What\u2019s inside the impressive brick, stone, steel, and glass structure? Some 70 employees who work in the offices of the Fire Chief, his Command Staff, the Fire Prevention Bureau, the EM department, and IT department. The building\u2019s also expandable, and was designed to serve CFD for the next century. That\u2019s right, a hundred years. \u201cWe desperately try to building every building to last 100 years,\u201d said Deputy Chief Rich Granger in this Charlotte Observer story from last year.<\/p>\n
Among the design features, notes this FireRescue1 story<\/a>, are the use of high-performance materials, including high-efficiency heating, cooling, and lighting systems. They’ve maximized access to natural daylight and included five large skylights on the second floor. The building’s designed for 24\/7 operation and includes emergency power supplies. There’s also a large conference room that can serve as both meeting space and as a venue for promotional ceremonies and other functions. It\u2019s called Fireman\u2019s Hall.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s talk about that lobby.<\/p>\n Of particular interest to Yours Truly is the building’s lobby, which also functions as a mini-museum. Displayed are three hand- and horse-drawn pieces of apparatus: a 1903 American LaFrance steam engine, an 1866 Jeffers hand engine, and a hand hose reel. The hand engine is particularly impressive both in presentation (the polished wood and metal surfaces absolutely gleam) and its history (operated by white Hornet Fire Company until 1871, then transferred to the black Neptune fire company).<\/p>\n The hand engine was sold in 1901, and moved to Marblehead, Massachusetts. Five years later, it was sold to the Westfield Veterans Association and used exclusively for tournaments. Fast-forward a hundred years and Charlotte Fire Department members located the thing in Newberry, MA. It was displayed in the American Hand Engine Society Museum since the 1990s. The museum agreed to sell the engine to its original owners, and it soon returned to the Queen City.<\/p>\n Below is a video of both engines in action at the Raleigh fire expo in 2011. See more photos<\/a> of the new building and it’s antiques.<\/p>\n As for the Charlotte Fire Department, they\u2019re the largest in the state. Stats from last year\u2019s Observer article cite 1,172 employees (and now 42 stations), and in 2014 (?) answered 103,473 calls, conducted 42,000 inspections, and 7,000 building plans reviews.<\/p>\n Now for the reader question. What other impressive headquarters buildings do readers like in the Carolinas?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/charlotte-hq.jpg\")
<\/p>\n