A Twist on the Traditional Fire Hall

In 2015, construction began on a state-of-the-art fire hall in Cold Lake, Alberta. After more than 50 years in the original fire hall, Cold Lake firefighters now reside in a new building that boasts a range of amenities, including a lounge and fitness facility, as well as a high-tech emergency operations centre.

Despite the modern upgrades, the building's architecture pays homage to traditional New York City fire halls, featuring five big red garage doors on the front of the building that swing inward when opened.

These specialty garage doors are Richards-Wilcox SlidetiteTM Four-Fold Doors. Opening in less than half the time of typical sectional overhead doors, they're ideal for operations where every second counts.

"One of our first experiences with SlidetiteTM doors was on a fire hall project in Sherwood Park, Alberta where we had never encountered a door quite like it before," says Jason Blond, superintendent at Creative Door's Edmonton branch. "These doors have become the favoured choice for fire halls and emergency response centres across the country. Our clients are not drawn only to the aesthetic of the doors, but also the longevity and performance of the product that make it well worth the cost."

In addition to the garage doors, Creative Door's Edmonton branch also installed the full electrical component that integrates the doors into the fire hall's main computer system. When a call comes in, the doors open automatically.

"The planning phase was very important," says Blond. "We needed to guarantee that when a call comes in, the doors operate without a hitch so emergency responders can get to where they're needed most."

In addition to fire halls, Richards-Wilcox SlidetiteTM doors have become a favourite for transit facilities and parking garages.

Do you have a commercial or industrial project in need of a custom garage door solution? Contact us to find a Creative Door branch near you.