Fire Station Project Report

Stow Special Town MeetingArticle 3

October 29, 2012

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Fire Station Committee

• Chief Mike McLaughlin• Tom Ryan• Chris Sarno • Roger Tuttle• Ross Perry • Associate members:

• Capt. J.P. Benoit• Capt. Rick Connelly• Brett Donham – Donham & Sweeney Architects

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Why Now?• This is not a new need

– The current building is over 47 years old.– The Fire Dept. has been (forecasting) talking about

the need for several years. Other buildings had priority.

• Town Building 1989• Police station 1996• Hale School 1997• Nashoba High School 2000• Center School 2012

– The town and its firefighters are at risk if we ask them to wait longer.

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Infrastructure Deficiencies• Not enough space at 5440 sq. ft.

– Overhead doors too small for modern fire trucks

– Apparatus and equipment stored outside

• Hose and other items in storage container on west property line

– No insulation under the slab or in the walls

• Ceiling insulation is almost useless– Windows are inefficient– Apparatus bay is not properly

illuminated

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Infrastructure Deficiencies

• Settlement cracks in the walls and floor– Tripping hazard– Settling due to poor sub-surface material

• The walls are unreinforced block and brick facing; do not meet new seismic bldg code

• The second floor and roof has inadequate loading capacity

• Gypsum roof planks have gotten wet and lost their strength.

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Infrastructure Deficiencies• The fire station doesn’t have a

fire protection system.• The SCBA compressed air

system is well past its useful life and must be in a separate enclosed room for FF safety.– It also draws contaminated air

from the apparatus bay, not fresh air

• Plumbing system is inadequate and doesn’t have a water tank fill system for the fire trucks.

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Operational Deficiencies

• The building does not meet the operational needs of today’s fire department– Not enough space for apparatus and equipment– Inadequate training space– No Decontamination area– Lacks adequate office space for current functions– Inadequate living space.

• This building must serve as the work and living space for a 24/7 department

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Option 1A

• Upgrade key services $796,000 5440 sq. ft.– Electrical, some plumbing, exhaust collection,

insulation, paint– New well, restroom, kitchen appliance, light fixtures

• Declined– No health and safety improvements– No additional space to address any operational needs– Numerous code violations note addressed– Too much money for very little improvement

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$146/sq.ft.

Option 1B• Renovate existing structure $3,655,000 5440 sq. ft.

– Address some of the code issues– Refurbish the interior– Retrofit building structure for seismic resistance– New floor slab in apparatus bay– New septic system and garage drainage system– New SCBA system

• Declined– A lot of money to meet seismic code– No space increase– Soil borings indicate site is not stable– Limited operational improvement

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$672/sq.ft.

Option 2

• Renovate & add $6,455,000 12,600 sq. ft.– Convert existing building to larger apparatus bay

• New floor slab for apparatus bay– Add 7000 sq. ft. for offices in back of current building– Retrofit existing building structure for seismic resistance– New building systems

• Declined– Some apparatus still left out side– Soil borings indicate site is not stable– Doesn’t ‘future proof’ the building

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$512/sq.ft.

Option 4• Pompo Sch. Building $13,000,000 14,000 sq. ft.

– Utilizes an empty building– Co-located with new Community Center– Take down kindergarten wing– Build 5,000 sq. ft. apparatus bay– Remodel rear portion of school for Fire Dept.

• Declined– Inappropriate mixed use – Less optimal design compared to other options– Less optimal location compared to Crescent St.– Significant effort to upgrade building to meet seismic code– Added cost of ‘mothballed ‘ former fire station building

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$929/sq.ft.

Recommended SolutionOption 3

New Fire Station• $7,247,000 14,000 sq. ft.

plus 3,000 sq. ft. basement• Demolish existing station• New building at current

location• Build new 14,000 sq. ft.

structure, design optimized for today and future fire operations– Address complete list of current

deficiencies

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$426/sq.ft.

Proposed New Fire Station• “Future Proofing” is key. This design will cover the F.D. needs for 25-35 + years• Stow’s residents have invested in other new buildings

– Town Building, Police, Hale School, Nashoba High School, Center School, and maybe the Library and a Community Center.

– You have invested in your own homes and businesses– You and your family have a vested interest in emergency response services

24/7.• Its time to invest in the building, equipment and personnel that will protect all

of these investments.– Our recommended solution addresses all “deficiencies” and operational

needs• We ask for your support in this overdue, much needed project.

