Presentations for 2008

About F.I.E.R.O. and the Station Design Symposium and
Don’t Repeat Other’s Mistakes: Little Things That Add Up to a Hugh Difference!
By Captain Don Collins, Clemson University Fire Department
(NOTE: This is part 1 of a 2-part presentation.) Captain Don Collins will provide an introductory presentation about F.I.E.R.O. and the symposium. He will relate how past history has brought us to the point that we can no longer afford to repeat the same mistakes. This presentation will help you maximize your symposium experience so that your “time and money are well spent”. Don will show many of the thousands of his fire station photos from across North America for a special focus on the things that were overlooked or did not work as intended. (No one has more pictures of fire stations than Don!) There will be photos and descriptions of small, but often forgotten, details that make a big difference in the function of the station. And, this presentation will illustrate the small things that really work!

The Design Process: Getting Started and What to Expect
By Ken Newell, AIA, Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects – Gastonia, NC
Ken will share his experience with working with fire departments and local governmental agencies on the process of building or renovating fire stations. He will outline several things you can do even before getting a design professional involved. 

Ken’s presentation will provide you with insight to the following issues:

• Items you need to consider
• The “Five Phases” of the project
• What you should expect from your architect
• Design issues and ideas

Ken will also cover the subject of issuing a well-constructed Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and how it can be one of the most important factors in determining which design team is the best fit for your project. From requesting specified experience from the architects, to giving sufficient information on your project’s scope, this portion of the class will prepare you to ask all of the right questions.

Marketing Your Needs to the Community
By Dennis Ross, Pacheco-Ross Architects
You need money to build new, expand, renovate, move or buy land. Why; what’s wrong with the existing fire station? Why does the project cost so much? How can a project take so long? How do you explain these issues to the responders, your community, the governing bodies and regulatory agencies? Learn critical do’s and don’ts and how to manage the process of effective communications. Dennis will provide you with the tools and techniques you need to express your needs in a manner that will maximize your chances of succeeding.

Station Location
By Kevin Roche; Phoenix Fire Department, and Sally Young; Charlotte Fire Department (ret.)
Location! Location! Location!  What works?  How do you get it? The selection of the physical location of a fire station is one of the earliest and most important parts of the fire station construction process. The location of the fire station will have a long-term impact on the services provided from it. This presentation will discuss physical parameters, access, traffic, neighbor, and political issues related to the site selection of a new or replacement fire station.

GIS Mapping for Station Location Planning
By Rick Tripp, MSA (Michael Schuster Associates, Inc.)
Almost all communities have access to GIS mapping. Rick’s presentation will provide insight into how GIS can assemble data from a wide variety of formats and help you determine the impact on service delivery by the location of the station. GIS mapping tools can depict existing and future roads, land parcels, demographics, utility networks, hydrant locations and other vital information. Unlike flat maps, GIS generated maps create “layered space” enabling multiple types if information to be synthesized simultaneously. This is especially helpful when considering mutual aid stations and departments. It is also a very useful tool in convincing your stakeholders of the need for a station.

CAD for Dummies! 
By Chief Ken Leake and Jim Zwerg
This will be an interactive sessions demonstrating inexpensive software available to any department that is easy for novices to use. It will touch on the basic concepts of property acquisition, planning, programming and estimating. See how your facility will fit on various parcels of land. This approach will include the use of development overlays, GIS mapping, planning/zoning restrictions, and basic constructability issues. This approach has proved to be very valuable in communicating user’s needs to the design professionals.

Value Engineering/Design/Construction
By Dennis Ross, Pacheco-Ross Architects
Seek out quality; it’s the foundation of a high performance building. Quality is the core is the core goal in the search for value, but does not equate to “cheapening.” As an integral part of the design and construction process the goal is to identify or modify features that add cost to a facility, but do not add to its quality, useful life, utility or aesthetics. Dennis will discuss: design concepts, co Seek out quality; it’s the foundation of a high performance building. Quality instruction techniques, materials, systems and operations and lead you through the process of finding the right value throughout all phases of the project—especially your budget goals.

