The Township of Langley has opened the new Fire Hall 5 in Brookswood-Fernridge. The new facility is the first purpose built composite fire hall and the first new fire hall constructed in the municipality in 20 years.

The new Fire Hall 5 has been strategically located within the Brookswood-Fernridge service area to optimize response times and improve coverage across the township.

The design of the approximately 18,000 square foot facility includes four drive-through apparatus bays with quick-release door systems, as well as direct and efficient routes from living quarters for personnel to access the apparatus bays. Advanced alerting systems will reduce turnout times, and the site orientation is set up to minimize vehicle wear, while allowing for rapid and safe egress by firefighters responding to calls.

The hose tower has been strategically designed as a multi-purpose/multi-functional space, incorporating many training uses, such as confined space and technical rescue, fireground operations, low and high-rise building operations, and fireground survival.

The new hall meets the latest post-disaster requirements in the BC Building Code. It has been officially certified under the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standards, and includes an array of 54 rooftop solar panels which will generate 12 per cent of the hall’s energy needs. Any excess generation will go back into the grid.

Fire Hall 5 also incorporates modern design features, including dedicated decontamination areas and operational layouts that reduce exposure to harmful contaminants. The landscape design uses FireSmart BC landscaping principles with the goal of reducing the ignition and spread of fire from landscape materials to structures.