Warrant Article 4 - New Fire Station Where There's Smoke On Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 9 am, the citizens of Warner will gather for our annual Town Meeting at the Town Hall. One of the obvious hazards of firefighting work is smoke. That smoke can contain all manner of toxic materials. We'll be voting on the 3rd & final phase of the new fire station project. If approved, construction will take place soon after and Warner Fire & Rescue will move into their new facility this year. Like all firefighters, Warner firefighters often get into the thick of it when fighting fires. Later, when they return to the fire station, decontamination processes have to be followed. This is not only for their own personal health and safety, but also as part of the maintenance of their equipment. Article 4 requests $2,750,000 for the project, $2,500,000 of which will be secured via a bond. The tax impact is estimated to be between 65 and 95 cents per $1,000 depending upon the terms the Town decides upon. Tax wise, that's between $130 and $190 per year for a $200,000 property. This document aims to help citizens gain a better appreciation of why our current fire station building is insufficient in terms of safety and well being of our firefighters as well as the proper care of our fire apparatus. If you have any questions, please email selectboard@warner.nh.us. Thank You for taking the time to continue reading... The new fire station will provide a separate decontamination room just off the apparatus bay. The decon room will include a 5 x 5 foot shower area. Water and contaminates from the decon room will be collected in an underground storage tank. The contents of that tank will be emptied as needed by an outside service provider.
What Apparatus Do We Have? 2 Fire Engines - These deliver the first teams of up to 6 firefighters to the scene, ladders, hoses, tools, and breathing apparatus. 3 Tankers - Most properties in Warner are NOT near hydrants, so our firefighters bring the water to the fire. 2 Rescue Units - Rescue 1 is a heavy unit used for motor vehicle accidents. It carries victim extraction tools such as the Jaws of Life as well as medical gear. Rescue 2 is an economical 4WD SUV used for medical calls. Room For All Apparatus Forestry Truck - This truck provides 4WD delivery of chain saws, tools, water carrying backpacks, and firefighters into wooded locations inaccessible by the larger apparatus. Fire engines, in addition to transporting firefighters, deliver a great deal of fire fighting equipment to a fire: Ladders, hoses, air tanks, hydraulic rescue tools, foam, water, and more. Therefore, the apparatus is often fairly large in size, in terms of height, width, and length. ATV, Snowmobile, Boat - Support vehicles for fire & rescue operations on our hills and Mount Kearsarge. Due to lack of space, the vehicles in the current fire station are packed in tightly together, bumper to bumper. Only 7 of the 13 pieces of apparatus used by Warner Fire & Rescue are inside the fire station. Utility Task Vehicle - Used to move patients out of the woods. The new fire station will provide room for all of the apparatus and more space between vehicles. Access to the storage compartments of the vehicles will no longer be a challenge. Fire & rescue personnel will be able to work in, on, and around their vehicles, stocking up on supplies and equipment, maintaining and cleaning, all without having to move vehicles outside. Not only will the apparatus all be under one roof, always at the ready, it will be housed in an environment suitable for the ideal care of the equipment, further protecting Warner s investments. Boat - Used for water & ice rescues. Lighting Plant - Our generator powered lighting system used to illuminate fire & rescue operations.
Max Headroom Warner Fire & Rescue apparatus has to be ever ready to roll. That means keeping the vehicles maintained and keeping the fire fighting equipment ready for use. In the current fire station, the ceiling is quite low. This makes much of the work done on the vehicles very difficult. In fact, it is impossible to simply check engine fluids on Engine 2 without moving it outside! The new fire station will provide a higher apparatus bay ceiling. Folding hoses won t involve bumping one s head against the ceiling. Popping the hood on Engine 2 will be possible indoors. The higher ceiling will make life easier and safer for our firefighters. And, yes, that s our own Ed Mical - Emergency Management Director - up on top of an engine, prepping it for the next call. Mutual Aid Warner Fire & Rescue works in partnership with other fire & rescue departments. Mutual aid is provided when additional resources are temporarily needed. It's not just used for large multiple-alarm fires. It also extends to shared training exercises for firefighters and rescue personnel. There are times when other fire departments bring their equipment to the Warner fire station when our apparatus is out on a call. However, due to the heights of our doors and ceilings, the equipment from other towns doesn't always fit in our station. Warner has a history of purchasing custom sized fire apparatus at premium prices, equipment that was shorter in height than standard equipment (as well as shorter in length). Vehicle body size in New Hampshire is limited to a maximum width of 8 6 and height of 13 6. Vehicles that size can not get into the Warner Fire Station. The new fire station will allow full sized apparatus to be safely brought inside, including vehicles brought in during mutual aid.
Communications The smallest room at the current Warner Fire Station is the Communications Room. One person can work in the room at a time; two if they re good friends. From an operations perspective, this room is the heart of the fire station. Radio communications is based there. The telephone is there. Records and paperwork are there. It s a critical part of the operation of Warner Fire & Rescue. Yet, it is the size of a closet. The new fire station will have a proper radio / communications / operations control room. The room will have a window view of the apron in front of the building and quick access to the apparatus bay. From the radio communications room, fire & rescue personnel will be able to assess and manage operations. Rescuing Warner Rescue We have two rescue vehicles. Rescue 2 is a relatively economical 4WD SUV used for medical calls. Rescue 1, shown here, is a heavy rescue unit used primarily for motor vehicle accidents. It carries heavy cutting tools, including the jaws of life and lots of medical supplies. At the current fire station, the supplies for Rescue 1 and Rescue 2 are stored right next to the vehicles in cabinets and shelving. When the vehicles are in the fire station, there s not much room to move around. Space in the fire station is at a premium and everyone does their best with the space available. In the new fire station, a separate Emergency Medical Services storage room will be provided off the apparatus bay. The room will not only provide needed storage space, it will provide increased security and safety. In addition, the new building will provide EMS personnel with their own office in which to process paperwork and manage medical information, equipment and supplies.
