Every detail of Vancouver’s new Fire Station 1 and 2 has been planned to increase efficiency and ensure the stations will better serve the community.
“These stations are designed to meet our current and future service needs as well as address our diverse workforce safety and operational needs for the foreseeable future,” Vancouver Deputy Fire Chief Doug Koellermeier said. “They are also designed to meet all current essential facilities standards that include earthquake resilience and building standards.”
The design itself is aesthetically pleasing as well. Ceilings reach 24 feet, an enviable kitchen commands the center of the station and modern touches are spread throughout.
Work began on the $15 million project almost exactly one year ago. Fire Station 1 will now be at 2607 Main St. and Fire Station 2 has been moved to the southwest corner of Norris Road and Fourth Plain Boulevard. Station 1 is currently at 900 W. Evergreen Blvd. and Station 2 is at 400 E. 37th St.
Koellermeier said officials chose the new locations to strategically serve geographic response areas as quickly as possible.
The stations should be complete mid-December, and ready to open in January. Once the new stations open, the old ones will close. Original estimates put construction wrap-up in October with an operational date in early December.
“I think last winter, it didn’t help us with how rainy it was. That ate up a lot of our time there,” said City Facilities Capital Projects Manager Jon Sears said. “As we were trying to get out of the ground it just happened to be one of the rainiest winters on record.”
The $11 million construction estimate has also gone a little over budget, but Sears said costs haven’t surpassed the $600,000 contingency budget.
Modern touches
David Edgerton, Corp Inc. construction superintendent for Station 1, said a lot of additional work went into the two stations to make everything function perfectly and cohesively. For example, a feature that excites the firefighters is a digital controller set into the wall that will control the alarms by bunk room, “so the firemen don’t all get woken up if they’re not supposed to be,” Edgerton said.
Station 1 is also equipped with a button to control the traffic lights at East Fourth Plain Boulevard, Broadway and Main Street.
“Ahead of time, they can hit that button and it gives time for the cars to clear out of the way,” he said. This feature will in theory prevent traffic from blocking fire truck access to the street.
Massive permanent generators are just one more example of the thought put into the new stations. Edgerton said nearby power lines were first moved underground to prevent damage by any future storms, but if power does go out, a generator with the capability to run for weeks was installed.
“Even if there was something major and everyone would be out (of power) for months, the station would have power,” he said.
Station 1 also marks a new era of collaboration between the fire department and the police department. The station features an office for Vancouver police to utilize.
“They need to coordinate with each other all the time, so we’re trying to integrate,” Edgerton said.
Investment needed
Koellermeier said although there’s no additional funding available at the moment, Stations 1 and 2 aren’t the only facilities in need of replacement or renovation.
“These will provide a model for us to potentially replicate as we move forward,” he said.
Stations 3 and 6 should also be rebuilt in new locations, according to Citygate Associates, which was hired by the city in 2014 to develop a long-range facility plan.
“There is additional investment needed,” City Manager Eric Holmes said.
Before moving forward, the city must first sell the old stations. The properties have already been listed as surplus by the city, which allows a sale. The second step in disposing of city-owned real estate is determining how the city will sell the property.
“That’s the step we haven’t gotten through yet,” Holmes said.
The intention is to sell, however, because the overall funding for the project anticipated proceeds from the sale. The city could take the properties to the open market, engage in a direct negotiation with a specific developer or send out a request for proposals.
“Our focus has been on getting the stations built and up and operational,” Holmes said.
Some have suggested Station 1 could serve as a homeless shelter, but Holmes said “there’s been no formal discussion by folks here at the city or city council” about the concept.
As the project wraps, however, Sears said the community is looking forward to celebrating. Holmes echoed that sentiment.
“It was ambitious for us to take on construction of two fire stations at the same time, but I’m very pleased with how it’s going,” Holmes said. “I’m looking forward to not only honoring the service that the stations we’ll be closing have given the community, but also celebrate the opening of the new stations.”