New Ways to Fight Construction Costs
By Ken Newell, AIA, Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects – Gastonia, NC
More often than not, budget is the single largest controlling factor in what you can or cannot build. Ken will reveal ways in which his 75+ fire department clients have built durable, low-maintenance facilities without “busting the budget”. Ken’s presentation will consider several cost saving subjects including:

• Making the most of your site
• One story vs. two story buildings
• Construction types
• Material selections
• Avoiding unnecessary facility duplications

Understanding ADA
By Zach Zettler; Cole + Russell Architects
Firefighters typically do not have disabilities! So, does our fire station have to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act? ADA, as it applies to fire stations, is always a controversial and confusing topic. This presentation will provide insight into how you can make your station and facilities ADA compliant without undue expense, while maintaining the necessary station functions. From one of the leading fire facility architectural firms in the U.S., Zach will answer your questions and address your concerns.

"De-Mystifying LEED"
By Lynn Reda and Paul Erickson, LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects
Building green is here to stay! Gain an understanding of the USGBC’s LEED Rating System as it relates to fire and rescue facilities. Discussion will include an introduction to the green building movement and LEED followed by a description of how the process works and examples of how to apply green building principles to fire & rescue facilities and the associated costs.

Doors, Doors, Doors!
By Steve Bonacci and David Youngblood; Electric Power Door Company
From apparatus bay doors to external/internal pedestrian doors, fire facilities have doors everywhere. Steve and David will provide an overview of bay doors including overhead sectional, rolling steel, and four fold doors. Perhaps there’s a design that will not attack your apparatus!! The pedestrian door discussion will include: door materials, frame construction, sound transmission, coatings, durability, hardware, security, fire ratings, finishes, and seals.

PPE in the Fire Station—Storage and Care
By Kirk Owen, Southern Mills, Inc.
Personal Protective Equipment is an important component of fire fighter safety, and a significant monetary investment. Unfortunately, protective clothing is sometimes an afterthought when designing fire stations. Improper storage and maintenance can destroy or severely damage it. Kirk will outline the storage, cleaning and repair considerations needed to maximize the life of your PPE. Included in this presentation will be a discussion about the newly revised NFPA Standard (1851) on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of PPE.   

Health & Safety in the Fire Station
By Kevin Roche, Phoenix Fire Department
There is a renewed emphasis on firefighter health and safety today’s fire service. Unfortunately, many of the injuries and exposures firefighters experience happen at the fire station. Kevin will outline all the requirements and standards that apply to a firefighter’s well being while at the station. This presentation will also describe other non-required features that make a fire station safe and functional.

A Station Designed for Training
By Mark Shoemaker; Cole + Russell Architects
Mark will show you how to incorporate simulated training exercises into your new construction and renovation projects and thereby make tactical training convenient right in your station. You will be amazed at how much “in-house training” you can do with a few design features within the facility and the site. In addition you will learn budgeting strategies, explore commonly implemented training features, and understand the design process. Cole + Russell Architects is known for the Training by Design^© approach to designing stations. 

Planning & Designing Training Centers
By Roger LeBoeuf; Elliot, LeBoeuf, & McElwain Associates
Hear from one of the most experienced training facility design experts in the industry. Facilitating fire training is challenging. In a dynamic PowerPoint presentation, Roger will take a look at the potential obstacles, pitfalls, and great opportunities in planning, designing, and constructing a new fire training center and also in maintaining existing centers. The process, various training opportunities, and numerous training props will be covered. If you’re looking to build or upgrade a training facility, this is a session you cannot afford to miss.

Training Facilities:  The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
By Captain Brad Kobielusz; Poudre Fire Authority
Captain Kobielusz has the unique opportunity to regularly work at five different training academies in the Fort Collins area of Colorado. An architect and a firefighter, he will discuss what works and what doesn’t. Included in the presentation are the issues of a working academy near residential areas, runoff concerns, smoke systems, towers, burn buildings, heat tiles, smoke houses, storage, classrooms and much more. Again, if you’re looking to build or upgrade a training facility, this is a session you cannot afford to miss.

Mistakes That Add Up and Accent the Positive: Concepts and Features That Work
By Captain Don Collins, Clemson University Fire Department
(NOTE: This is part 2 of a 2-part presentation.) This will be help to bring it all together. Don’s fast-moving visual presentation will help you understand why it is so important to gather as much information as possible before building or remodeling a fire station.

Winning Designs: Awards Recognition
By Don Collins; Captain, Clemson University Fire Department
The F.I.E.R.O. Design Awards program is much more than just recognizing good design. The awards program is an educational benefit for all that attend. During the symposium you will have seen poster boards of the entries on display. You will have had time to study them and gather ideas for your station. At the conclusion of the symposium, a report from the jurors is presented that highlights the features that made the entries winners!  Loaded with the information gathered at the symposium, you will be able to have a station that’s a winner for your community. Learn all about it here.

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