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23 May 2025
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Fire stations of the world: Greensboro Fire Station 7, North Carolina, US
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Established in 1958, Greensboro Fire Station 7 began as a humble brick establishment spread over 8 784-square-foot, well-equipped to house two fire trucks and furnished with essential amenities like offices, sleeping quarters, restrooms and storage areas. Today, this two-storey structure has evolved into a sophisticated, 17 000 square-foot building, backed by a robust telecom/data infrastructure, CCTV, A/V capabilities, security systems and environmentally-friendly solar panels. Consistently recording the highest number of incident responses among the 26 stations in Greensboro, the newly designed Fire Station 7 serves as a reliable home to both fire and EMS facilities.
Officially opened in December 2021, its expanded space now features five arched bays with quick-operating overhead doors, female quarters, locker rooms and a state-of-the-art workout facility, refining the service efficiency and comfort of our firefighters. Greensboro Fire Station 7 is a vision fulfilled through a collaborative effort between the city of Greensboro and Guilford County.
At more than double the size, the new two-story station houses the Greensboro Fire Department (GFD) and the Guilford County Emergency Medical Services Base 1.
Located on the corner of Wendover and Gatewood avenues, a two-storey tower and five bays that have large, red, four-fold doors clearly communicate a new and improved Fire Station 7 to the community. The exterior façade includes red brick, stone veneer and architectural precast concrete, which all are iconic materials in the history of fire stations. Paying respect to the original station, many elements were saved and integrated into the new facility, such as the brick, which was repurposed as pavers at the public entrance and signage that’s displayed throughout the interior of the new station. Glazed masonry units that lined the apparatus room now accent the pilasters that are between each new apparatus bay.
The interior includes areas that are dedicated to the Greensboro Dire Department and Guilford County EMS. Spaces for the battalion chief, engine company and ladder company include offices, a kitchen, a dining room, a dayroom, a large fitness room, officer bedrooms, a bunkroom, a laundry and separate men’s and women’s restrooms and locker rooms. One bay is designated for the battalion chief and two pull through bays are for the engine and ladder companies. Space that’s dedicated to Guildford County EMS includes sleeping quarters, a kitchen, a dining room, a dayroom and two bays for response vehicles.
The layout of these spaces carefully was considered to provide separation of the departments and critical response times. One key element that’s used in this station are two fire poles, to provide quick access from the bunkroom to the apparatus room.
This facility was dedicated and named after retired Fire Chief Ray K Flowers, the first African-American Greensboro Fire Chief with 37+ years of service. During Chief Flowers' early years as a firefighter, he was a driver for Station 7. “It is an honour to dedicate and name Station 7 and Guilford County EMS Base 1 after Chief Ray Flowers,” said Greensboro Fire Chief Jim Robinson. “The new station and Chief Flowers represent everything that is right with public safety.”
Sources: Greensboro Fire Department, ADW Architects, SAMET Corporation
Officially opened in December 2021, its expanded space now features five arched bays with quick-operating overhead doors, female quarters, locker rooms and a state-of-the-art workout facility, refining the service efficiency and comfort of our firefighters. Greensboro Fire Station 7 is a vision fulfilled through a collaborative effort between the city of Greensboro and Guilford County.
At more than double the size, the new two-story station houses the Greensboro Fire Department (GFD) and the Guilford County Emergency Medical Services Base 1.
Located on the corner of Wendover and Gatewood avenues, a two-storey tower and five bays that have large, red, four-fold doors clearly communicate a new and improved Fire Station 7 to the community. The exterior façade includes red brick, stone veneer and architectural precast concrete, which all are iconic materials in the history of fire stations. Paying respect to the original station, many elements were saved and integrated into the new facility, such as the brick, which was repurposed as pavers at the public entrance and signage that’s displayed throughout the interior of the new station. Glazed masonry units that lined the apparatus room now accent the pilasters that are between each new apparatus bay.
The interior includes areas that are dedicated to the Greensboro Dire Department and Guilford County EMS. Spaces for the battalion chief, engine company and ladder company include offices, a kitchen, a dining room, a dayroom, a large fitness room, officer bedrooms, a bunkroom, a laundry and separate men’s and women’s restrooms and locker rooms. One bay is designated for the battalion chief and two pull through bays are for the engine and ladder companies. Space that’s dedicated to Guildford County EMS includes sleeping quarters, a kitchen, a dining room, a dayroom and two bays for response vehicles.
The layout of these spaces carefully was considered to provide separation of the departments and critical response times. One key element that’s used in this station are two fire poles, to provide quick access from the bunkroom to the apparatus room.
This facility was dedicated and named after retired Fire Chief Ray K Flowers, the first African-American Greensboro Fire Chief with 37+ years of service. During Chief Flowers' early years as a firefighter, he was a driver for Station 7. “It is an honour to dedicate and name Station 7 and Guilford County EMS Base 1 after Chief Ray Flowers,” said Greensboro Fire Chief Jim Robinson. “The new station and Chief Flowers represent everything that is right with public safety.”
Sources: Greensboro Fire Department, ADW Architects, SAMET Corporation
