The City of Kalispell, having received nearly $1.3M from FEMA, wished to reconfigure the out of date fire station, add training and day room space, and provide better access for faster incident response. Jackola was hired as architect and engineer of record for this downtown Kalispell project. Challenges to the design included the installation of a second floor into the existing structure and planning for construction while maintaining critical access and operations for the emergency responders. The project required detailed phasing control to maintain existing operations. Extensive demolition and remodel was required to accommodate the construction of new spaces within the existing building with a total renovated space of 15,326 SF.

In addition to training and day room space, the project also includes an exercise room, report room, records storage, kitchen, dining space, men?s and women?s dorms, and support spaces including a laundry room and restrooms. Durable materials were an important consideration for the design of training spaces in order to withstand rough use during training sessions. Multiple stairways and a fire pole were included in the project to allow personnel to exit the building as quickly as possible.