TUCSON, Ariz. — The Tucson Fire Department opened a new station on the city’s south side, replacing the South Liberty Avenue station that had served firefighters since 1968.
Station 14, designed with a focus on firefighter health, was funded by Proposition 101 as part of a nearly $10 million investment, 13 News reported.
| DOWNLOAD: Discover how fire departments are redefining station design
The new station, which opened on Feb. 23, spans 15,000 square feet, more than four times the size of the old facility, and offers direct access to major roadways. Eight firefighters staff each 24-hour shift, with private dorm rooms and four bathrooms available.
The station features individualized alerting systems that notify only the firefighters assigned to a call, allowing others to remain at rest. The design also includes a new gym and a dedicated decontamination area intended to keep carcinogenic contaminants from turnout gear out of spaces where firefighters work, sleep and eat.
“First and foremost is response to the community, but in doing so, I have to have a healthy, fit for duty, ready set of people to respond to those calls,” Assistant Chief Paul Moore said. “They’ve actually recognized the profession of firefighting as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization, so we used that knowledge to really revamp how we designed our station.”
Station 14 is the third of five Tucson fire stations slated for reconstruction under Proposition 101. The next station is expected to open this summer.
