Cañon City renovated its Station No.3 in the summer of 2023, but the Cañon City Area Fire Protection District in Colorado has moved onto improving the other two facilities, including the district’s oldest firehouse.
The remodel will also introduce several new bathrooms to that station, which previously had only two. In addition to the three restrooms designated for the fire crew, there will be a brand new ADA-compliant bathroom for the public in the front of the building.
Like Station No. 3, Station No. 1 will shortly have a fully functional security vestibule, where guests and community members can check in at the front and wait in a secure foyer.
The renovation will also introduce new training props to the station, which was previously only available at Station No. 3.
Concurrently, the remodel will also serve a larger crew, if and when the needs arise. Currently, the district boasts 16-man shifts with five of them usually at Station No. 1. With the growth of Canon City, district leaders foresee a possible need for more firefighters in the future.
A new HVAC system will also be installed, which will provide central air to the previously swamp cooler-chilled station and spray insulation will be added to the ceiling.
The communal sleeping area will be completely overhauled to feature five double bedrooms, which will provide some privacy and much-needed quiet for the firefighters.
The living area will feature a pressurized air component that will push any nascent diesel fumes away from the firefighters.
A new station alerting system will also be installed later in the project. In its place, softer, red lights will be installed to help the firefighters adjust as they ready themselves to head out on a call.
Fire Chief David DelVecchio at Station No. 1 at the corner of Harding Avenue and 15th Street provided an update on the renovations at the district’s oldest firehouse.
DelVecchio said: “We’re aiming for functionality and long-term durability and we want to improve the lives of firefighters.”
Lieutenant Josh Johnson spoke about the origins of the $2.2 million project, saying: “The crew began by sorting through 40 years of accumulation.
“We donated stuff to other fire departments that could use it.”
Firefighter Zach Potts shared his excitement at the renovation: “Sleep quality is a big thing for me. We won’t have to hear anyone snore anymore.”
Like many firehouses built in the 1980s, Station No. 1 previously boasted a communal living space with a large open-air room.
According to DelVecchio, the situation caused disrupted sleep and also introduced issues with mixed-gender firefighting situations.
Cañon City Area Fire Protection District are improving the district’s oldest firehouse.
Fire Chief David DelVecchio at Station No. 1 said the renovations were designed for functionality and long-term durability and a desire to improve the lives of firefighters.
