On December 9, 2024, the Sutherlin City Council approved the CM/GC Service contract amendment for the Seismic Rehabilitation Grant (SRG) for the Sutherlin Fire Station. Sutherlin Fire Department command staff have been working diligently for the past two years towards this grant with additional upgrades with support from the City of Sutherlin Community Development and Finance Departments. This grant covers the costs of the design and construction to bring the fire station up to the latest standards of seismic integrity in hopes to prevent significant damage from an earthquake. The City of Sutherlin previously selected ZCS Engineering for the design and project management and S+B James as the General Contractor.

“Our team is proud to work on the seismic retrofit of Sutherlin Fire Station #1. This project focuses on strengthening the building’s structural systems to ensure it remains safe, stable, and operational after a major earthquake. Along with enhancing resilience, we’re incorporating upgrades to extend the station’s service life—supporting the critical work of Sutherlin’s first responders for many years to come.”

– Shawn Smoot, PE/Lead Engineer, ZCS Engineering

Furthermore, infrastructure upgrades are taking place, increasing the safety of firefighters and operations of the fire department. Upgrades include a vehicle exhaust collection system, LED lighting, replacing an aging electrical panel, upgrading the fire station tapout system, replacing a 28-year-old turnout washer (for firefighting garments), and adding an extension to one apparatus bay to ensure space needed for a future ladder truck. Additionally, the extension of the bay will give firefighters a work area and will create a safety buffer between firefighters and multiple air compressors that require hearing protection. In addition to adding seismic stability to the structure, this grant will provide the fire station with new roofs, correcting water leaks in the station and apparatus bays, as well as making the fire department more efficient for both utilities and operations while safer for firefighters. 

“We are excited to begin the seismic upgrade to the main fire station.  This allowing us the opportunity to make some changes that will enhance our ability to respond when the public needs us in an emergency.  We also are adding some features that will provide a cleaner and safer working environment for our firefighters on a daily basis.  The vehicle exhaust system and turnout extractor are two that come to mind.  Cancer is very prevalent in the fire service.  Anytime we can do something positive for the health of our members long term we should be taking advantage of that opportunity.”

– Michael Lane, Fire Chief, Sutherlin Fire Department 

Construction is slated to begin just after January 1st and take approximately three to five months to complete. During the first phase of construction, firefighters will be working and living in mobile living quarters on the fire department property which have started to arrive as of yesterday morning (December 16, 2024). 

Sutherlin Firefighters would like to thank the Sutherlin City Council and City of Sutherlin Administration for their support, as well as the State of Oregon for the funding to improve this critical infrastructure.

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