Fire Protection Study, 1958

FIRE PROTECTION

This publication by the Department of Planning for and with the aid of:

The Raleigh Fire Department
Jack B. Keeter, Chief.

CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMISSION

CITY MANAGER

W. H. Carper

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

A. C. Hall, Jr, Director
Annette Anderson
Joseph P. Hedrick
John C. Blake
Marilyn Hill

COVER PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF: Lawrence Wofford

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

SUMMARY OF STUDY

1. Past studies have been made of fire station facilities. This publication compiles recommendations for easy reference.
    
2. Many improvements in fire protection have taken place in the past few years. Further must take place to meet the demands of Raleigh's growth. (Page 1)
    
3. A comprehensive plan of fire station locations is a necessary prerequisite in assuring a reasonable and progressive expansion of fire coverage to areas of new growth. This plan must be based on reasonable standards assuring adequate coverage to both high intensity areas and to residential areas, at a minimum cost. (Pages 2-4)
    
4. The proposed plan for station locations recommends continued use and maintenance of four of the city's existing stations, relocation of Station # 2 and Station # 4 and construction of ten new stations before 1970. A development priority schedule is included in the recommendations. (Pages 5-8)
    
5. The plan also includes recommendations concerning special fire department facilities. It is recommended that aerial ladder trucks be located at several of the proposed stations, that major repair facilities be developed in the building now occupied by Station # 2 (Municipal Auditorium) after relocation of the station, and that classroom training facilities be developed near the site of the fire department training tower.
    
6. An inventory of existing fire stations and equipment is summarized in the latter part of the study.

FIRE STATION LOCATION STUDY

Various studies of fire station locations and facilities have been prepared during the past few years. This publication is an attempt to compile and expand this information into a useable form which should aid in planning adequate fire protection facilities.

Many improvements have been made in fire department facilities during the past ten years. Three of the present six stations were built and equipped, and another station is to be completed within a year. In order to keep up with the growing Raleigh community, plans for additional facilities must be made in advance of development so that good locations may be acquired at reasonable costs.

A high level of fire protection is dependent upon programs of fire prevention and training as well as physical facilities. These programs have been initiated by the fire department and are being expanded as manpower and facilities become available. This study includes only physical facilities, not these administrative programs.

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Planning fire station locations is different from the planning of other public improvements in at least one important respect: the best number of stations to serve a city is the minimum number which will adequately serve the area. Unlike parks or streets, the original cost of the fire station site and building is a relatively small part of the total cost of operating the facility throughout the years. Therefore, selection of the best location to adequately serve the largest area possible is of great importance. The choice of a second best site because of lower land costs is, in the long run, a false economy.

The location and construction programming of the fire stations is dependent upon the rate of population growth, the expected direction of residential development, major thoroughfare plans, and present and planned location of commercial and industrial areas in the city. Each of these factors must be taken into consideration in planning for station location.

The area of the city which one fire station can adequately serve varies with the pattern and intensity of land use, the density of residential development the quality of structure, the frequency of fire loss, and thoroughfare pattern of the area in which the station is located.

In general, all high value areas of the city and all places where a major fire would be of special danger should be within 3/4 of a mile, street running distance, from a fire station. The areas which need this intensive protection include industrial districts, major commercial areas, high density apartment areas, hospitals and dormitories. Any of these high value or danger areas in which buildings of over two stories in height are built should also be within one mile of a ladder company.

In medium and low density residential areas, fire stations can cover an area of 1 1/2 miles running distance.

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Illustration 1 shows the location of areas in Raleigh which need intensive fire protection and the 3/4 and 1 1/2 mile service areas of existing fire stations.

Standards of site selection

After review of existing station locations and their present service areas and determination of the parts of the city which now need or will soon need coverage, locations for new stations can be chosen. The choice must be based on certain specifications.

1. Determination of area to be served
2. Location of station and delineation of service area with a minimum overlapping of service areas of other stations
3. Choice of site which will provide full coverage to the entire service area when fully developed, but will initially provide intensive protection to the part of the area developed when the station is built.
4. Location near, but not necessarily in, any high value or danger area within the overall area to be covered

1. Close to or on major thoroughfares, but not located directly at a potential congested area
2. Easy access to arterial streets with no topographical barriers or necessary detours to hinder rapid coverage of service area
3. Located adjacent to high density or commercial areas where normal street activity is greater than that occurring in low density residential areas
4. Located on a wide, two-way street
5. Not on the near side of a traffic light unless access from two directions

1. Sufficient in size to allow adequate space for building, parking, and recreational space: approximately 150' by 150' for a two company station, with 25' width added for a three company station
2. Good sight distance on street or streets where engine will enter
3. Location where building can be placed on lot so that equipment can be driven through front or back
4. Located, if possible, on a site which can be partially developed as park area for both the surrounding neighborhood and use by the firemen living at the station.

