuous training. If it is easy to use, it will be used!
Establishing the indoor and outdoor training needs of a station is one of the first decisions to be made when designing a firehouse. It is less costly to plan for this in design rather than going back to retrofit an existing station. These specific needs will guide your architect in determining the best ways to integrate these elements into the overall station design. Other factors to consider include: lighting design, wet location design, appropriate finish selections, safety and visibility, locations for tie-offs, overhead clearance requirements, wall/structural reinforcement, and the ability to develop multi-use spaces to efficiently use the space available.
For example, a typical apparatus bay has a high-ceiling requirement and will typically have a “free zone” of space above adjacent support rooms with lower ceilings. This zone can be easily captured as a storage/training mezzanine with the simple addition of removable rails, small balconies, operable doors/windows, and manholes. This zone can accommodate training for all of the eight areas of the CPAT and the development of a multitude of training exercises including ladder evolutions, balcony rescue, survival bail-out drills, swift water rescue, rappelling, confined space rescue, stair climb, hose advancement, and much more.
Adding a door directly from the mezzanine to an adjacent flat roof training zone will extend training to the outdoors to allow for rooftop rescue drills by ground ladders or apparatus. Similarly, just exposing the fire sprinkler riser within an open corner of the apparatus bay instead of in a small room will easily allow for fire suppression system education.
Fitness
Firefighters need to continuously maintain high levels of aerobic fitness, muscular power, strength, and endurance. NFPA 1583 “Standard for Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members” outlines a complete health-related fitness program (HRFP) for members involved in emergency operations to reduce the risk of injury, disease, and premature death. The six best exercises for firefighters to perform their jobs are cardio, deadlifts, sled drag/push, upper body, core and back and legs. These exercises can be easily accommodated in a well-designed fitness room on site with the appropriate fitness equipment. Cross-fit style training can be incorporated by extending the fitness room to a lawn area just outside the fitness room accessed via a roll-up garage-style door.
Important design considerations of the fitness room include locating the fitness room with “line of sight” windows adjacent to other active spaces or corridors within the station to allow for others to quickly notice a firefighter in distress within the room. Additionally, access to natural light, adequate ventilation, proper floor finishes, hydration/bottle fill stations, CCTV’s, AED’s, and plenty of electrical outlets are a must!
Wellness
Wellness encompasses a wide variety of topics, each just as important as physical training and includes education for nutrition, behavioral and mental health, cancer prevention and much more. It’s an overall state of well-being that should be actively incorporated into your training plans. Having appropriately designed kitchens to allow for the proper teaching and implementation of nutrition plans and designing “decompression rooms” for firefighters returning from traumatic scenes are critical to the overall health and wellness of firefighters. These decompression rooms can also serve as a “Mother’s Room” for expectant or nursing mothers. These spaces should be designed with a lockable door, adjustable lighting, an undercounter refrigerator and handwash sink, and comfortable seating to provide a relaxed atmosphere. Every project has the opportunity to support and enhance the Health, Safety, and Wellness of your firefighters by fully integrating training, fitness, and wellness features in the design of your next station. The only limitations are your own creativity and the budget
Fire Stations are beacons of safety and security in communities. DP3 Architects’ award-winning team designs facilities that are a reflection of each unique community and crew. We use our expertise to create spaces that are designed for maximum efficiency and comfortable living environments. Your station should reinforce your mission and set your team up for success to serve the community well. Ready to get started? Let’s connect.