Though modest in scale, the California Firefighters Memorial Expansion honors the service and sacrifice of the state’s fallen firefighters. Since its opening in 2002, new names have been engraved each year into the limestone wall at the memorial’s center. By 2023, the wall could no longer hold additional names, and the site’s accessibility and statue placement left room for improvement. The California Fire Foundation led a transformative renovation to expand the memorial’s capacity, improve accessibility and create a more cohesive visitor experience. From start to finish, the project team worked closely with the Foundation and families of the fallen to ensure every detail reflected both personal and shared remembrance.
Bronze relief panels now illustrate six pivotal moments in California firefighting history, complemented by integrated digital media to share these stories widely. The renewed memorial offers a place for reflection and learning, ensuring the profession’s legacy and sacrifices will be remembered for generations.
Collaboration in Service of Precision and Respect
Design-build delivery enabled seamless coordination for the granite, bronze and limestone installations with integrated lighting. Tools such as virtual reality, CAD modeling, 3D printing and water jet cutting ensured precision in every element. The Choosing by Advantages method guided material selection, balancing durability, cost-effectiveness and aesthetics, such as using decorative concrete instead of natural stone for certain elements. Meeting tight tolerances required careful planning, especially where concrete walls met pre-cut granite, and routing lighting with exacting accuracy to achieve the intended design.
Working in Sacramento’s Capitol Park, home to nearly 1,000 permitted events annually, required meticulous scheduling to keep visitors safe and avoid disruptions. The team implemented safety measures like PPE for visitors, delivery flaggers, dust control and strategic work pauses during large gatherings. Barrier-free routes, well-lit paths and integrated wayfinding make the memorial more accessible for all visitors.
Design-Build Team
| Client/Owner: | California Fire Foundation |
| Design-Builder: | Romo Studios, LLC |
| General Contractor: | Turner Construction Company |
| Architect: | Lionakis |
| Engineer: | Royal Electric |
| Subcontractors: | Trademark Concrete Systems; Viking Steel; Navajo Pipelines |
| Project Cost: | $6,400,000 |
| Construction Duration: | 16 Months |
Photos
Photo Credit: Tim Maloney, Technical Imagery Studio