New tech meets old fire department tradition

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue leadership, Mayor Ken Welch, Councilmember Gina Driscoll and several community leaders celebrated the arrival of a technologically advanced engine Wednesday morning.

They also marked the occasion with a traditional wash-down and push-in ceremony that dates back to the 1800s. Engine No. 8 will now serve the area around Lake Maggiore and a station that has not received a new truck since 2014 due to production delays.

The nearly $800,000 vehicle came equipped with innovative “clean cab” features that reduce carcinogen exposure. Cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters.

“Our firefighters deserve the best because every day, they do a job that very few can do,” said Mayor Ken Welch. “It’s an important investment in our community’s safety.”

Station 8 will house the new engine at 4701 9^th St. S. It will respond to calls immediately; Wednesday’s ceremony was briefly interrupted by the sirens of a truck blocking traffic as it sped away to an emergency.

Lt. Chris Jones explained that the push-in tradition began during the days of horse-drawn and steam-powered fire carriages. The animals could not reverse into the station, and crews manually pushed the heavy equipment into bays.

They would then wash the horses, and fire departments nationwide continued the “time-honored” tradition. Ceremonies evolved to include spraying a new engine with a hose from a visiting station. The community wash-down is also a way to anoint a new vehicle – paid for with city tax dollars – into service.

Station 8 Captain Richard Moore speaks with Mayor Ken Welch.

The Downtown Master Station lent an engine and personnel to assist in the ceremony. Interim Fire Chief Robert Bassett noted that a “slew” of department retirees, former Chief James Large and myriad neighboring residents and business owners attended the event.

The long-awaited ceremony held a special meaning for Driscoll, one of eight council members who approved the $800,000 purchase in 2021. Her late father was a firefighter. They would have celebrated his birthday today.

“I remember what it was like growing up, being little and listening to the scanner to, maybe, hear dad’s voice,” Driscoll said. “And to stop and pray every time we heard sirens go by. Every year on my dad’s birthday, I try to do something special to honor him.

“And finding out this was happening today, I thought, ‘this could not be more perfect.’”

Driscoll pledged to ensure St. Pete Fire Rescue would have the equipment, staffing and training needed to keep themselves and the community safe. After the presentations, Bassett explained how the new engine will help achieve those goals.

The truck has specially designed easy-to-clean surfaces. Each firefighter receives two sets of gear, which can hold and disburse carcinogens after responding to a structural fire. “We have a way to clean that gear before they even get back in the vehicle,” Bassett said.

The interior features a misting and ventilation system that sprays disinfectants and decontaminates the air. Bassett said the department received its first clean cab-equipped engine about five years ago, “but they keep improving on that technology.”

“It’s got some upgraded systems,” he added. “We have changed the design a little bit as we have learned what needs to happen as we progress.”

St. Pete Fire Rescue was an early adopter of new “clean cab” technology that reduces carcinogen exposure.

Bassett said the technologically advanced trucks make a “huge difference.” Fire Rescue responds to around 65,000 calls annually, and leadership takes maintenance “very seriously.”

Additional improvements include braking, siren and emergency light enhancements. Engine 8 also provides “advanced life support” capabilities for children and adults.

Basset said the agency replaces its trucks every seven years as mileage quickly climbs. However, production issues have caused extensive delays. He also noted that maintenance costs have soared, and the goal is to keep personnel in the “safest product possible.”

“We were really proactive on the clean cab process,” Bassett elaborated. “I’ll be very honest about that. Other departments didn’t understand why we were going to it …”

Engine 8 will primarily serve the city’s Driftwood, Old Southeast, Lake Maggiore Shores and surrounding neighborhoods. However, Bassett called it another “prime example” of St. Pete Fire Rescue’s proactive planning, as it can assist with tower fires downtown.

The agency’s Specification Committee, comprised of officers and firefighters, ensured the truck featured a dual-stage pump with an additional impeller to assist with potentially catastrophic blazes. “So, it’s not just the stations downtown with the extra pump capacity,” Bassett said. “The surrounding stations are going to have to respond to that call for service.”

Myriad fire rescue personnel, and some of their children, paid homage to a 200-year-old tradition.