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Fire stations of the world: Major renovation of Sandy Fire District Main Station in Sandy, Oregon, US
Sandy Fire District Main Station, Station 71, is a 17 900 square foot fire station situated at 17460 Bruns Avenue in Sandy, Oregon in the US. This major renovation of Sandy Fire District Main Station entailed a seismic retrofit, doubled capacity for staff, and a reimagined aesthetic in line with new city guidelines. A combination station with career and volunteer firefighters, Sandy Fire serves a region stretching from the outskirts of the Portland metro area to the base of Mt. Hood. The renovated facility now fully supports a growing community, provides a healthier work environment for its staff, and sets an aspirational standard of design for the city. A headquarters station, Sandy Fire houses district offices, administrative staff and 24-hour fire crews.
The facility has five apparatus bays, two with double doors and includes a community-accessible training room and outdoor training grounds. All building systems were upgraded, including the exhaust system and a fully integrated alerting system that ties into county dispatch. The renovation added rooftop patio space as an outdoor amenity for staff, and mitigated noise entering living quarters from the nearby highway. Design drivers The project’s central challenges were the requirements of a new structural system and the city’s mandated style. The “Sandy Style” is Cascadian in character, inspired by mountain buildings with steep roofs, post and beam construction, and an emphasis on natural colours and materials. The team determined that a cost effective seismic upgrade required a steel frame on the building’s exterior. Our creative solution combined these functional and aesthetic requirements, using the steel structural elements to evoke post and beam construction. Using urban renewal funding and a Fire District grant, the facility was seismically upgraded to meet current standards, and increased in size to meet current and future needs. A focus on enhancing the liveability of the station through the renovation was a key driver to improving health and wellness for staff and volunteers. Enhanced liveability included gender neutral toilet/shower facilities, individual bunk rooms and diverse and flexible workspace. “I enjoyed working with Mackenzie on the assessment and design of our Main Station renovation project. The Mackenzie team was responsive and good at explaining the various options available to Sandy Fire District and once the design was completed, they helped usher us through the process of permit procurement and construction. Our project had some complicated aspects to it and the people at Mackenzie were good to work with,” said Phil Schneider, fire chief at Sandy Fire District No 72. Sandy Fire District No 72 proudly protects 25 000 people living in an area of 77 square miles in northern Clackamas County, OR. They operate out of the stations that protect a primarily rural area and include the City of Sandy in Oregon. Their department is a combination department, utilising services of career and volunteer members. “We have an ISO class 3 rating for any area within 5 road miles from a Sandy Fire District fire station and a ISO class 10W for any area between five and seven road miles from a Sandy Fire District Fire Station. Areas more than seven miles are an ISO class 10. Mission statement Sandy Fire District No 72 is dedicated to the protection of life and property with pride and professionalism. Vision statement “We will serve and protect our community, and educate and train our personnel. We invite all members of the community to join us in supporting a shared vision for the safety of our community.” Values Their organisational values are a matter of PRIDE: Professionalism: Strive for excellence through appearance, reliability and dependability Responsibility: To improve any situation or circumstance encountered Integrity: Be honest and accountable for actions Dedication: Commitment to earning and maintaining respect of the community Education: Encourage each individual to achieve his or her highest potential Sources: Sandy Fire District, Mackenzie Architects |
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