Fire Station 3 during recent renovations. Courtesy/LAC
Fire Station 3 during the renovation. Courtesy/LACBy KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
A partial facility renovation project at Fire Station 3, located in White Rock, is nearly finished.
The project, which began in October, included several improvements, County Engineer Eric Martinez said. The roof was replaced over the station’s living areas, modifications to the station’s HVAC system were made, and an exterior wall and windows were added to the sleeping areas. He added the project is expected to be fully completed in March.
The fire station was constructed in 2008, but suffered from a leaky roof and issues with heating and cooling.
Martinez said bad roofing materials were to blame for the leaks and added that the building’s architecture allowed for a portion of the roof to fill with ice and snow that wouldn’t melt.
The roof material was replaced and heating mats were installed to stop the build-up of ice and snow.
“This will add longevity to the roof and help prevent future leaks,” he said.
As far as the HVAC system, Martinez said the radiant floor heating and the ducted air conditioning had a tendency to fight each other. The systems were not integrated, which created unstable temperatures, particularly in the spring and fall when large outside temperature swings are common.
Therefore, he said the radiant floor heating was decommissioned within the sleeping quarters, or bunkroom, portion of the station and replaced with ducted heating. Additionally, each bunkroom now has its own temperature controls allowing each individual occupant to independently control the temperature of their respective room.
Martinez explained this should help maintain temperature but to help with that effort, an exterior wall was constructed to help insulate the rooms.
“It’s like we put a coat on the building,” Capital Projects Manager Anthony Strain said.
Construction costs total approximately $830,000 and Kha’P’o Construction Services, a contractor from the Santa Clara Pueblo, performed the work. The architect firm Mullen-Heller of Albuquerque completed the design.
Firefighters at Station 3 were able to stay during the construction. The beauty of having two wings of bunkrooms, Strain said, is that firefighters would stay in one wing while the other was being worked on.
Strain added, “So far complaints and inconveniences have been minimal and we appreciate staff’s patience during construction. The contractor crews have been very good to work with.”
Fire Chief Troy Hughes commended the contractor for its work.
“We’re really happy with the contractor,” he said. “They were very aware of how to get the work done … and did a great job.”
He added the level of comfort has improved at the station.
Before the project, heaters and fans were plugged in to stay warm and cool, Martinez said.
Not only has the comfort level been improved but the station is more energy efficient. Strain said there should be substantial savings in energy costs.
“Overall I think it’s going to be a successful project,” Strain said.
Hughes also said the project has improved the living situation at the fire station.
“It makes our guys more comfortable … we don’t want them cold or uncomfortable,” he said.
He further thanked the Los Alamos County Council and the community for the support the given to the project.
“We’re very happy for council’s support to provide an adequate facility for the team. We just appreciate the support we received from council and the community,” Hughes said. [ME1]
Fire Station 3 is only about 10 years old, but Martinez points out it is a high use facility. It is in use 24/7. He added the County prepares and updates a 5-year plan annually for capital expenditures in the annual budget to address major facility maintenance work as well as conducts regular assessments on its buildings.
Major snow storms like the one the County recently experienced, freeze/thaw cycles and high elevation can have a profound effect on infrastructure.
“This year has been a little rough on our infrastructure-facilities and roads alike,” Martinez said.
Still, Strain said they do a lot of planning for anything that could come up.
“Just like any homeowner we stretch our dollars as much as we can,” Strain said.
Fire Station 3 is not the only fire station to get improvements. Strain said in 2017 the heating, ventilation and bathrooms were improved at Fire Station 4, which is located next to the golf course on Diamond Drive. Other facility maintenance projects are being planned for fire stations 2, 4 and 6.
