Case Studies
From Disastrous Delays in Extreme Weather to Resilient Energy-Efficient Emergency Operations: Rebuilding the New Paltz Firehouse Through Community-Driven Commitment
After flooding and power outages from back-to-back storms hampered emergency response in New Paltz, local and state leaders collaborated to create a model, climate-resilient firehouse that will remain operational even during power outages caused by extreme weather events.
The 2011 back-to-back storm events of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee battered the town and village of New Paltz, located in Ulster County within the Hudson Valley. Nearly 10 inches of rain caused the Wallkill River to overflow its banks and the stormwater system to exceed capacity.1,2 The largest and oldest of the two firehouses serving both the town and village of New Paltz became inaccessible due to the severe flooding and its location near both the river and the village’s storm sewer system. The flooded narrow streets, combined with a loss of electrical power throughout the communities, created emergency response challenges in New Paltz. While the smaller firehouse did not experience the same storm-related impacts, the facility was too small to accommodate all the New Paltz emergency response equipment and volunteer emergency personnel. Leaders in New Paltz recognized the dire need for a larger, climate-resilient firehouse at that site that could serve the community in extreme weather.
Leaders in New Paltz applied for funding from the New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery to replace both firehouses. The initial proposal followed a conventional building design that did not reflect the local community’s dedication to environmental issues. After rejecting the initial and more expensive proposal, the village mayor and the fire chief worked with a green architect to create a more climate-resilient and energy-efficient design that would also improve health and safety.3
Highlights
- Back-to-back extreme weather events caused challenges for aging emergency response infrastructure in New Paltz, New York, and hampered first responders’ ability to serve community members facing flooding and power outages.
- Local leaders applied for post-storm recovery funding to replace the old firehouses and demonstrated a community-driven commitment to a climate-resilient design for the new firehouse.
- The updated New Paltz firehouse includes disaster-resistant building materials and emergency generators and is solar/storage ready. The firehouse can remain operational during a power outage and conditions will remain safe and comfortable for volunteer emergency responders in extreme temperatures.
Every detail of the new firehouse design will enable the building to withstand future climate impacts, including power disruptions and flooding.4 The building is solar and storage ready; arrays of solar panels on the roof will supply power to the building. Although the plan is to incorporate battery storage for backup power during outages, the firehouse currently relies on a gas generator on an elevated pad to protect against flooding and provide backup power, if needed. Walls constructed of insulated concrete forms (ICF) reinforced with steel and concrete will have higher disaster (wind and seismic) resistance compared to conventional construction. ICF construction provides superior insulation, allowing the building to hold its interior temperature during power outages even with extreme outside temperatures. Air source variable-flow heat pumps condition the interior spaces. A heated bay floor ensures fire equipment is ready to respond in an emergency while reducing the need for space heating. Two energy-recovery ventilation systems installed in the attic above the truck bay and the office areas exhaust air pollutants from the trucks as a health and safety measure to protect the firefighters.
Moving the firehouse away from the floodplain will avoid flooding, ensuring the firehouse is more resilient and responsive to community and station impacts.5
The community of New Paltz celebrated the grand opening of the climate-resilient, energy-efficient firehouse in September 2022. The project cost at that time reached $8 million, with $5 million funded by New York State post-storm recovery funds.6 This collaborative, community-driven investment will ensure volunteer emergency responders are prepared to effectively serve local residents as they face new and growing climate impacts—even if the power goes out.
References
1. Mansmann, J. (2011, September 1). Special delivery: Irene storms New Paltz. The New Paltz Oracle. https://oracle.newpaltz.edu/special-delivery-irene-storms-new-paltz/
2. Ribbon-cutting held for $8 million New Paltz emergency operations center. (2022, September 18). Mid Hudson News. https://midhudsonnews.com/2022/09/18/ribbon-cutting-held-for-8-million-new-paltz-emergency-operations-center/
3. Randall, M. (2022, May 19). New Paltz builds energy-efficient electric firehouse amid push for greener economy. Times Herald-Record. https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/local/2022/05/19/new-paltz-builds-energy-efficient-firehouse/9732644002/
4. Harris, L. (2022, May 15). A green firehouse for New Paltz, despite the odds. The River. https://www.chronogram.com/river-newsroom/a-green-firehouse-for-new-paltz-despite-the-odds-18194503
5. Wirthman, C., Fire Chief, New Paltz Fire Department. (2022, July 28). [Personal communication].
6. Platt, F. M. (2022, September 22). Fire department unveils new state-of-the-art emergency operations center in New Paltz. Hudson Valley One. https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2022/09/22/npfd-unveils-state-of-the-art-emergency-operations-center/