Embracing Capsule Beds for a Better Workplace: A Fire Station's Approach to Rest and Wellbeing

Across Japan, demand for firefighting, disaster response, and emergency medical services keeps growing. An aging population means more emergency transports, and natural disasters are becoming both more frequent and more severe. With call volumes rising steadily, improving response capacity has become an urgent priority for fire departments nationwide.

To attract and retain top talent under these demanding conditions, fire departments are working to improve their work environments — from mental and physical wellbeing support and work-life balance to the proactive recruitment of female personnel. Facilities are being upgraded too, especially at stations where staff work 24-hour shifts. One increasingly popular solution is the capsule bed: a way to create semi-private resting spaces within limited square footage, with clear benefits for both privacy and infection control.

We spoke with Masanari Ejima and Ryu Imatomi of the Kasuya Hokubu Fire Department about the story behind their recent capsule bed installation — introduced to accommodate a newly expanded emergency medical services (EMS) team — and their broader efforts to build a more supportive workplace.
 

――What was your first impression of the capsule beds?

Imatomi

Honestly, visiting Kotobuki Seating's showroom was the first time I'd seen a capsule bed up close — I'd seen them online but never actually slept in one, so it was completely unfamiliar territory. Seeing them in person changed that immediately; it made the benefits obvious and let us picture exactly how they'd fit into our station.

Ejima

Imatomi sent me a flood of videos afterward, raving about how spacious and comfortable they were (laughs). His enthusiasm convinced me we needed to take them seriously. I'd slept in a capsule bed once before and remembered it as cramped and stuffy, so at first I had trouble imagining them working in our station — which is why I went to see for myself.
Once I did, I could see that even within our limited space, three people could sleep comfortably. One major selling point was the staggered layout of the upper and lower units, which means someone climbing into the top bunk won't disturb the person below — so a dispatch in the middle of the night doesn't wake the whole room. The price was higher than we'd originally budgeted, but resting quarters matter enormously for people working under these conditions, and we felt strongly that it was worth the investment.
It also helped that the Nakama City Fire Department, also in Fukuoka, had already adopted these beds. Hearing honest, firsthand feedback from people actually using them gave us real confidence in the decision.

Sleeping Better: Blocking Out Light and Noise

――How are the rooms and bedding managed now?

Imatomi

Staff joining the new dedicated EMS team use the new nap room; firefighters and the other EMS team still use the original first-floor room. I currently split my time between EMS and firefighting, but I'll be moving to the dedicated EMS team.
Sleeping spots are permanently assigned — our platoon leader has the top bunk, and I have the bottom-right unit. We average one or two dispatches a night, but since my colleague and I also handle overnight phone duty, we end up waking more often than the leader does. I think that's why he assigned us the lower bunks — easier and quicker to get in and out of.

Ejima

We rent our bedding, so it's laundered and replaced regularly. Everyone has their own set, which they lay out before sleeping and put away afterward, and we installed dedicated lockers for storage.

――It's been about two months since installation — how has it gone so far?

Imatomi

The interior is roomier and more comfortable than I expected. I'm 181 cm (about 5'11"), and as long as I position my head properly there's plenty of legroom. In our old quarters, light and noise were a constant disruption; the capsule beds have basically solved both problems. The biggest difference is how much less fatigued I feel after a shift.
Before, if I didn't get solid sleep during a shift, I'd have to sleep again as soon as I got home — which was hard with young kids around, so I just had to push through the exhaustion. Now that I'm getting real, deep sleep in the capsule, I don't need that extra sleep at home. The improvement in sleep quality has been significant.
Over the past decade, most newly built fire stations in Japan have moved toward private resting spaces. Twenty-four-hour shifts take a real toll on the body, and a proper rest environment should mean less chronic fatigue and better long-term health for our staff.

――How has the rest of the team responded?

Ejima

We almost never hear complaints about snoring anymore — at most, someone might mention feeling a slight vibration if a neighbor tosses and turns. Generally, people say they don't even notice when someone else enters the room. One staff member joked that they now sleep so soundly they're worried they might sleep through a dispatch alarm — that's how quickly people are falling asleep (laughs).
The privacy also has uses beyond nighttime rest. When a staff member felt unwell recently, we had them rest in a capsule during the day. Since the units are mainly used at night, they also work well as a place to recover when someone isn't feeling well.

Building a Supportive, Adaptable Workplace

――Your department puts a lot of effort into public relations.

Ejima

We believe that keeping residents informed about our work builds public trust — and that trust is what makes the community receptive to our guidance during an actual emergency. Grassroots, community-facing outreach is essential to building disaster-resilient neighborhoods. It also helps with recruitment: departments that communicate openly tend to attract more applicants.

――Speaking of recruitment, you recently welcomed your first female firefighter.

Ejima

Compared to other departments, we got a later start on recruiting women — we ramped up our efforts a few years ago, but it took time to bring on our first female member.
We're about to start construction on dedicated facilities for female staff, converting a former book archive into restrooms, showers, and resting quarters. We considered building a separate annex, but decided against it — having a female firefighter alone overnight in a detached building raised safety concerns. Instead, we carved out space inside the main building near the disaster management room, which is staffed around the clock.
Beyond physical facilities, we're gradually updating our internal policies. We've had male firefighters take childcare leave before, and our general approach is to actively accommodate staff needs wherever we can. 

――Have you noticed any recent shifts in the challenges facing fire and EMS services?

Ejima

COVID-19's impact is still being felt. It's manageable when we know in advance that a patient is infected, but our teams are constantly operating under the mental strain of not knowing. That affects firefighters too, but EMS crews bear the brunt of it. Building an environment that supports them through that pressure is essential.

――The department has also been proactive about mental health, with things like stress checks.

Ejima

Following the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's mental health guidelines, we work closely with industrial physicians and public health nurses to look after both the physical and mental wellbeing of our staff. Being a smaller department actually works in our favor here — communication stays open. Stress builds up when people keep things bottled up, but having colleagues nearby who understand the same pressures — and being able to talk openly with them — makes a real difference.
My main role is facility management, but I work closely with colleagues responsible for mental health and organizational matters, and together we're committed to steady, meaningful improvement. Fire department budgets come from taxes and local bonds, so funds are limited — but when we can clearly communicate why something matters, the budget tends to follow. Before this project, we'd already updated the storage, wallpaper, and flooring in the first-floor resting room. We try to use our funds efficiently while making sure the essentials get covered.
Challenges like the pandemic will keep evolving, but we have to keep building a supportive environment for the people on the front lines giving their all every day.

――As a citizen, it's reassuring to see this level of investment in the workplace. A strong environment naturally attracts great people and strengthens emergency response for everyone. Thank you so much for your time today.