St. Louis Fire Department

St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD)
Flag of St. Louis, Missouri.svg
"Justifiably Proud"
Operational area
Country United States
State  Missouri
City St. Louis
Agency overview
Established September 14, 1857
Annual calls 81,489 (2012)
Employees 900
Staffing Career
Fire chief Dennis Jenkerson
EMS level ALS & BLS
IAFF Local 78
Facilities and equipment
Battalions 4
Stations 30
Engines 9
Quints 20
Rescues 2
Ambulances 12
Tenders 1
HAZMAT 1
Airport crash 1
Airplanes 2
Fireboats 4
Website
City of St. Louis
iaff73.org

The St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD) was founded on September 14, 1857, and provides fire and emergency medical services to the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The STLFD is also the second oldest paid fire department in the United States.[1] The St. Louis Fire Department protects a city that covers approximately 62 square miles and has a population of approximately 319,294 full-time residents and a daytime population approaching 1,000,000.

In 2012, the St. Louis Fire Department had a total of 81,489 responses, of which: 32,223 were fire suppression responses and 40,063 were emergency medical services responses.

The St. Louis Fire Department is a division of the St. Louis Department of Public Safety.

Mission Statement

The Fire Department's mission is to provide the highest possible fire, rescue and emergency medical services for the protection of life, property, commerce and the environment in the City of St. Louis.

Departmental History

Prior to an organized effort to fight fire being formed, certain individuals voluntarily made it a practice to attend all fires and extinguish them to the best of their abilities. It was not until 1822 that any known efforts to organize were made for the extinguishment of fires in the City of St. Louis.

With only three wards in the city, a number of prominent citizens were appointed by the mayor to attend fires. Passing an ordinance to purchase the necessary equipment, -- which consisted of a strong leather bucket and a badge of white muslin with the name of the district they represented was painted on it -- the volunteer firemen began. When the alarm sounded each person who was designated would respond to his home and secure his bucket, attach the white muslin badge to his hat, and hurry to the scene of the fire.

Ranks of the STLFD & Organization

The St. Louis Fire Department, led by Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, is organized into Five bureaus: Administrative Services, Fire Prevention, Operations, Support Services, and Emergency Medical Services. Each bureau is commanded by a Deputy Fire Chief.[2]

Fire Chief : Dennis M. Jenkerson
Fire Marshal - Deputy Chief Charles E. Coyle
Assistant Fire Marshal - Captain John Walk
Deputy Fire Marshal -- Captain Ray Daniels

Bureaus of STLFD

The Fire Department carries out its mission through the work of its many bureaus.

Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
Bureau of Fire Prevention
Bureau of Operations
Bureau of Support Services
Bureau of Administrative Services
Fire Department Communications
Fire Inspections Unit
Fire Investigation

The Fire Department is broken down into three platoons, or "shifts." Each shift is 24 hours long and commanded by a Deputy Chief. The city is broken into six battalions or districts, each commanded by a Battalion Chief. Each battalion is made up of six companies. Each company consists of an apparatus staffed by a Captain and a minimum of three firefighters.

"A" shift - Deputy Chief Brian Walsh
"B" shift - Deputy Chief Michael Arras
"C" shift - Deputy Chief John Altmann

Operations

The St. Louis Fire Department(STLFD) currently operates out of 30 Fire Stations, located throughout the city, in 6 Battalions, each commanded by a Battalion Chief. The STLFD operates 9 Engine Companies, 20 Truck Companies(Quints), 5 Hook and Ladder Companies, 2 Rescue Squads, 4 Fireboats, 3 Haz-Mat. Units, 1 Collapse Rescue Task Force Unit, 4 Foam Units, 1 Fire Investigation Unit, and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The fire department also manages the city's ambulances.[3][4]

Apparatus Profile

Frontline Fire Companies

(*)Hook & Ladder 2 is also a Tower Ladder.

Command Units and Chiefs

Special and Support Units

As of 2011, the STLFD started the process of moving away from the "Total Quint Concept". The first wave of nine "regular pumpers" were put in service. To distinguish the difference, pumper trucks are referred as "Engines" and apparatus with 75-foot aerial ladders are referred as "Trucks". Apparatus with aerials larger than 100 feet are stilled called "Hook and Ladders". The next wave of pumpers are due 2012-2013. Each district/battalion will eventually have at least three engine companies along with one truck, and one hook and ladder.[5]

Fire Station and Apparatus Locations

Below is a complete listing of all Fire Station and Apparatus Locations in the city of St. Louis according to Battalion District.[6][7]

