Buffalo Grove’s new Fire Station 25 features cancer-reduction measures, sleep-focused bunk rooms, expanded apparatus bays and a larger fitness area

By Steve Zalusky
Arlington Heights

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. — This isn’t your father’s or your grandfather’s fire station.

Buffalo Grove’s Fire Station 25 at 505 W. Dundee Road had its grand opening Wednesday, and one thing stood out: the village’s commitment to the health and safety of its firefighters. The result, officials said, promises to also benefit the residents.

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Buffalo Grove leaders, village staff members and residents gathered to celebrate the opening of the station and tour the state-of-the-art facility.

The station was designed by FGM Architects and Frederick Quinn Corp. managed construction of the project, which came in slightly under its $10.1 million budget, officials said.

It replaces a half-century-old station that was torn down.

It was limping along,” Project Manager Adam Slotkus said. “It had multiple repairs throughout the years. At some point, 50 years catches up with you.”

Village President Eric Smith said the new station gives firefighters the modern space, equipment and resources they need to work at the highest level.

“Today is about much more than a building,” he said. “It’s about our shared commitment to public safety, preparedness and the people who answer the call when we or our neighbors need help the most.”

Fire Chief Larry Kane and Deputy Chief Shawn Collins touted upgrades, including high-speed overhead doors that improve response time and save on energy costs during the winter by keeping the cold air out.

The building also is environmentally friendly, with red and green LED lights by the doors, indicating whether they are open or shut. Elsewhere, lighting is controlled by occupancy sensors to save on electricity.

Exhaust fumes from fire vehicles are kept out of the station by hoses that hook onto the fire truck’s tailpipe. It is an important improvement given concerns about cancer affecting firefighters, officials say.

Individual bunk rooms have climate controls and programmable alerts that reduce unnecessary sleep interruptions.

“Studies show that for firefighters, repeated interruptions cause stress on your heart, cause cardiovascular issues, but sleep disruption can also have an effect on cancer,” Collins said. “Sleep is incredibly important because our firefighters can be up three, four, five times a night.”

The station includes expanded bay capacity, as well as a new rescue squad vehicle that is smaller, quicker, lighter and designed for paramedic and technical rescue responses.

The workout room is three times the size of the former station.

“We want our firefighters to be physically fit,” Collins said. “We joke, the best thing that an old firefighter can tell a new firefighter is how to become an old firefighter. And so I tell the firefighters is to stay in shape. It’s a lot harder to get back in shape than to stay in shape.

Station design is no longer just about housing apparatus. It is about supporting the people who respond from it.

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How thoughtful fire station design can integrate exhaust removal and clean-air systems to reduce firefighter exposure to diesel exhaust and airborne contaminants