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PLAN FOR STATION LOCATIONS IN THE RALEIGH AREA

Proposed fire station locations are shown in the following illustrations. Illustration 2 shows the location of high value or danger areas in the city and the 3/4 mile or intensive coverage areas of the proposed fire station plan. Illustration 3 shows the 1 1/2 mile service areas or residential coverage provided in the plan.

The plan is based on the assumption that Raleigh's present annexation policy will be implemented and adjacent, outlying areas will be annexed to the city as they develop.

The twelve new and relocated stations proposed should be built by 1970 to provide adequate protection to the city. The two proposed station relocations and the first two stations on the priority list should be begun by 1960 in order to provide standard coverage to existing, development. The remaining stations should be scheduled for completion between 1960 and 1970. All sites should be purchased as soon as possible (wit1iin the next two years) to reserve desirable station locations.

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Continued Use

Raleigh now has six fire stations. Four of these stations are well located and the buildings, with sound maintenance and protection, should be adequate for at least 25 years service. Several of these stations presently need renovation or expansion; specific recommendations for improvements are included in the Appendix.

The following stations are recommended for continued use and maintenance:

Relocation of two stations is recommended because growth patterns have caused an overlapping of service areas and changes in design trends have made the existing facilities outmoded and changes uneconomical.

Station # 2, now at the Municipal Auditorium, could be better located for service to the Industrial area on South Wilmington and much of its service area duplicates the areas of Station # 1 and # 3. Also, the site does not offer desirable recreation space for firemen living at the station. The South Wilmington industrial area and large residential areas, including Hertford Village and Carolina Pines which will inevitably require fire protection, would be better served by a relocated station. It is recommended that Station

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# 2 be relocated to a site on the West side of South Wilmington, South of Walnut Creek. After completion of the belt line, the station would have good access to other parts of the city.

Station # 4, now at Jefferson and Filmore could be better located on the now completed Downtown Boulevard. Due to the opening of this new traffic artery, new high-value areas have been created and access from the present location is inconvenient. Better coverage is now needed for this Boulevard industrial area and for residential areas north of the service area of present Station # 4.

It is recommended that Station # 4 be relocated to the East Side of Downtown Boulevard, south of the Wake Forest Road Interchange.

New Stations

Ten new stations are recommended for construction before 1970. They are listed below in order of priority. The site for Station # 7 in Lockwood is owned by the city and construction of the station is scheduled for fall, 1958.

Station # 7 - Raleigh Boulevard (proposed) and Glascock
Station # 8 - Ridge Road at Churchill Road
Station # 9 - Six Forks Road, north of Farrior Hills
Station #10 - Highway 1 and Beltline
Station #11 - Highway 64 and Beltline
Station #12 - Western Boulevard and Method Road
Station #13 - Western Boulevard and Asbury Drive
Station #14 - Poole Road at Worthdale Subdivision
Station #15 - Blue Ridge Road south of Highway 70
Station #16 - Wake Forest Road south of Millbrook

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Three additional facilities important to the protection of the Raleigh area demand special attention in the plan: aerial ladder equipment, repair facilities, and training facilities.

Aerial Ladder Equipment: An aerial ladder truck should be located within a mile of all areas where there are multi-story buildings. Ladder trucks are now located at Station #1 (220 S. Dawson) and Station #6 (Oberlin and Fairview). The truck at Station #1 is an aerial ladder truck; and the one at Station #6 is a city service truck, a smaller ladder truck. The Fire Department is planning to place an aerial ladder truck (old one) at Station #5 (Oberlin and Park) within the next few months. By 1970, the study period, an additional three ladder trucks will probably be needed. These should be located at Station #4 (Downtown Boulevard and Wake Forest Road), Station #8 (Ridge Road and Churchill Rd.), and Station #11 (Highway 64 and Beltline). Ladder truck equipment should be purchased for these stations at the time of station construction"

Repair Facilities: The Fire Department now does only limited repair work on trucks and equipment. As the size of the department and number of trucks increases, major savings will be realized as repair facilities are available for most repair jobs.

The building which now houses Station #2 at the Municipal Auditorium is used as a repair shop, and when Station #2 is relocated, the building will be adequate for a complete repair garage. The site has the advantage of location near the downtown area so that trucks in the garage could quickly answer a general fire alarm in the downtown area.

A disadvantage of the site would be the nuisance of garage noise and activity when the stage of the auditorium above the garage is in use. The garage would not interfere with the major night performances in the auditorium, however.

It is recommended that when Station #2 is relocated south of the beltline, the fire station building at the back of the auditorium be converted to a repair shop and garage.

Training Facilities: The Fire Department needs a small building for classroom training use. This training building should be built near the fire training tower on S. Wilmington, separate from any fire station.

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Although this classroom space is presently needed, the two fire station relocations and two new stations scheduled for development before 1960 should precede development of the training facility. The classroom building should be scheduled for construction around 1960.

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES

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FIRE HOUSES AND FIRE EQUIPMENT

INVENTORY OF EXISTING FACILITIES