MURFREESBORO, TN - For decades, fire stations were designed with communal "dormitory-style" sleeping quarters that also came with a single loud, jarring alarm that would ring in every station, regardless of where the fire was located. The alarm would wake multiple crews... That was Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Chief Mark McCluskey, who told WGNS that a lot has changed over the years, with technology now routing alarm calls to the fire station closest to the incident, allowing alarms to sound at specific stations and enabling individual units to be dispatched for response...

A large volume of research into Shift Work Sleep Disorder and the physiological “startle response” has sparked a revolution in how fire stations are built and how firefighters are awakened...

To combat the long-term physical and mental health impacts of sleep deprivation, multiple departments across the country are moving toward individual dorm suites. These more private rooms feature:

• Acoustic Isolation: Multiple layers of soundproofing to prevent disruption from other crews or daily station activities.

• Zoned Alerting: Ensuring only the responders needed for a specific incident are woken, allowing others to maintain their rest cycles.

• Ramped Alerting Systems: Replacing traditional 100-decibel sirens with progressive tones that gradually increase in volume, coupled with computerized voice messages to reduce the sudden adrenaline spike that stresses the heart.

• Circadian Lighting: Utilizing lighting that mimics natural day-night cycles and "graduated lighting" that slowly brightens to protect night vision and reduce physiological shock during a call. 

These advancements are no longer just about comfort; they are critical mission requirements designed to protect the cardiovascular health of those who protect the community.

Construction on a new fire station will soon be underway on Veterans Parkway in Murfreesboro, and past studies on firefighters’ sleep patterns have played a role in the design of the station’s sleeping quarters…

New fire halls take years to plan, as the buildings must be specifically designed to withstand the constant response calls that large fire engines require—resulting in additional wear and tear on concrete flooring, as well as garage doors opening and closing multiple times each day and night. Not to mention, new fire trucks must be pre-ordered for the station, and those can take years to build…

The new fire hall is being built next to the future Veterans Park, near the I-840/Veterans Parkway interchange. However, if you drive past the site today, there’s not much to see just yet... Because of its location, firefighters stationed at the new facility will be able to quickly access several areas of the city in a matter of minutes via I-840, which is about one mile southwest of the I-24/I-840 interchange.

An opening date for the new fire station has yet to be announced. 

As for the new Veterans Park currently under construction, it will span approximately 150 acres and include a destination playground that children are sure to enjoy. At the heart of the park will be a massive American flag honoring the veterans to whom the park is dedicated. Construction is expected to wrap up next year, with an opening targeted for early 2027.

• Hear the most recent interview with the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department HERE.