Fire Station 178

Delivering a More Resilient, Healthier Workplace for Firefighters

Rancho Cucamonga’s new all-electric, net-zero-energy fire station, home to one of the first electric fire trucks in North America, provides a case study for developing facilities that prioritize first responders’ health and safety.

Designers came together with city and fire district officials to develop a model for a next-generation, all-electric fire station, including one of North America’s first electric fire trucks. For the City of Rancho Cucamonga Fire District, Fire Station 178 was an opportunity to rethink the operating costs, noise pollution and carbon footprint associated with a typical fire station. The district was also looking for new ways to support firefighters’ health and wellness, which was one factor in the decision to buy the Rosenbauer RTX electric truck, only the third all-electric fire engine to go into service in North America.

The design process explored many of the big issues facing the next era of essential service facilities, taking the next step toward developing a self-sustaining, energy-independent fire station. An integrated team of designers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers focused on delivering an efficient building with systems designed to provide continuous operation through power outages, natural disasters and other emergencies.

The new two-story, 12,176-square-foot fire station is located on one of Rancho Cucamonga’s main streets, next to a shopping center, in an area planned for high-density residential and large-scale office building developments. For the growing city, several community goals converged around the station, which neighbors a 9/11 memorial park and includes a 24-hour walkup library kiosk. The station was developed through a design build process, with Mary McGrath Architects as the design architect and LPA the architect of record.