From The Chief's Desk

Nov, 2003

Winter Safety, New Station #3

Winter is fast upon us. I’m writing this in early October so the thought of winter is fresh in my mind. (Remember the snow on the ground the second of October?) Here are a few tips for the cold weather:

Space Heaters

Space heaters need space, too. As the weather gets cooler, space heaters come out of their summer hiding places. Remember to leave at least 3 feet of space around your heater. Unplug it when not in use. (Note: Per the State Fire Marshal's office, space heaters are not allowed on campus. If you have special needs, contact the Fire Prevention Division of the Office of Environment, Health & Safety for help.)

Clean Your Chimney

Make a clean sweep for autumn. Give your fireplace a fall cleaning. Call your local chimney sweep and have your spark arrester checked and your chimney inspected for soot build-up.

Fuel-burning Furnace

Your furnace flue must be inspected regularly. Your furnace give off heat and something else too - carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide gas has often been described as the 'silent killer'. Clear, colorless and tasteless, it is difficult to detect.
If your furnace flue is clogged or loose, carbon monoxide could be going into your lungs instead of up the chimney. Have your flue inspected on a regular basis by a qualified workman before it's too late for an inspection to make a difference.

Check Your Detectors

Spring forward, fall back, and check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. When you change your clocks, you should change the battery in your detectors. Developing this habit is a good way to remember a simple task that can save your life. If you didn’t check your battery then, do it now.

Replacement Fire Station

I want to give you an update on the fire station construction project. It has been the goal of the fire department staff to get the most benefit possible for the dollars spent, provide a building that Township residents can be proud of, anticipate current and future needs, and have a building that will be serviceable 50 years from today.

I’d like to start the report on the new station by relating an incident that occurred recently. One of the crews was fueling an engine at the gas station and became involved in a discussion with a resident of the Township. The resident commented on how nice the station was starting to look, but thought that we were being somewhat extravagant. It seems that someone had told them that the new station had to have three kitchens in it because “the different shifts could not get along”! So, if that story has been told once, I’m sure it has been told several times and the answer is that there is “only” one kitchen in the new station.

The building that will replace the current fire station #3, at the corner of Plainfield and Five Mile, has been erected and is being closed in. There have been a few “glitches” along the way, but that it is part of constructing a new building; the original projected completion date was December 3, 2003. A revised goal of between Christmas and New Years has been established, but I’d be amazed if we are operating out of the station by then. The previous story leads me to the conclusion that it is necessary to let the residents know a little bit about the new building’s design.

First, let me discuss the architecture; while the design is decidedly modern its roots come from the traditional firehouse, with arches over the doors and a masonry look. The look is achieved through pre-cast concrete panels and EFIS. EFIS is a 2” foam layer that has stucco applied to it causing it to look like stone or cement. This is a very economical way to sheath a building and when combined with the pre-cast cement panels in the areas subject to wear and tear, it provides a very durable exterior. The next issue regarding the exterior is the height; the building seems to be massive because it appears quite tall. The height of the building is determined by three factors: it is an engineered building, it has a pitched roof, and in an effort to maximize our use of the space we placed the offices on the second floor of the west end. These factors were chosen for the following reasons: an engineered building was the cheapest to construct, we have had too many problems with flat roofs leaking, and the second floor space was very inexpensive compared with adding ground floor space.

Next, let me explain how the space inside the building is being used. The first floor has several distinct areas including: kitchen living area - 540 sq. ft., office areas - 392 sq. ft., sleeping areas (6) - 432 sq. ft., shower rooms (4) - 412 sq. ft., locker room - 345 sq. ft., exercise room - 427 sq. ft., the rest of the area is bath rooms (3), storage rooms, a laundry room, bio decontamination area, and corridors/stairs/lobby. This area has a minimal amount of carpet, sleeping area and 10’x12’ in living area, the rest of the floors are stained concrete.

The second floor is the new location of the fire department headquarters. It has four separate offices approx. - 750 sq. ft., a conference room - 400 sq. ft., open office area - 456 sq. ft., bath rooms (2), file storage and mechanical areas. This area utilizes carpet and stained concrete again.

The size of the area where the trucks are parked was determined by using the National Fire Protection Association standards for fire station design. The station will house the aerial platform, two engines and a fast attack vehicle. This area of the building has a heavy repair room, a room where the SCBA (self contained breathing apparatus) is repaired and filled, and a room where food and water is prepared and stored, and a mezzanine area that will be used for storage.

The smaller building, the part that is left of the old Wards building is to be our training center. The fire department spends many hours training. Over the last training season we delivered over 25 weekend classes as well as over 100 night training sessions. We anticipate that the next season will be even busier. The scheduling and delivery of classes will be considerably easier once we have a facility that we control the schedule for. The training center will accommodate 60 students in a classroom, plus provide space to do practical exercises.

The fire department staff has made considerable effort to keep the cost down for both of these projects. We used our very best crystal ball in trying to determine how we could provide the necessary access to tomorrow’s technology. The station is built to be a source of pride for the community, from a functional, aesthetic, and cost stand point.