Vermont Standard
By Virginia Dean
Standard Correspondent
KILLINGTON—The future of the Killington Fire and Rescue Department facilities will soon be determined by a committee of citizens who will make recommendations to the town on how to proceed with the renovation or reconstruction of its facilities.
“We’ve posted a call for interested volunteers,” said Town Manager Seth Webb. “We’ve extended the date for responses until Nov. 10. We’ve revived a few letters of interest.”
Department facilities are in disrepair and no longer meet state criteria or the needs of the volunteer fire department, Webb said.
“The Town needs to decide the best course of action for the future of these facilities,” said Webb. “The Select Board has chosen to ask citizens to help guide that choice.”
The Select Board will make appointments at their Nov.11 meeting, Webb said.
The designated Fire Department Facilities Review Committee will be comprised of five members, each of whom will be appointed for a single term of one year. It will serve in an advisory capacity to the Town of Killington Town Manager and Board of Selectmen.
“The Fire Department Facilities Review Committee shall make a recommendation to the Town on how to proceed with the renovation or reconstruction of the Fire Department Facilities,” said Webb. “To do its work, it is expected that the Committee will consider the short and long term needs of the Fire Department, review the study done by Dore and Whittier the architect, consult outside experts, and foster citizen participation in the review/ recommendation process.”
The Select Board met with architects Dore and Whittier last summer who were hired by the Town to review the Fire Department facilities and provide recommendations for renovating the aging facilities.
Preliminary cost estimates for renovation or reconstruction of the two facilities range from $2.4 million to $6.4 million.
The firm’s assessment revealed that the 1974 building on Killington Road has uneven floors, inefficient insulation, plumbing and electricity, no cross ventilation and not enough storage for equipment. With a lack of proper storage for the turnout gear, the gear is exposed to soot and sunlight that plays a part in deterioration of the expensive equipment.
The station is also missing a sprinkler system and is very close to Killington Road that creates safety hazards for the Department and disrupting traffic. Fire stations are typically set back 50-60 feet from the road, not 5-6 feet.
The building lacks two means of egress required for exiting and does not meet handicap accessibility or ADA Code. The number of toilets needs to be increased to meet plumbing codes, and an elevator is required for all public funded building, which the current building does not have.
The lack of room in the vehicle bays causes firefighters to be exposed to unsafe exhaust, and the second station on River Road will require a significant investment to effectively accommodate the current equipment in the years to come.
At one time, the architects considered the options of renovating the building, additions to the building, or demolishing it and building a new one. Other considerations included combining the River Road Station into the Killington Road Station. All options required purchasing more of the surrounding property to establish a parking lot.
Other possibilities included adding a police department onto the fire station to give the Killington police a more stable home base and clump the emergency services together for convenience.
In reviewing the options, the Board agreed with the architects that the size of the existing lot was a significant limitation. The lot is less than one acre and currently much of the parking for the facility is located on another parcel. The building is close to an existing stream, and while there is currently no FEMA flood plain designation, floodwaters have come close to the station.
There is currently no storm water management but this would be required if any redevelopment occurs. A 35,000 gallon water storage tank and pumps from Roaring Brook and would have to be replaced if there was an extensive remodel. To accommodate a renovation, additional land would need to be purchased.
By Virginia Dean
Standard Correspondent
KILLINGTON—The future of the Killington Fire and Rescue Department facilities will soon be determined by a committee of citizens who will make recommendations to the town on how to proceed with the renovation or reconstruction of its facilities.
“We’ve posted a call for interested volunteers,” said Town Manager Seth Webb. “We’ve extended the date for responses until Nov. 10. We’ve revived a few letters of interest.”
Department facilities are in disrepair and no longer meet state criteria or the needs of the volunteer fire department, Webb said.
“The Town needs to decide the best course of action for the future of these facilities,” said Webb. “The Select Board has chosen to ask citizens to help guide that choice.”
The Select Board will make appointments at their Nov.11 meeting, Webb said.
The designated Fire Department Facilities Review Committee will be comprised of five members, each of whom will be appointed for a single term of one year. It will serve in an advisory capacity to the Town of Killington Town Manager and Board of Selectmen.
“The Fire Department Facilities Review Committee shall make a recommendation to the Town on how to proceed with the renovation or reconstruction of the Fire Department Facilities,” said Webb. “To do its work, it is expected that the Committee will consider the short and long term needs of the Fire Department, review the study done by Dore and Whittier the architect, consult outside experts, and foster citizen participation in the review/ recommendation process.”
The Select Board met with architects Dore and Whittier last summer who were hired by the Town to review the Fire Department facilities and provide recommendations for renovating the aging facilities.
Preliminary cost estimates for renovation or reconstruction of the two facilities range from $2.4 million to $6.4 million.
The firm’s assessment revealed that the 1974 building on Killington Road has uneven floors, inefficient insulation, plumbing and electricity, no cross ventilation and not enough storage for equipment. With a lack of proper storage for the turnout gear, the gear is exposed to soot and sunlight that plays a part in deterioration of the expensive equipment.
The station is also missing a sprinkler system and is very close to Killington Road that creates safety hazards for the Department and disrupting traffic. Fire stations are typically set back 50-60 feet from the road, not 5-6 feet.
The building lacks two means of egress required for exiting and does not meet handicap accessibility or ADA Code. The number of toilets needs to be increased to meet plumbing codes, and an elevator is required for all public funded building, which the current building does not have.
The lack of room in the vehicle bays causes firefighters to be exposed to unsafe exhaust, and the second station on River Road will require a significant investment to effectively accommodate the current equipment in the years to come.
At one time, the architects considered the options of renovating the building, additions to the building, or demolishing it and building a new one. Other considerations included combining the River Road Station into the Killington Road Station. All options required purchasing more of the surrounding property to establish a parking lot.
Other possibilities included adding a police department onto the fire station to give the Killington police a more stable home base and clump the emergency services together for convenience.
In reviewing the options, the Board agreed with the architects that the size of the existing lot was a significant limitation. The lot is less than one acre and currently much of the parking for the facility is located on another parcel. The building is close to an existing stream, and while there is currently no FEMA flood plain designation, floodwaters have come close to the station.
There is currently no storm water management but this would be required if any redevelopment occurs. A 35,000 gallon water storage tank and pumps from Roaring Brook and would have to be replaced if there was an extensive remodel. To accommodate a renovation, additional land would need to be purchased.
Comment: The application deadline for the comittee has been extended so apparently there are not enough applicants or not enough applicants deemed worthy by the selectboard and town manager. I applied and I know I'm more than qualified. It will be interesting to see if I am selected.
Vito
No comments:
Post a Comment