Members of public welcome to vote for People’s Choice honors
Two Sarasota County Fire Department (SCFD) stations — No. 1 in downtown Sarasota and No. 13 on Siesta Key — have been included in a statewide competition recognizing “distinguished examples of public safety architecture in Florida,” county staff has announced.
Altogether, a news release says, 29 structures have been chosen for that competition, and members of the public are welcome to vote on their top choice.
The voting, which is open at floridapeopleschoice.org, is not limited to one time or one station, the release points out. “Those interested can vote repeatedly for the SCFD stations until 11:59 p.m. [on] July 28.”
The People’s Choice competition is conducted annually by AIA Florida and the Florida Foundation for Architecture, the release adds.
To learn more about the competition, visit https://www.aiafla.org.
Fire Station 1 is a 12,894-square-foot, four-bay structure that includes living quarters for 14 firefighters/medics, administrative offices, training facilities and a fuel station, the release explains. “A Silver LEED award recipient, the station also includes extruded aluminum cistern barrels that gather rainwater for reuse. The architectural design for Station 1 was created to fit cohesively within the downtown community surrounding the station,” the release explains.
Fire Station 13, near the intersection of Midnight Pass Road and Beach Road, is atwo-story, 10,500-square-foot, three-bay fire station that “is yards away from renowned Siesta Beach,” the release notes. The ground level of the LEED certified station holds the fire apparatus, decontamination equipment, bunker gear and hose storage. “The second level houses firefighter/medic living quarters,” the release continues.
“The station also features a traditional fire pole,” the release notes. “Station 13’s design and construction were carefully crafted to complement the beach environment and incorporate sustainability,” the release points out.