Des Moines, IA
Discovery
With nearly 200,000 people to serve in the Des Moines area and an existing fire department outgrowing its current location, the need for more adaptable space to train recruits and existing members of the Des Moines Fire Department had never been greater. Yet, how do you ensure that today’s new public safety facilities will stand to serve the needs of tomorrow? A driving factor in the design of the Des Moines Fire Logistics and Training Center was creating a flexible, functional training facility with a life-span of 50+ years and options for future expansion.
Creation
To tackle this challenge, the team embraced a design philosophy that stressed aesthetic and functional appropriateness and incorporated natural site responsiveness. The new pre-engineered metal building houses administration offices and numerous training facilities to support the city’s growing fire department. Classrooms, apparatus training bays, multipurpose areas, maintenance space and a supply and distribution center round out the facility’s offerings. Key aspects of the station, including the apparatus and maintenance bays, were designed to be easily altered for future growth and augmentation.
To enhance the local training program and heighten firefighter performance, the facility includes a myriad of field-representative training spaces, such as an on-site burn building, multi-story training tower, roof ventilation simulator, driver training course, obstacle course, confined space training, auto extrication course, simulated city buildings, drafting pit, CPAT course, technical rope rescue, rail yard and hazmat facility. Many of the training spaces and apparatus are able be manipulated to simulate changes in circumstances in the field.
The Des Moines Fire Department now operates out of a modern fire station that provides every necessary amenity to prepare fire safety professionals for the next 50+ years.
Services
Recognition
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