1. Why is the F.I.E.R.O. Station Symposium the one to attend?

    F.I.E.R.O. is the originator of the fire station symposium. The first conference was held in 2000. It was developed by firefighters and remains under the guidance of current and retired firefighters. The presentations are topical to the issues of today’s fire service, as identified by the fire service. No one gets paid, as the staff members all volunteer their time and expertise.

  2. Who should attend?

    Anyone involved in site selection, design, construction, financing, furnishing, or maintaining a fire station. This includes: chief officers, company officers, firefighters, elected officials, community planners, budget people, board members, town/city/county managers, community stakeholders, and architects.

  3. What does the registration fee include?

    Access to all presentations, exhibits, design awards program entry posters, lunch on Monday and Tuesday, continental breakfast on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks, a printed program, a CD of all the presentations, and one-on-one time with the speakers.

  4. Should we attend if we are not going to build a fire station soon?

    Absolutely. Many of our attendees come back year after year and many have said it is beneficial to attend even a few years before construction begins. There is plenty of information provided to help minimize the costs of existing stations — information you can use immediately upon returning to your department. Plus, when you get ready to build a station, you’ll have a baseline of knowledge to help you get started.

  5. Should we attend if we are still trying to gain approval to build a new station?

    Yes (see number 4). And more importantly, you will learn how to gain public approval and network with others who have faced similar challenges.

  6. What does F.I.E.R.O. do with the profits from the symposium?

    There are no profits. Any remaining funds from one symposium go directly into promoting the next symposium. The registration fees, award entry fees, and sponsorship fees go directly to the making the symposium better. The fees are not used to increase the bottom line of a corporation.

  7. What about airport to hotel transportation?

    A taxi is about $25-$30 (including tip) and is approximately a 12 minute ride. For less than $2.00 one-way, you can take the Sprinter bus from the airport to the curb of the hotel. More detailed Sprinter bus information is available at http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/bus/ridingcats/pages/sprinter.aspx. If you are renting a car, keep in mind the Omni Charlotte does charge for parking.

  8. What is within walking distance of the hotel?

    All of uptown Charlotte. The Omni Hotel is located directly in the center of the “uptown” area of Charlotte. Dozens of restaurants, nightlife venues, museums, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and TimeWarner® Arena are within steps of the hotel. The EpiCenter is directly across the street. There is no need for a rental car unless you need to visit the greater Charlotte region.

  9. Does the hotel charge for Wi-Fi?

    Yes, unless you are a member of their Select Guest program. Joining the program is free an easy. Do it here: http://www.omnihotels.com/selectguestprogram.aspx.

  10. What is the dress code?

    Casual.

  11. Who judges the awards?

    The F.I.E.R.O. Station Design Awards winners are selected by a team of “jurors” who are active in the fire service and also have degrees in architecture. The team of five jurors plus the jury head comes from across the United States.