An interim report on conditions at the fire station include plenty of reasons for alarm.
Consultants have documented problems with airflow. No ventilation air is being introduced into the apparatus and rescue vehicle area, and two exhaust fans “do not appear to be functional,” MacRitchie Engineering, Inc., of Braintree, wrote. The presence of union-purchased exercise equipment in the same location “is leading to some serious health concerns” as the only apparent source of ventilation is opening the door, “which is not practical during the winter months.” The interim report labels this “an extreme health hazard.”
The MacRitchie report on HVAC systems and an overall facilities analysis conducted by The Galante Architectural Studio (TGAS), Inc., of Cambridge, which were presented to the selectmen last night (Feb. 4), detail a building plagued with problems that still manages to deliver services but is too small to continue to meet modern expectations.