Engine Company Truck Company Hook & Ladder Company Medic Unit Special Unit Chief Battalion Address
Engine 1 Rescue Squad 1, Collapse Rescue Unit 852 (Shoring Unit), Collapse Rescue Unit 853 (Cave-In Unit) 2 2910 S. Jefferson Ave.
Engine 2 Hook & Ladder 2 (Tower Ladder) Medic 2 Transport Bus 888 Battalion Chief 802 2 314 S. Tucker Blvd.
Truck 4(Quint) Battalion Chief 804 4 4425 S. Compton Ave.
Hook & Ladder 1 Medic 5 Battalion Chief 801 1 2123 N. Market St.
Truck 6(Quint) Marine Unit 1 3 5794 Manchester Ave.
Truck 7(Quint) Fire Investigation Unit 821, Safety House Deputy Chief 810 2 2600 LaSalle St.
Engine 8 1 1501 Salisbury St.
Truck 9(Quint) Medic 9 1 814 La Beaume St.
Truck 10(Quint) Medic 10 1 4161 Kennerly Ave.
Truck 11(Quint) Foam Truck 2, Marine Unit 2, Marine Unit 3, Marine Unit 4 2 2224 S. 7th St.
Hook & Ladder 6 Medic 12 6 5214 W. Florissant Ave.
Truck 13(Quint) Medic 13 5 1400 Shawmut Pl.
Truck 14(Quint) Medic 14 4 3523 Magnolia Ave.
Truck 17(Quint) 1 3238 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.
Truck 19(Quint) 4 6624 Morganford Rd.
Truck 20(Quint) Foam Truck 1 Battalion Chief 806 6 5600 Prescott Ave.
Truck 22(Quint) 3 1229 McCausland Ave.
Engine 23 Medic 23 Foam Truck 3 4 6500 Michigan Ave.
Engine 24 6 5245 Natural Bridge Ave.
Engine 26 6 4520 Margaretta Ave.
Truck 27(Quint) 6 5435 Partridge Ave.
Engine 28 Hook & Ladder 5 Haz-Mat./Decon. Unit 1, Haz-Mat./Decon. Unit 2 Battalion Chief 805 5 4810 Enright Ave.
Truck 29(Quint) Rescue Squad 2, Foam Truck 4 5 200 S. Vandeventer Ave.
Truck 30(Quint) 5 541 DeBaliviere Ave.
Engine 31 Medic 31 3 4408 Donovan Ave.
Engine 32 Medic 32 4 3500 S. Grand Blvd.
Truck 33(Quint) Medic 33 6 8300 N. Broadway
Truck 34(Quint) 4 8227 S. Broadway
Truck 35(Quint) Medic 35 Battalion Chief 803 3 5450 Arsenal St.
Truck 36(Quint) Hook & Ladder 3 3 5000 S. Kingshighway Blvd.

Closed/Disbanded Fire Companies

Throughout the long history of the St. Louis Fire Department, many fire companies have been closed or disbanded due to budget cuts or reorganization to the department. In 1942, after a reorganization of the department, the STLFD operated with 43 Engine Companies(down from 51), 23 Hook & Ladder Companies, 12 Hose Wagons, and a Rescue Squad in 9 Battalion Districts(down from 11). Today, the STLFD operates with 29 Engine Companies(including 20 Quints), 5 Hook & Ladder Companies, and 2 Rescue Squads in 6 Battalion Districts. Below is a list of companies that were closed or disbanded due to budget cuts or reorganization.[8]

Fireboats

Jack Buck patrols the Mississippi during Fair Saint Louis

As of 2013 there are four small fireboats operated in St. Louis.[9] The largest two are named.[10][11] The 27 feet (8.2 m) Jack Buck was commissioned in 2003. The 44 feet (13 m) Stan Musial was commissioned in 2013. The Musial is fast, capable of traveling at 36 knots (41 mph), and is capable of pumping 7,000 gallons per minute.

References

  1. ↑ https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/
  2. ↑ https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/about-us-fire.cfm
  3. ↑ https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/fire-suppression.cfm
  4. ↑ Kevin Killeen (2013-06-19). "Fire Chief Has New Equipment, Old Worries". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2013-09-30. The fire department also manages the city’s ambulance fleet. Jenkerson says they have a dozen ambulances on the streets every day with eight back up ambulances. Most of the city’s ambulances are about for years old and will need to be replaced in a year or so, Jenkerson says.
  5. ↑ https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/fire-suppression.cfm
  6. ↑ https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/firehouse-locations.cfm
  7. ↑ http://stlmetrofire.8m.com/stlfd.htm
  8. ↑ http://www.wikilou.com/1.20.0/index.php?title=St._Louis_Fire_Department
  9. ↑ Brett Blume (2012-05-24). "New Rescue Boats To Patrol St. Louis Riverfront". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2012-06-03. Retrieved 2013-09-30. St. Louis fire officials say they’ll be more prepared than ever to make timely rescues on the Mississippi River once two new boats arrive.
  10. ↑ "St. Louis Fire Department names newest marine unit “The Stan Musial”". Fox News. 2013-09-29. Archived from the original on 2013-09-30. The St. Louis Fire Department bought the boat, because of the growth of the St. Louis inland ports, which is now the third largest port in the United States.
  11. ↑ Bob Hamilton (2013-09-29). "St. Louis Fire Department Getting New Boat". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2013-09-30. Retrieved 2013-09-30. It can pump up to 7,000 gallons of water or fire-suppressing foam per minute and can fight fires even while it’s moving.

External links