With Land at a Premium, Fire Poles are Back

The single-story fire station meant the classic fire pole disappeared. But now that land prices are on the rise, the second story and the fire pole have returned.

1 minute read

October 10, 2011, 6:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

Reporter Mary Jane Smetanka talks with Arthur Anthony of McIntire Brass Works, one of the few manufacturers of fire poles left:

Anthony says:

"They went out of favor for a while because, west of the Mississippi, they built all one-story stations. ... Now, roughly 75 percent of our business is west of the Mississippi."

Smetanka reports on a fire station in Richfield, Minnesota that decided to go with the poles when their location required two stories:

"Many cities no longer have room to build sprawling single-story fire stations that don't need poles."

FULL STORY: Fire poles are sliding back into popularity

Saturday, October 8, 2011 in Star Tribune

Urban Development Minnesota Fire Stations Richfield

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