New fire station to withstand tornadoes

|tab|

The town of Battlefield has seen about the worst Mother Nature has to offer. After the Battlefield Fire Station, along with 200 homes, were damaged or destroyed in the May 4 tornado, the fire department felt helpless.|ret||ret||tab|

"After the storm we were useless. One thing we couldn't do was help the people of this community. I wanted to build a building that would still be here after the storm," said Battlefield Fire Chief Jerry Sparkman.|ret||ret||tab|

To make sure they'll be able to fill their role in the future, the Battlefield Fire District is building a facility that's made to withstand whatever Mother Nature dishes out.|ret||ret||tab|

The district is putting up a temporary fire station which is scheduled to be ready by July 22, but its permanent station will be a $1 million, 9,000-square-foot fire station built with insulated concrete forms.|ret||ret||tab|

By the end of construction the new Battlefield Fire Station will be able to withstand an F2 tornado and the sleeping area will be able to withstand an F3 tornado. Testing of ICF construction by the Department of Defense demonstrated that the concrete structures could with stand a 50-pound charge of TNT only 10 feet away.|ret||ret||tab|

ICF construction uses form molds to help strengthen the concrete as it cures, making a stronger building structure. |ret||ret||tab|

The Battlefield Fire District covers 32 square miles and had four stations prior to the tornado. The other three stations are currently making up the difference, Sparkman said.|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

ICF construction|ret||ret||tab|

Amvic ICFs, manufactured by Diversified Plastics Corporation of Nixa, will be used in construction.|ret||ret||tab|

Although ICF construction makes up only 8 percent of the market, it is a growing trend, according to Bob Broyles, sales and marketing director for Diversified Plastics. So far this year, ICF construction has been used in more than 100,000 homes or buildings, nearly doubling the total for all of 2001, Broyles said.|ret||ret||tab|

The new station will be built next to the current fire department administration and training building. Because of the size and weight of the new building the district was not able to build at the former fire station location.|ret||ret||tab|

On average, an ICF building weighs 2 tons per cubic yard, Broyles said.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition to concrete walls, the building will include a concrete double-T roof. Inside the building will be a kitchen, sleeping quarters and a commons area for a full-time staff, and a garage area that will house six fire vehicles.|ret||ret||tab|

Feasibility of ICF is what made this type of building an attractive option, according to fire district board members. After discovering construction cost for the new ICF fire station would not be significantly higher than other types of construction, the fire district board proceeded and will be a model in this area for this type of construction once the location is completed.|ret||ret||tab|

"The cost is simply a difference in the price of material, which we are told right now runs 5 percent or so above the cost of standard stick framing but the price of wood keeps going up," Broyles said.|ret||ret||tab|

Susan Rist, administrative assistant for the Concrete Promotions Council of the Ozarks added that as builders become more efficient with ICF building, the price will come even closer to that of stick framing.|ret||ret||tab|

Groundwork and excavation is under way and actual construction is expected to start before the end of July. Paul Dock with Dock Brothers Construction is the contractor and Buddy Webb with Buddy Webb and Co. is the architect. |ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Building costs|ret||ret||tab|

About half of the construction costs will be paid by insurance reimbursements from the May 4 storm. The fire district received $450,000 for building damages to the fire station, and the administrative and district training center, which also sustained damage in the storm. |ret||ret||tab|

About $400,000 of this fund will go toward construction costs of the new building, and the remaining $50,000 will be used to repair the administrative and training center. |ret||ret||tab|

The remaining construction costs for the new fire station will be funded through tax dollars. |ret||ret||tab|

Members of the Battlefield Volunteer Fire Department, an entity separate from the Battlefield Fire District, will build the new fire station, saving the district about $200,000 in construction costs. Several companies also are helping the district keep construction costs down by providing materials.|ret||ret||tab|

The Battlefield Fire District will pay the Volunteer Fire Department for construction through a lease agreement, eventually purchasing the building from the department.|ret||ret||tab|

The new fire station will not only provide for the district's emergency needs but it will provide a place of shelter. Sparkman said he is not advertising the building as a safe house for the community but it will be there for people who have nowhere else to turn. |ret||ret||tab|

[[In-content Ad]]