Compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 is a guide to fire station location that includes establishing response time criteria as a benchmark of when emergency apparatus should arrive on scene.
Proper fire station location can be the difference between life and death or salvage and demolition. This applies to both fire suppression and emergency medical services in the community.
NFPA 1851 guides us in the evaluation of proper gear storage, cleaning and exposure threats in the fire station.
With the continued high incidence of Cancer in the fire service today, it is our utmost responsibility to strive for compliance with NFPA 1851 and other applicable standards in all our fire stations. Ultimately, these standards are meant to protect our most critical asset: the men and women of your fire department.
So how do you apply this to your department?
Each Fire Department will be at a different starting point with varying needs. Etica Group has developed several checklists and standards so your Fire Department can identify what you need. Based on the structure and needs of your department, the process may include in-person meetings, stakeholder communication and feedback from your community.
Regardless of what options you need, you will receive systematic, consistent communication and standards-based reports, such as:
Location Analysis
Drive Time Evaluations / 1710 Compliance
GIS data mapping and street information to help locate community target hazards and available run data to determine ideal station locations
Facility Assessment
The assessment will identify 20-year capital cost needs for each facility
NFPA 1851 Gear exposure, cleaning and storage
2014 Indiana Building Code Standards including ICC A117.1 2009 (accessibility code)
Needs Assessment
Aligns your facility functionality with current needs and goals
Identifies and prioritizes changes and/or growth that may occur in the future through stakeholder engagement
Feasibility Study
Evaluates the functional and financial viability of a project
Identifies and assesses costs related to renovations, repairs, upgrades, and operational costs for better budget planning
Final Report
Color coded ‘A through F” grading system to make the data easy to understand at a high level.
Presentation to key stakeholders to ensure thorough understanding of results along with discussion for next step implementation.
Your Department and Etica Group will have multiple information gathering meetings. These meetings will be held with Etica Groups’ public safety specialist to serve as a liaison that understands firsthand the unique challenges of the fire service. These conversations and technical information gathered will be translated into a key part of the finished product of this important study document.
Your true success is not just how many square feet you need and for what spaces, but it is how the space will fit your overall strategic plan. Your professional partner needs to thoroughly understand your operational needs and be able to convert that into well thought-out space programming. Etica Group understands how to bridge these needs with architectural space programming.