– Vote “yes” for Article 3 at the Special Town Meeting– Remember the elections on Nov. 6th

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Thank You

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Cramped Day Room / Training Areaand Training Room

Stow Fire Station 15

Training Room

Ayer Fire Station 16

SCBA Compressor In Apparatus Bay

Stow Fire Station 17

Dedicated SCBA Fill Room

Ayer Fire Station 18

Decontamination Area Gear

19Lunenburg Fire Station

Decontamination Area for FF

20Lunenburg Fire Station

Decontamination Area

21Stow Fire Station

The picture isn’t missing.

Stow FD doesn’t have a decontamination area

Turn Out Gear, Too Close to Trucks

Stow Fire Station 22

Turn Out Gear in Separate Area

Ayer Fire Station 23

Back Up Slides

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Apparatus Bay Space for Special Equipment

Ayer Fire Station 25

Overhead Doors Clear Engine by Inches

Stow Fire Station 26

Overhead Doors Designed for Fire Engines

27Webster Square Station

Glass Doors for Day Light

Ayer Fire Station 28

Engines Too Close Together

Stow Fire Station 29

Apparatus Bay

Lunenburg Fire Station 30

Current Deficiencies

• West side of building has been eroded by running water

• Office and living quarters ceilings are lower than current Building Code allows

• The only one toilet on the first floor, accessed through an office.

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Current Deficiencies

• No apparatus tail pipe exhaust collection system– Diesel fumes are believed to be carcinogenic

• No exhaust hood over the kitchen stove.– The stove doesn’t meet code either

• The electrical system has many areas needing improvement

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Current Deficiencies

• The floor drains in the apparatus bay don’t meet State’s plumbing code and Storm Water Management regulations– Allowing hydrocarbons to flow into the

groundwater untreated.

• No restrooms or showers for women FF’s• No emergency shower and eye wash.

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Proposed Stow Fire Station Plot Plan

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New Fire Station Size ComparisonsTown Population New Station Sq. ft.

Arlington 42,844 30,710

Belmont 24,729 40,000

Lexington 31,394 25,100

Newton 85,945 26,556

Pelham, NH 12,897 24,500

Westport 15,400 20,400

Holden 17,364 43,500

Ipswich 13,175 15,000

Spencer 11,688 25,029

Stow 6,590 14,000 + 3,000

W. Stockbridge 1,306 12,000

Hopkinton 13,346 10,000

Maynard 10,400 15,00037

Option Cost Comparisons

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Option # Cost Sq. Ft Fully loaded cost per sq.ft.

Deficiencies Addressed

Operational Improvements

1A $796,000 5440 $146 1 1

1B $3,655,000 5440 $672 2 2

2 $6,455,000 12,600 $512 4 3

4 $13,000,000 14,000 $929 5 4

3 $7,247,000 14,000 + $426 5 5

1-5 ranking: 1 minimal, 5 most

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Our mission is to provide the finest possible fire, rescueand emergency medical services to all those that reside in, work in or visit the Town of Stow. 

To meet our mission, we strive to achieve the highest levels of preparedness, prevention and community involvement. 

Our department is founded upon the core values of mutual trust, pride in service, integrity and diversity.

In the actualization of our mission, our firefighters are our most important asset.

The men and women of the Stow Fire Department take part in a very aggressive training regiment to instill upon them a strong sense of duty and honor so that they stand at the ready as dedicated, compassionate, professionals who recognize their role as public safety leaders and community role models.

Stow Fire DepartmentOur Mission Statement

Misc Questions and Answers• Q: What will be the operating and utility costs compared to the existing

building? A: Rough estimate is twice as much. Mechanical ventilation is a big piece of that and the floor area is about 3 times as much.

• Q: Why are buildings only given a life span of 20-30 years? Different parts of a building have different life spans. Paint and carpet have about a 10 year life span. Light fixtures, in terms of their maximum efficiency, have about a 20 year life span. Roofing materials have about a 25 year life. Fans, boilers, pumps have about a 30 year useful life expectancy. Brick walls need to be re-pointed about every 40 to 50 years. The basic structure should have a 100 year plus life expectancy if it is well founded [the present building is not] and if it is well maintained.

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Misc Questions and Answers• Q: There is a large roof in the current plans. Can we install solar panels,

especially on the West facing roof sections that will be less visible from the streets? A: West facing solar panels will get no sun when the leaves are out and insufficient sun in the winter to be effective. Even south facing solar panels need some kind of subsidy to be cost effective for the first 20 or so years.

Population changes• 1965 3181 (when fire station was built)• 2011 6718• Projected build out 9482Households• 1990 1793• 2000 2128• Projected build out 3447

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