Volunteer fire departments have been the backbone of the U.S. for centuries. Most career departments were once volunteer departments. There comes a point when the volunteer department becomes a combined department before fully becoming a career department. Some departments take the big leap of transitioning from volunteer to career without the intermediate step. If your department is anticipating the eventual transition, consideration needs to be given to any new station planning. A career station functions very differently from a volunteer station. Just some of the station elements that require consideration for the future transition include: site size and configuration to allow for facility expansion; accommodation for personal vehicles; limiting public access to the station; facilitating training and community activities; kitchen size and layout; and space for sleeping accommodations. This session will cover these considerations and more.