Chicago Fire Department – West Pullman Fire House – IT Communications & Power Protection

The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) has made a $30 million public safety investment in a new fire station for Engine Company 115 in West Pullman, an underserved community on Chicago’s South Side. The facility will be the second-largest fire station in the city, with 27,000 square feet of space for a CFD District Office, an Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) radio communication tower, and three ambulances.

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot joined the CFD in breaking ground in November 2019 for an expected opening in summer 2020.  Minority-led UJAMAA/Trice Joint Venture is overseeing its design and construction for the Public Building Commission of Chicago. The project is expected to support 94 full-time jobs, at least half of which are required to be filled by local Chicago residents.

“From running into burning buildings to coming to our rescue in a time of need, Chicago’s firefighters and paramedics are nothing short of superheroes and they deserve nothing more than state-of-the-art resources and equipment to keep our residents safe,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Today represents more than an investment in public safety infrastructure, but also an investment to stimulate growth and new jobs for our south side communities.”

The new Engine Company 115 Fire Station features a high-tech emergency communications hub, watchtower, open office spaces, and a 4-bay apparatus room with a hose drying tower. It will be a home-away-from-home for approximately 20 firefighters/EMTs and eight police officers with full-size living and sleeping quarters, kitchen and dining areas, indoor physical training/workout space, and other wellness amenities.

Level-1 has designed mission-critical technologies for the innovative new station, including a unified communications system, an advanced radio tower, and a power protection/generator backup system. 

Level-1’s unified communications system for voice, data, and radio will enable first responders to share information more efficiently and improve situational awareness during emergencies. Level-1’s advanced radio tower will enhance OEMC communications for the south and southeast sides of the city. Level-1’s uninterruptible power protection solutions and generator backup system will thwart common threats to utility outages and ensure that power is transferred instantly to alternative sources to provide a seamless flow of power to the station’s mission-critical systems.

Level-1 is proud to deliver these mission-critical services and support Chicago’s continued efforts to provide our first responders with the latest technology tools they need to keep our communities safe.