Gearing Up Protecting Gear, Protecting Firefighters The pager goes off. Our fire & rescue personnel drop whatever they re doing and head to the Warner Fire Station. They gear up, load up into the fire & rescue apparatus, and roll out onto Rt 103. Turnout gear includes a helmet, pants & suspenders, boots, and gloves. A full set costs $2,800; a serious investment with a serious purpose. Protecting the investment which protects our firefighters, is the right thing to do. Due to limitations of the current station, Warner s firefighter gear is stored right along side the vehicles. The inherent risks of trying to get geared up next to running and potentially moving vehicles becomes quite clear when several firefighters are racing to respond to a call. Even when not in use, gear can be exposed to things that can cause deterioration. Exposure to UV rays (fluorescent lighting), mildew, and exhaust fumes all do damage to turnout gear over time. Firefighter personal protective equipment is designed to protect them from injury or illness due to contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical or other hazards they may encounter during a call. It includes turnout gear and breathing apparatus. In the current station, gear is kept in the apparatus bay. This is no longer allowed for health & safety reasons. The new fire station will have a proper gear room with 40 lockers and room to safely gear up before heading out into the apparatus bay. Our firefighters will be safer and their gear will receive better care. To help protect the gear and maintain its integrity, it needs to be cleaned, dried, and properly stored in an area with good air flow to allow the material to breathe. In the dark! Currently, Warner s firefighter gear is kept in open wire mesh lockers (good) right next to the fire apparatus (very bad). The photo here shows some of the gear, easy to view at that moment only because one of the fire trucks was out on a run! The gear room in the new fire station will have proper air flow and will be kept dark, providing optimum conditions to best maintain the gear, the gear that protects our firefighters.
Tanks The floor plan of the current fire station has apparatus in two bay areas. Along the walls of the two areas is where all of the firefighter gear, air tanks, medical supplies, and so much more is stored or stacked. In the new building, four separate dedicated areas off of the apparatus bay will be provided. One of those is a SCBA room. This is where the high pressure Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus air tanks will be filled. That room will have sufficient room to store filled, ready to use tanks. Dedicated storage and filling area for the SCBA equipment will be safer for all of our first responders. Creature Comforts Upstairs in the current fire station, there is a meeting room / kitchen area and just off that room, a bathroom much like you would find in an average home. Downstairs, in a corner of the apparatus bay is a second toilet and sink. Walls were removed to gain more space. A wood chock marks where a vehicle s left rear tire stops. Once parked inside, the vehicle provides some privacy. This is not an area of the fire station which WFD likes to show. They don t brag about it. Simply put, it is what it is: Functional. It serves a basic need. The new fire station will have proper bathroom facilities for the personnel. Separate facilities will be provided for men and women. Each bathroom will be usable by more than one person at a time. They will include showers and space for toiletries and personal items. An additional toilet will be available for visitors. The bathrooms will be ADA compliant, comfortable, well lit, and properly ventilated. Sheer luxury!
Staying Warm & Dry Build It And They Will Come The purchase of fire equipment is a major capital expense for the citizens of Warner. Therefore, protecting and extending the life of that investment is the right thing to do. Warner s new fire station is not just designed for our current fire and rescue personnel. It is designed for future generations of firefighters who will follow in their footsteps. Due to the nature of firefighting, the floor of the Warner fire station always gets wet. Wet apparatus returning from a fire, wet fire hoses, and wet firefighter gear all contribute to the water that collects on the cement floor. Hosing down and cleaning equipment also contributes to the water buildup. Moisture from the floor can get up into the apparatus and can lead to oxidation and rust. Built to last, the walls of the building will be constructed of insulated concrete forms, ICF. This is a construction method that provides unmatched strength, durability, and energy savings in comparison with other building types. It s popular in the construction industry for both homes and commercial buildings due to the benefits of energy savings, shear strength, and speed of the construction process. The new fire station will have radiant heat in the apparatus bay. The floor will be comfortably warm. While the floor will still be subjected to water on a daily basis, it will dry quickly. The heated floor will also help dry out hoses and help extend the life of the apparatus. And it will be more pleasant for the personnel. The outside of the building will have HardiePlank Lap Siding instead of vinyl or wood. It's a fiber-cement product that's as beautiful as wood siding, but requires less maintenance. A pleasing color pallet has been selected which will fit in nicely with the neighborhood. An extensive drainage system will be built into the floor. Runoff will be collected in underground storage tanks and emptied when full. As much as it can be, the Warner fire station will be an attractive firehouse in a residential neighborhood. It will quickly become yet another point of pride within the Town of Warner. The new fire station floor is not only great for the environment, it will be better for the equipment and Warner Fire & Rescue personnel. Build it and they will come. We suspect our little buddy may one day become one of the firefighters who will work at the new fire station. Just like his Dad.
Please join us at Town Meeting Saturday 9 am March 17, 2018 Emergency Operations Center The fire station is the primary central command location for emergency incident management. The Emergency Management Director's office is in the fire house. In the new fire station, the EOC will continue to share the training and meeting room. However, it will also have better facilities for the amateur radio operators and key players who assist Warner during emergency incidents. Our Emergency Management Director, Ed Mical, is actively pursuing grants through NH's office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The grants are only applicable to aspects of the new fire station which will be used by the EOC. However, that covers a fair amount of the administrative space. We are pursuing $100,000 in grants, funds that will be put to good use to set up the Emergency Operations Center. Warner Fire & Rescue 148 West Main St Warner, NH 03278