Station Design Conference Director Janet Wilmoth and Principal Architect Rob Manns discuss the impact of the Station Design Conference on recent fire station construction projects, and how attendees can maximize what they get out of attending the annual conference focused on fire station designs and construction for new and renovated stations.

Wilmoth planned the 11th annual conference, taking place in Glendale, AZ, May 20-22, with a focus on building stations designed to last 50 years in the fast-moving environment of building design, construction materials and technology and new materials. The two explain how the conference is designed for education and time with service providers and why attendees should plans their schedule carefully.

Manns, a principal architect with Manns Woodward Studios, explains how attendees can maximize their conversations with speakers, architects, builder and component representatives and peers through networking and coming equipped with questions.

For departments who are seeking advice on current or future plans, Wilmoth explains the 1-on-One Sessions pair agencies with architects to look at blue prints for advice on design and layout concepts to ensure the station meets their needs.

As the show wraps up, they discuss some of the trends they’ve seen in volunteer fire stations, from the need for sleeping spaces to stations built to transition from volunteer to combination and how understand the future of the organization can save them money in the long run.

Resources

• Station Design Conference
• Manns Woodward Studios
• Revamping America's first responder infrastructure – an untapped market for contractors
• Janet Wilmoth’s Firehouse contributor page
• Robert Manns’ Firehouse contributor page