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Council approves purchase of three high‑water rescue vehicles for St. Petersburg Fire Rescue
Summary
Council unanimously approved authorization to add three reconditioned high‑water rescue vehicles—two fitted with firefighting pumps and all with side lift gates and bench seating—to improve flood response and citywide coverage.
The St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved purchasing three reconditioned high‑water rescue vehicles to expand the city’s ability to respond to flooding and evacuations.
Vice Chair Hannah Hanowitz introduced the item as a priority following recent storms. Fire department staff described the vehicles’ specifications—two of the three will include firefighting pumps, all will have side lift gates to load stretchers and wheelchairs, bench seating in beds and protective tonneau covers—and explained placement strategies to achieve broader geographic coverage than the single aging Brush 7 unit currently provides.
Chiefs and staff cited past utilization during Hurricane Irma and recent flood events to justify the purchase: examples included rescuing 75 civilians and 18 pets in a three‑hour period during a prior event and evacuating 430 citizens during another storm. Councilmembers asked about station assignments and whether three vehicles were sufficient; staff said assignments will be determined on delivery and that additional needs will be brought forward as call volume and risks change.
Council moved, seconded and voted to approve the item; the clerk announced the motion passed unanimously.
