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Date: 2/14/2023
MONSON – To provide residents with the most up to date information regarding the Fire and EMS Headquarters Feasibility Study, Tecton Architects and the Monson Fire Department will regularly be hosting community outreach presentations until an Annual Town Meeting vote determines next steps.
On Feb. 9, the second community outreach presentation took place at the Monson Council on Aging.
Fire Chief Brian Harris began the meeting by sharing some department history. He noted that
In 1715, the first settler arrived in Monson. When the population increased to over 49 families, people recognized a need for fire protection in town and developed the Monson Volunteer Fire Association.
In 1895, there were two fire stations in town – one on Fountain Street and the other on Main Street – adjacent to the current fire station lot.
In 1956, ambulance services started being provided and in 1978, the existing fire station was built.
Harris noted, at the 1987 Annual Town Meeting, residents voted to hire two full-time firefighters/EMTs and one fire chief. Today, the Monson Fire Department provides 24/7 coverage with eight full-time firefighters/EMTs, 20 on call firefighters and a fire chief.
Since its construction, Harris said there have been many technological advances and the current fire station is no longer meeting needs of service.
Rebecca Hopkins and Jeff McElravy from Tecton Architects attended the meeting to share an overview of the project.
Hopkins noted that the first steps of the feasibility study is to look at the existing conditions. This includes the structural integrity, health and safety of today’s best practices, along with looking at the accessibility and functionality.
Based on the existing conditions, the station shares a parking lot with the Highway and Sewer/Water departments. For a response route, she said they look for multi points of access, which it does not have. She described the site as “insulated” as its set back from Main Street, impacting a response time.
On the building exterior, Hopkins noted that there is visible cracking on some edges as well as roof leakage. The doors are not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.
She went on to say, the main entry is hidden off to the side of the building which “does not accurately reflect the pride and respect for the quality of service provided.”
On the interior, rooms have multiple uses due to lack of space. For instance, there is a training room that serves as a kitchen, note taking spot and more. Hopkins shared, the building lacks space needed for the department to function effectively and there are “major concerns” with program adjacency and zone separation.
On the second floor, there is non-conforming use of space, low ceilings and unsuitable living quarters.
Existing conditions of the apparatus bays are “tight horizontally and vertically,” with additional space needed around each apparatus for firefighter safety.
Hopkins noted that over 44 percent of injuries do not occur at the fire itself but in the fire station due to lack of space. For instance, the current bay space is reduced by storage and equipment. The lack of storage leads to greater problems, such as the exposure to contaminants. Some equipment is also parked outside year-round, in all types of elements.
With a lot to consider, Hopkins said they looked at multiple options and determined a list of priorities. Nine priorities were determined in the following order: decontamination, living quarters, locker shower room, bay congestion, bay quantity, separate training and classroom space, separate public entry, additional administrative space and additional adjacent storage space. Based on the priorities, over 10 solutions were laid out with multiple configurations.
Option E is the preferred option that was presented to the Select Board and Finance Committee by the Fire Department. Option E is a medium apparatus bay and two-story addition to the existing structure, with a total square footage of 17,200. Its operational lifespan is between 30 and 35 years.
With Option E, Hopkins said the equipment outside can be moved inside and turnout gear will be removed from the apparatus bay. She went on to share visuals of the new floor plan.
Hopkins noted that this option would have a community training room that could be used for CPR training, internal training, public events and more. There will also be a multi-function transition zone.
On the second floor, it will serve as the “living quarters” with a kitchen and report writing space, to name a few.
As the process unfolds, Hopkins said information will be updated and shared.
“As architects, it’s not about our ego,” said Hopkins, but instead, the station should “represent the community it serves.”
The probable cost of Option E is $6.6 million. This includes three “buckets,” which is construction cost, project development cost and construction and project contingency, shared Hopkins.
She went on to say, they want to ensure the budget request is sustainable during the entire construction process until it is complete. If any of the money is not used, it will be turned back to the town.
If residents vote to approve Option E at Annual Town Meeting on May 8, Hopkins said construction could begin in May 2024. Assuming it is a 12-month construction process, it will likely be completed by May 2025.
The next steps are to look at the tax impact for household community outreach.
On March 8 at 7 p.m., the third community outreach presentation will take place at the Monson Free Library.