Arlington Set to Open the New Fire Station No. 3

For many years, Arlington's Fire Station No. 3 leased space from the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Departmen

The historic Cherrydale building served the fire department well. However, changing equipment and the needs of a modern workforce that included women made the move to a new building a smart one. The new station is a state-of-the-art facility, 14,100 square feet built to meet LEED Silver standards that cost about $4.5 million to build.

Located a block away from its former home, the new location won't improve response times in terms of driving distance; however, new technology in the firehouse will help bring the response time down. Each dorm room contains a system designed to wake firefighters more gently than the old klaxons, reducing stress on their bodies. More importantly, the new system is designed to wake only those who need to respond, rather than the entire station.

For Capt. Joe Lightfoot, the station commander, not having his heart rate instantly going from sleeping to 120 beats per minute definitely makes him feel better overall. Assistant Chief John White, the project manager, explained how LED lights throughout the building use one-tenth the power of fluorescent bulbs and turn red during an alert, saving money as well as the firefighter's night visio

The new alert system, tied into the county's 911 dispatch center, feeds information to the station as the dispatcher enters it, saving time as drivers check the address and the rest of the shift identifies what kind of incident it is, all before the dispatcher is able to get on the radio. The truck is out the door and on the way about 25 seconds faster than the old system, and 25 seconds can be critical in an emergency.

The new station was designed with tradition in mind.

There are two 21-foot poles at each end of the station, a watch desk is in the entryway, and the doors of each bay are bi-fold rather than something akin to a garage door. The bi-fold doors not only let more light in, they are much easier to open in the unlikely event of a full power failure. Lt. Gregg Karl explained how plymovement hoses suck up the engine exhaust, making the space healthy and livable for the crews. The hoses are attached to each truck as they enter the building and move with it until it leaves.

Along with private bunkrooms, the new station includes a fitness room. Each firefighter is required to do one hour of physical training each shift. The weights are job-specific and help maintain the muscles used to haul hoses and swing axes.

Not only are the machines designed to reinforce the job's physical needs, they also provide a way to burn stress. Firefighters work 24-hour shifts and their stress levels can be very high. Spending time on an exercise bike is a far healthier way to relieve stress than alcohol, which was often the traditional stress reliever with all of the problems that entailed.

Purpose-built training rooms, an in-house set of washers and dryers, and office space will make the facility more usable for the firefighters. There is an entertainment room with comfortable chairs and an HDTV. A mammoth kitchen accommodates a communal pantry as well as a pantry and a refrigerator designated for each shift. There is space for additional staff during storms and other emergencies. With a projected lifespan of 50 to 75 years, this facility will be the home of Fire Station No. 3 for a long time to come.

The official dedication of the new station is 2 p.m. Friday, and there will be an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday. Both of these events are open to the public.