"The three-story Fort Myers Fire Station No. 1 & Administration Building fire station is approximately 34,636-SF and includes a fully staffed 24/7 Fire Station No. 1, central operations for fire administration, and fire prevention. The station is a five-bay, drive-through arrangement that allows for the operational capacity of the Station No. 1 service area and storage of reserve apparatus. Dedicated support areas at the fire station for effective operations include decontamination, SHARPS, hazardous material, medical / ALS (exclusive to the fire department), storage and repair space for bunker gear, breathing apparatus, fire hoses, and other department equipment. As a critical facility, it is designed and constructed to survive a category 5 storm event, equipped with an emergency generator, and provides on-site fuel storage located above flood elevation. This project was designed to LEED certified standards.
The Fort Myers Fire Station No. 1 & Administration Building has impacted the community in a positive way. Its central location allows the facility to become an important catalyst for future urban development within the downtown core and surrounding communities. With a half-mile radius service area, the site is well positioned to ensure that the station’s emergency response times to the downtown and surrounding areas are paramount. An (Insurance Services Organization) ISO fire rating is a score provided to fire departments and insurance companies by the Insurance Services Office. The score reflects how prepared a community and area is for fires. Due to its completion, the Fort Myers Fire Department was able to achieve the (ISO) rating of Class 2. This improvement provides assurances to Fort Myers residents and businesses that the Fire-Rescue Department meets the majority of National Benchmarks & can even potentially reduce hazard insurance for buildings located in Fort Myers, Florida.
The design's relationship to the immediate context implements a civic presence along Jackson Street that interfaces directly with the urban fabric. The fire station enables a growth of development in much of what is zoned for future urban development by the city in order to unite the currently disjointed city structure. An exterior public entry plaza that connects a neighboring museum, library, and transportation hub across the street. The relationship to these services enables pedestrian activity to the area and helps to activate the urban edge such that future development can be more easily facilitated and realized.
The Fort Myers Fire Station 1 & Administration Building was designed with community outreach in mind. A large community room is located off of the public lobby and enables residents, local businesses the ability to attend several educational and training programs such as CPR certification, Knox Box installation, and smoke alarm installation. The building was also designed for the room to be available after hours with independent entry / exit for community use via fire department approval. A triage space is also available to the public, where station staff can directly assist in taking blood pressure or assisting with minor clinical tasks while monitoring and even transporting people to hospitals."
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