Inland North San Diego County, of which Escondido is at the core, is emerging as a regional economic leader in the forefront of job development and new industries. As the City has grown, replacement of the aging Main Fire Station No. 1 became a priority. The passage of a local bond measure in 2004 allowed for the replacement of the existing station which was originally completed in 1966. The project included the construction of a new 28,340 square foot six bay fire station, 2,500 SF hose tower and 5,000 SF Reserve Building. The station itself is designed to accommodate 19 firefighters per shift. Among the features are 19 individual bunk rooms, kitchen, dining area, dayroom, fitness room and administrative offices. Also included is a training room for the department as well as a community room for community activities. Operational spaces include turnout lockers, decon and laundry facilities, hose storage, and a workshop. One of the main features of the station is the History Room at the entrance to the station which was designed to house the original 1926 engine that the city has restored. In addition the area is designed with a wall mural depicting historical events in the Department’s past and other memorabilia from the department=s long history. Also included in the project is a 2.5 acre training grounds incorporating a 6 story training tower with 2 burn rooms, a confined space prop, a trench rescue prop and a roof prop. It will enable the department to run both wet and dry training exercises, utilizing stairs, balconies, ladder access and roof access, as well as live fire training in the burn room. The training grounds are designed to allow for hose and nozzle testing, as well as providing an area for practicing vehicle extraction techniques. One of the features that was incorporated into the training ground area is a 40,000 gallon water vault and pump system to capture and recirculate all of the water used on the training grounds. Exterior site elements include an emergency generator, fueling facilities, and a hose-drying area. The fire station’s stone and stucco exterior, and metal roof relate to the surrounding neighborhood. The use of creative lighting and landscaping enhance the interior and exterior design features of the station. With well executed design and proper planning of required functions, Fire Station 1 provides the City of Escondido Fire Department the necessary tools to fulfill the needs of a growing city.

Project Information

Project Address: 

310 North Quince Street, Escondido, CA 92025-2520

Project Owner/ Developer: 

City of Escondido

Owner Contact Name/ Email: 

Michael Lowry, mlowry@escondido.org

Project Architect/ Designer: 

Jeff Katz Architecture

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