Facility Planning & Design

Learn to use the design program to thoroughly define your needs with techniques specific to fire stations.   With a written description, room diagrams, spreadsheet, and preliminary construction budget, you will significantly increase the quality of your design and minimize the chance of saying “I wish we had thought of that.”

How to Build a Proper Decon/Laundry

This program discusses current safety trends in firehouse design, including safety and decontamination of firefighters, their PPE, vehicles and equipment. Using 3-D interactive models, we show a variety of facilities that treat decon as a flow process, moving through various steps from dirty-to-clean.  Presentation attendees will discuss proper ventilation design, effluent, keeping the decon/laundry clean, hot-zones, and the relationship between clean cab protocol and station design.

Construction Documents Through Punch List:  How to Control the Process for a Design/Bid/Build Project

This presentation provides the participant with an overview understanding of how to control the outcome of a construction project, including how a careful set of drawings and specifications can protect the project, how to maximize the number of bidders, how to control the contractor, and how to stay on time and on budget.

The Design and Construction of Your Fire Station – From an Idea to a Completed Building

This program expands on the previous topic (Construction Documents) to cover the entire process.  Participants will learn what steps to follow from first deciding they want a new or renovated fire station to moving in.  Each step of the process will be illustrated with sample documents and photos.  A thorough understanding of the process will help save money and result in the best possible building.

Site Location and Response Time (with Dr. Charles Jennings)

When considering a building project it is essential to evaluate your response resources and capabilities relative to community demand.  For example, is the population changing? Are there new businesses in town? Learn how to evaluate the capability of your existing stations to be modified to meet current and new demands and to determine the most appropriate location(s) for your fire station(s) before moving ahead with the project.

Your Old Fire Station – Should You Renovate or Knock It Down?

Participants will learn how to forecast their future building and site needs.  They will learn how to determine if the existing building and site can be modified to meet the current needs, and whether it is better to renovate it, knock it down and rebuild, or move to a new site.

The Bond Vote – Maximizing Your Chances for Success

Failing to get voter approval can be the end of your project.   A bond referendum is like any election.  You do not need a mandate, only to win by at least one vote.  Learn how to increase your chances of success, using methods that have been developed over 20 years.  This seminar covers the bond as a way to fund your project, setting a budget, educating the community, and organizing for a vote.

Energy Efficiency

We have been committed to energy efficient building since the 1970’s when Robert Mitchell Solar Designs, Inc., was founded. Some of our presentations and articles include the following:

The Energy Efficient Fire Station

This presentation explains how to achieve an energy efficient fire station and will provide clear steps to do this.  Participants will learn the fundamentals of energy conservation to reduce heat loss, and to provide heating and cooling at high efficiency.  You will learn value engineering basics as they apply to choosing what energy savings measures are most cost effective through easily understood explanations and through case studies.

The Green Fire Station

Learn how your building can contribute to added costs or cost savings over time through a discussion of insulation, HVAC efficiency, ventilation, lighting, windows & doors, and wisely choosing energy sources.