Virginia Beach Blackwater Fire and EMS Station 13
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Overview
Virginia Beach Blackwater Fire & EMS Station 13 is an approximately 12,000-square-foot public safety facility serving the City’s rural Blackwater community and surrounding areas of southern Virginia Beach. The five-bay replacement station brings fire and emergency medical operations together within a modern facility featuring individual sleeping rooms, fitness and living areas, administrative offices, and specialized apparatus, storage, maintenance, and support spaces designed for continuous emergency operations. Thompson Consulting Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design, Construction Administration, and Commissioning services, incorporating a geothermal HVAC system, energy-efficient LED lighting, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, and other high-performance building strategies. Designed to withstand Category 2 hurricane conditions, the facility provides resilient infrastructure for first responders serving a geographically expansive rural area where firefighting operations rely on tanker and drafting water sources rather than municipal fire hydrants.
Challenges
- Designing reliable mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems capable of supporting continuous fire, rescue, and EMS operations.
- Coordinating building systems for a facility that serves both career and volunteer personnel while accommodating apparatus bays, living quarters, administrative functions, and emergency medical services operations.
- Delivering resilient infrastructure capable of supporting emergency response activities within a rural service area covering a large geographic region.
Goals
- Provide dependable MEP and fire protection systems that support 24-hour emergency response readiness.
- Create a comfortable, efficient, and functional environment for firefighters, EMS personnel, and volunteer responders.
- Deliver sustainable and maintainable building infrastructure that supports long-term operational performance and community service needs.
Project Team
- Owner: City of Virginia Beach
- Architect: RRMM Architects
- Contractor: W.M. Jordan Company
Results
- Delivered a modern five-bay Fire & EMS station that consolidates emergency response functions and provides purpose-built living, fitness, administrative, apparatus, and support spaces for continuous operations.
- Increased facility resilience with infrastructure designed to withstand Category 2 hurricane conditions while supporting emergency response in a rural service area without municipal fire hydrants.
- Improved long-term energy and environmental performance through a geothermal HVAC system, LED lighting, optimized daylighting, high-performance building envelope, and other sustainable design strategies.
