Urbandale Firefighters Need Living Quarters During 24-Hour Shifts

Urbandale firefighters who spend 24 hours at a stretch at , need real living quarters during their shift, a city committee has recommended.

Five firefighters work 24-hour shifts at the station and live in a room that houses five twin beds plus workout equipment, the Des Moines Register says.

“Right now it’s like having your bedroom in an exercise facility,” Fire Chief Jerry Holt told the Register.

Members of the capital improvements committee earlier this month recommended movin the living quarters project ahead with design to take place this year and construction to begin next year, the newspaper said. The project is currently scheduled to happen between 2018 and 2022.

The Urbandale City Council must approve the committee’s recommendation if the project timetable is to move up. It will be on the council's Feb. 5 agenda.

The little personal space firefighters now have at Station 42 is the result of one department member’s work to build dividers between the beds. Even with the modifications, Holt said, one bed is still out in the open.

Lt. Lance Routson sleeps at the station every third day, and told the Register the biggest problem is that crew members disturb sleeping co-workers. Not everyone will go on a call, and those who do leave tend to make unintended noise, he said.

Committee members also recommended installing exhaust ventilation systems for Station 42 and Fire Station 41, 7100 Douglas Ave.

Trucks currently run in the bay for 30 seconds at the most. Holt told the newspaper no one has gotten sick, but repeat exposure to exhaust fumes can be dangerous.