Administrative Services and Fire Prevention Buildings

The District purchased 170 Middlefield Road on December 21, 2007, for $3,600,000. The project was completed in January 2010 and both the fire prevention and administration divisions have taken occupancy. This two-story commercial office building with a sub-grade garage beneath is approximately 5,800 square feet. In October 2016, the District purchased 114 Santa Margarita Avenue for $2.8 million, which is located adjacent to 170 Middlefield Road. The acquisition has allowed the District to provide additional office space for District staffing. Per the 2020 space needs assessment, the District lacks adequate space at these two facilities on office and storage space for its administration and fire prevention divisions.  The District is in the process of designing new office and storage space on Station 1 lot. Included in the 2025-26 capital improvement project budget is the renovation of the second floor kitchen at 170 Middlefield.

Administrative Kitchen Project

170 Middlefield’s renovation was completed in January 2010.  Since then the small kitchen on the second floor has been excessively used by the administration and fire prevention staff.  The finishes and fixtures show significant wear and tear and are in need of replacement with more durable materials.  The project includes a complete renovation including the removal of the cabinets, countertops, appliances and linoleum flooring and the installation of new cabinets, countertops, appliances, and polishing of the existing concrete floor as well as painting.  The project will be completed in 2026.

Pre-emption is a form of preferential treatment given to emergency vehicles at intersections to reduce their travel-time by reserving the right-of-way for their movement while responding to an emergency. The most common use of these systems is to manipulate traffic signals in the path of a responding emergency vehicle, stopping conflicting traffic and allowing the emergency vehicle the right-of-way. The intended result is reduced response times and enhanced traffic safety.  Pre-emption works on the principle that the emergency vehicle is detected by a controller and  given a green signal, which is held until the emergency vehicle exits the intersection.

In 2014, fourteen intersections were installed with the Opticom system in partnership with Facebook to enhance response times along our eastside response corridors. This was in addition to fifteen pre-existing intersections with Opticom in Menlo Park along Willow Road and Sandhill Road. In 2015, an additional eleven intersections were installed with Opticom devices along the El Camino corridor.   With traffic continuing to impede the District’s emergency response times, Staff is proposing installing Opticom traffic pre-emption devices at an additional thirty-nine intersections along the District’s primary response routes.  This project is anticipated to be completed in 2026.