Tips on selecting furniture for your station

A fire station isn't just a workplace—it's a firefighter's home away from home. So why do so many stations still feel like they're designed around equipment instead of people? Firefighters face unique stresses: physical strain, emotional pressure, chemical exposure, and interrupted sleep. You can't design that away, but you can build a space that helps them recover. Modern stations prioritize health through contamination control, private bunk rooms, comfortable dayrooms, and functional fitness spaces. The best stations don't start with what's cheapest—they start with what matters: the people inside them.

Volunteer fire departments are under pressure. Across the country, fewer people are signing up to serve, and many who do are leaving sooner than expected. This presents a major challenge for towns that rely on volunteers to keep their communities safe. With volunteers making up roughly 70% of the fire service, finding ways to attract and retain personnel is not optional—it’s essential.

Whether you’re building a new fire station, remodeling one, or reconfiguring an existing space, there are many considerations when selecting furniture for your firehouse.

Since opening our doors in 2015, FireStationFurniture.com has had experience working with every type of fire station: big or small, volunteer or career. From FDNY and LAFD to the smallest of volunteer departments. Many questions asked by our customers are about the differences between residential and commercial furniture use in fire stations.

The popularity of using recliners in fire station layouts has grown in recent years. Not only are they comfortable, but select manufacturers have improved their quality, making them both more durable and affordable than they have been in the past.