The 18,000-sq-ft facility is the first of its kind to serve both a busy international airport and the adjacent residential community. The project’s complexity included programming for two different user groups, three separate stakeholder agencies, four different funding sources, and significant scope added midway through the project. The project also required increased safety security protocols since the station straddles both city-owned landside property and a secure airfield zone.

The new facility features six vehicle bays, storage for multiple shifts, offices, training area and a configuration that allows airport firefighters to respond quickly to airport events without compromising secure access requirements. In addition to the shared spaces, airport and city firefighters have their own color-coded sleeping quarters and zones. The resulting co-living arrangement saves public resources and fosters synergy and efficiency for improved lifesaving support

The unique floor plan facilitated a phased sequencing that allowed multiple trades to work concurrently and efficiently. While the design-build MEP package was finalized, the team executed a three-phase permit set to allow release of early utility work and structural steel packages. A felt protection membrane was used instead of plywood to protect unfinished concrete floors as construction progressed. Adhered to the concrete with latex, this flame-retardant measure allowed workers to drive lifts, stage materials and mark up layout without damaging the surface prior to final polishing.