Carlsbad Fire Station No. 2 replaced the 1960s-era original, meeting the needs of the department and community by expanding to two stories and 10,782 SF while occupying the 0.42-acre footprint of the original station.
The station includes six dormitories, four private bathrooms and the office space to accommodate five firefighters and one captain on duty per 24-hour shift, year-round. The second-floor housing area has a full kitchen, an indoor dining area and an outdoor dining area with a BBQ. There is a common room for meetings and relaxation, a complete exercise and weight room with a Decon-sauna and exterior exercise patio.
Fire Station No. 2’s lower floor houses the apparatus bay with fast-acting four-fold doors at the egress of each of the three bays. In total, the station can hold five emergency response vehicles, including a 60-foot ladder truck, fire engine and ambulance. The laundry room, extractor and gear drying equipment, a shop, secure EMS room and SCBA for oxygen tank filling are also located on the lower level.
In accordance with Carlsbad’s Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and design with sustainability in mind, the new fire station includes energy-efficient electric, heating and cooling systems, solar voltaic panels on the roof, two EV charging stations for public use, drought tolerant landscaping, solar hot water heater and low-energy-use LED lighting.
Public art inspired by the Carlsbad community is integrated into key areas of the building’s window systems, so that it can be enjoyed from both the exterior and interior of the building.
Delawie served as Architect of Record.