PUBLIC SAFETY: Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota County Fire Station #16 is a new Fire Station that includes a new Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Operations within one wing of the structure. The Fire Station houses three drive-through apparatus bays with living quarters that serve nine firefighters/EMS personnel. Other interior spaces include a kitchen, exercise room, day room, dining area, screened porch and report writing area. The construction of the fire station includes masonry bearing walls, and metal trusses. Exterior detailing of the facility compliments the Florida vernacular imagery.
The Sheriff's wing of the building holds office space, a kitchenette, bathrooms and locker rooms. The facility contains storage for marine vehicles, patrol vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles. This location also utilizes Mounted Patrol.
Sarasota County Fire Station #16 has received a Silver LEED certificate. The Silver LEED standard was met by implementing the following systems: Daylight harvesting, sustainable and recycled materials. The metal roofing uses a high albedo roof to reflect the sun so as not to create excessive heat. All landscaping is drought tolerant native vegetation. Tankless water heaters are augmented by passive solar hot water tanks. The building strives to be maintenance free. Materials, such as concrete floors and cementitious panels used for siding on the building, need little to no maintenance.
Sarasota County Fire Station #16's plans were re-used for Sarasota County Fire Station #17, also a certified Silver LEED station. Sarasota County Fire Station #17 is located on DeSoto Road in Sarasota and is serving the new University Town Center Mall.
