The role of first responders is essential to the betterment of our communities, and we want them to feel healthy so they can perform their job to the best of their ability. However, fire fighters face a major threat to their health in the form of carcinogens. These substances are directly linked to several types of cancer, making them hazardous to the human body. They can be found in various types of chemical emissions that fire fighters regularly interact with. As a result, fire station designers must utilize new solutions to protect the health of first responders as they work to protect us all.

Using New Technologies to Battle Toxins

To combat the negative effects of carcinogens, architects are increasingly turning to innovations in fire station design that prioritize occupant health and wellbeing. One key example is the inclusion of new kinds of technologies related to decontamination.

In a captured air system, fire fighters attach a hose to the exhaust pipe on their fire trucks before driving them into the garage. With this system, fire fighters can leave the truck engines running without releasing diesel fuel into the bay, as the hose will capture the toxic emissions. Similarly, filtered air systems consist of a series of filters that hang from the ceiling of the station’s garage bays, each extracting different sizes of contaminant molecules from the air before they have the chance to infect anyone. To help decontaminate fire station common rooms, designers can also add ultraviolet (UV) lights to the ceilings of any space. Using embedded sensors, the UV lights turn on once a day for approximately 30 seconds after occupants vacate the room, killing any viruses that may linger on surfaces.

To combat the negative effects of carcinogens, architects are increasingly turning to innovations in fire station design that prioritize occupant health and wellbeing. One key example is the inclusion of new kinds of technologies related to decontamination." Natalie L. Clemens

Driving Big Changes with Practical Solutions

Although there are many beneficial technologies now available, most fire stations in our country are over 40 years old and weren’t designed with allotted space for a decontamination workflow. For this reason, our team’s opportunity to build Hanover Park Fire Station in Hanover Park, Illinois, was a rewarding demonstration of how we can easily implement best practices to foster a clean environment in any station.

For this design-build project, we partnered with R.C. Wegman Construction Co., Hitchcock Design Group, and Eriksson Engineering Associates, LTD., to replace Hanover Park Village’s former station with a new space that better serves their needs. Our team designed the updated station with a pathway for cleanliness: fire fighters clean their gear in one room, dry it in a subsequent room, hang it in the next, and exit toxin-free on the other side. The station is also equipped with ultrasonic cleaners that can scrub self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) masks until they appear brand new.