B

When designing a new fire station, the best approach according to Morristown Fire Chief Clark Taylor is to get the opinions of those who best know the needs: firefighters.

Taylor updated City Council during a recent work session with details concerning the construction of a new MFD Station No. 3.

The current Station No. 3 was built in 1966 at 3205 East Andrew Johnson Hwy. The facility was adequate to house two personnel per shift; however, today it staffs three to four personnel per shift.

Station No. 3 as it stands cannot house “Skyboom” category engines, that have either a 55-foot or 61-foot reach and have a standing or travel height of over 11 feet.

“The building is stick-built, it’s not a Risk Category 4 as the new station will be,” Taylor said.

Buildings compliant with Risk Category 4 are considered to be essential in that their continuous use is needed, particularly in response to disasters. Hospitals, fire stations, police stations and emergency vehicle garages must remain operational during and after major disaster type events.

Within the current station, there is no personal space available for required study and no suitable area for fitness, as required.

“And, of course, we’re dealing with the expansion of 11E to begin soon,” Taylor said.

The new station will be located on 13 acres along Thompson Creek Road, near the road’s intersection with East Morris Boulevard. Construction will begin as soon as the road improvements are far enough along to accommodate the travel of trucks carrying heavy equipment. The project will require a large drainage area on site.

“That is an area that is a little low and has some challenges with regards to stormwater,” City Administrator Tony Cox said.

The project architect is Sonja R. Shannon, who reported to council that an estimate for the start of construction, depending on the progress of the road, is September.

City Assistant Administrator Andrew Ellard concurred with Shannon: “There is really a lot of dirt being moved, so the hope is that by September there will be some semblance of a pad there on the training tower area because it’s got to get prepared for receiving the tower that’s already been ordered.”

The site backs up to Frank Lorino Park’s disc golf course, and Shannon has included in her design a fenced area along the perimeter with an evergreen screen on the outside of the fence.

“The slope of that whole back side will change,” Ellard said. “I foresee us doing heavier landscaping in that area.”

Shannon’s design will utilize the best features out of the last three stations built according to Taylor.

“With this station, Sonja will have been involved with building all six stations. The last three have been very popular. The two out on Highway 160 and in Witt have good outside curb appeal,” Taylor said.

The new station’s interior design will mirror Station No. 4, located at 337 Central Church Road.

“We had a lot of input from firefighters who actually man these stations,” Taylor said. “They like the design of Station 4, the inside design. There’s an ample exercise and fitness area. The firefighters have individual bunk quarters, there’s a study niche in each bunk room.

“What the firefighters like about this particular station is that the bunk quarters are very close to the apparatus room. And they are required to be out of the station in within seconds – so it’s a short run to the truck in this station,” Taylor said.

A bell tower will be constructed that will house the original 1893 City of Morristown fire bell.

“This bell is rich in history and we hope to have a plaque on the tower conveying the history,” Taylor said.

The Training Tower will include four stories, including a repelling tower, and will meet ISO specifications.

“We are fortunate to have gotten this tower,” Taylor said.

Multiple training props will include: movable maze walls for search and rescue, confined space, roof and wall breach and five forcible entry practice stations.

“Just about every training prop that the state has at the state fire school is encompassed in this training tower,” Taylor said.

The repelling tower will facilitate High Angle Rescue Training. There will be two live burn rooms (Class A and LPG) located on the lower floors. Each room will have temperature sensors on the floor and ceiling – “This is a really nice tower,” Taylor said.

Also included on site will be a shade pavilion to be used for training participant cool-down.

“When firefighters come out of a hot environment, they need some place to get out of the sun and drop their gear,” Taylor said.

Also being considered is the construction of a classroom, to be bid as an alternate but to be built simultaneously with the station.

The classroom will be located adjacent to the Training Tower, with no commute necessary. The room will be sized to accommodate large classes, which will enable the MFD to host state classes (currently limited by space). The classroom will ensure the station is a state-of-the-art facility to meet future training needs. It would double as an emergency operations center to be utilized by both city and county entities.

“We had a terrorist drill two weeks ago,” Taylor said, “And most of the department heads were in the classroom along with the EMA and it was very crowded. You had to go outside to have a conversation on the phone.”

The classroom will have access to generator power and the station make available its showers and kitchen for extended EOC incidents.

Cox reported to the Council that with regard to financing the classroom project as an alternate, bids would be requested to determine whether the cost would be considered affordable by the body.

“We wanted to have the option to make the decision, but it’s not a necessary requirement of moving forward,” Cox said. “Bidding as an alternate gives you more options and flexibility as we figure out what our financing ability is and what the cost will be for construction.”

Councilmember Tommy Pedigo recommended that Council and staff find the funding for the classroom – “It’s never going to get cheaper, and we’re going to always need something like that. And it’s going to help us out with the state.”

In response to a question by Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney, Clark explained that the new station with the tower will not eliminate all training travel.

“We still participate in the Northeast Tennessee Regional Fire Training Association. We have training instructors who are certified in different fields. But we can certainly host a lot more of that. We can hold up our end of the barrel … School runs 14 weeks, and currently we host two of those weeks here. But with the training tower, we can host several more weeks. And it is adjacent to hotels, right across Morris Blvd.”

Pedigo asked Cox, “On Central Church Road, did we not buy property to build a training tower? What are we going to do with that property?”

“That is something we need to have a conversation about. In our strategic planning that’s upcoming, that will be a topic,” Cox said.

Cox joked with Taylor, asking if the department would be providing turnout gear for Shannon, since she has been involved with the construction of six stations.

“She’ll be the first one through the training tower,” Taylor responded.