Fire stations use more water than the average facility, so ensuring proper drainage is critical. Since fire stations have such specific requirements, you need to make the best drainage selection possible. Drainage needs to be efficient and capable of handling the various functions of a fire station. While there are many options available, Slot Drain, a modernized style of trench drain, offers the best solution for fire station drainage.
Fire stations use more water than the average facility, so ensuring proper drainage is critical. Since fire stations have such specific requirements, you need to make the best drainage selection possible. Drainage needs to be efficient and capable of handling the various functions of a fire station. While there are many options available, Slot Drain, a modernized style of trench drain, offers the best solution for fire station drainage.
The Importance of Fire Station Design And Drainage
Fire stations are designed with functionality and efficiency in mind. Since firefighters can get a call at any moment, they have to be able to move through the facility with ease. However, proper fire station design goes well beyond that: the drainage system is a critical part. Fire trucks and other water-emitting apparatus can generate lots of water runoff and drip significantly. Oil can drip occasionally from fire trucks, which affects safety.
Alone or combined, without the proper floor, these substances will have nowhere to go, creating massive safety issues for firefighters, who could slip on them, fall, and be injured. A drain system will give the substances a place to go, which, in turn, will allow the floor to dry.
When a system is poorly fitted for the station or improperly situated, it can be rendered ineffective. Thus, a drain system’s size and placement are also critical considerations when planning a fire station layout. All of these factors are important to keep in mind when considering different drainage options so the best choice can be made.
4 Fire Station Floor Drain Considerations
When considering fire station drainage options, you need to evaluate the options carefully. Fire stations rely on these systems to maintain a clean, dry, and therefore safe facility — so quality is essential. A Slot Drain system is ideal for fire stations for many reasons.
Slot Drain is a modern trench drain that has a linear, pre-assembled, and pre-sloped design, eliminating the need for a four-sloped floor or complicated floor configuration. One of its most notable visual features is the grate-free aspect, which creates a better-performing, more durable, and easier-to-maintain drain system.
1. High Performance
The most common drainage systems in fire stations use the traditional grated trench drains. While these systems can be effective, their performance can leave a lot to be desired. Their channels can easily become clogged, preventing water from flowing smoothly through the system.
Slot Drain is designed with a slim channel opening, which does not require a grate. The largest model has an opening of 1.25", making it small enough to prevent large objects and debris from falling into the system. With that size, you also get 27 gallons per minute (GPM) per foot of drain, making it highly effective as fire station drainage.
2. No Grates
Traditional floor drainage systems require grates to prevent objects from falling into the channel, but these drains can be fragile and break under extreme pressure. While drains can be placed strategically to prevent vehicles from putting pressure on a grate, they are still problematic when the time comes to clean the drain. Slot Drain eliminates this problem by not requiring a grate cover.
3. Durability
Fire station drainage needs to be durable; otherwise, it will break under the weight of the fire station equipment. Slot Drain's 9,000 and 10,000 Series systems feature a Load Class F capacity. As a result, the system can withstand up to 10,000 pounds of weight easily.
Beyond that, with stainless steel options, Slot Drain provides corrosion resistance, so cleaning chemicals will not erode the system.
4. Easy Maintenance
Firefighters have better and more important things to do than clean their floor drain systems. Traditional options, like the grated trench drain, require time. With these systems, you have to remove the grate and clean it separately and also clean the channel itself.
It is easy to scrub and rinse the Slot Drain, especially since there is no grate. But there are also the Clean-In-Place and FlushFlo cleaning options, which make cleaning more automated.
Fire stations are hubs of activity, and efficiency is key. With the amount of water runoff seen in stations, having the right drainage system can make all the difference. Fire station drainage needs to be high-performing, durable, and easy to maintain while remaining cost-effective. While other brands may claim to have the perfect solution, none can compare to Slot Drain's linear systems.
Contact Slot Drain today for a better fire station drainage solution.
