Chicago Fire Department – West Pullman Fire House

Level-1 delivered resilient communications and power systems for one of Chicago’s most advanced fire and EMS facilities.

In a landmark public safety investment, the City of Chicago allocated $30 million toward a new fire station for Engine Company 115 in West Pullman, an underserved South Side neighborhood. At 27,000 square feet, this is the second-largest fire station in the city and will house a Chicago Fire Department (CFD) District Office, a communications tower for the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), and bays for three ambulances. Spearheaded by the Public Building Commission and delivered by the minority-led UJAMAA/Trice Joint Venture, the facility is a critical node in Chicago’s emergency response infrastructure and a signal of ongoing investment in equity and resilience.

Engine Company 115 houses 51 firefighters/EMTs and 8 officers and is equipped with four apparatus bays, a CFD District Office, a watch tower and communication hub, and a 150-foot OEMC monopole to strengthen emergency signal reach across the city. The station also includes living quarters, a physical training room, a classroom for ongoing training, and a hose drying tower, all built with an eye toward LEED Silver certification. Construction was completed on schedule despite the dual challenges of harsh winter weather and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Level-1 Global Solutions was selected to engineer and deploy the mission-critical communications infrastructure that powers this high-performance facility. Our scope included unified communications, radio systems, and robust power protection systems that ensure the station can remain online even during grid outages or communications disruptions. We worked closely with OEMC and CFD to deliver advanced IT and power systems that will serve firefighters, EMTs, and police officers as they respond to crises across the South and Southeast Sides.  

What We Delivered 

• Unified communications system integrating voice, data, and radio for real-time emergency coordination 
• Advanced radio tower infrastructure designed to expand OEMC’s signal coverage across key city quadrants 
• Uninterruptible power protection system with generator backup to ensure seamless transitions during utility outages 
• Resilient IT infrastructure that supports command, control, and dispatch functions for fire, EMS, and police teams 
• Technology systems design coordinated with living, wellness, and training areas for optimal functionality and comfort 
• Collaboration with MEP and civil teams to ensure full integration with the station’s sustainable, high-performance design 

This next-generation firehouse is more than a public safety facility, it’s a technology-forward headquarters that supports Chicago’s bravest with the infrastructure they need to respond quickly, communicate clearly, and act decisively. Level-1 is honored to support Chicago’s mission to equip its first responders with the tools they need to protect every neighborhood, every day.