Operations

The Operations division provides service for 13 stations strategically located through the district. Each station is managed by a fire captain who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of their respective facility.

Visit the Stations page

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue provides fire and EMS service to more than 300,000 citizens both in and outside of the city limits. The Department utilizes a variety of resources to deliver a full range of core services including:

• Fire Operations
• Emergency Medical Services (Advance Life Support)
• Emergency Management/Disaster Planning
• Fire Prevention
• Special Operations

The area protected by the Department includes 70 square miles and operates 14 fire companies from 13 stations strategically located throughout the community. Of the 389 employees, 357 career sworn personnel are divided among three 24-hour rotating shifts which staff the 13 ALS engines, four aerial trucks, ten advanced life support (ALS) rescue units, two peak load (ALS) rescue units, and other support and specialty equipment which are available 24 hours a day.

SPFR maintains a Standards of Cover (SOC) document to align its readiness and response with the community risk profile. SPFR has established the following response performance objectives based on current capabilities and resources. These objectives are:

1. For 90% of all priority incidents for structure fires, the first-due unit shall arrive within 7 minutes total response time.
2. For 90% of all priority incidents for EMS, the first-due ALS unit shall arrive within 8 minutes and 30 seconds total response time.
3. For 90% of all structural fire incidents, the effective firefighting force shall arrive within 14 minutes and 30 seconds total response time. The effective firefighting force should be capable of preventing further escalation of the fire incident.
4. For 90% of specialty response incidents, units shall arrive within 20 minutes total response time.

Haz Mat

SPFR Hazmat Team is an all-hazards response unit. Our Hazardous Materials Program is designed to address the technological, natural or criminal responses, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threats to our community and national security.

Housed at Station Five, part of the Downtown Master Station, the Hazardous Material Team is ready to respond to any incident requiring their specialized services within the city and county. The team consists of 68 trained technician level Hazardous materials operators and utilizes Hazmat 5 and Hazmat Utility 5.

They are equipped with specialized protective clothing, chemical detection equipment, sampling devices, containment tools, materials identification computer systems, state-of-the-art communications, meteorological equipment, and specialized medication and antidotes. As an integral part of the Pinellas County Hazardous Materials program, the team routinely trains with members from Haz Mat teams in Largo, Seminole, Pinellas Park and Palm Harbor - all of which comprise the Pinellas County Hazardous Material Response Team.

Marine Team

Housed at the Lakewood Fire Station, Station Eleven, home to Engine 11, Truck 11, and Rescue 11, the Marine Rescue and Dive Team is capable to respond to various water related emergencies throughout the waterways of Saint Petersburg as well as Pinellas County. The Marine Unit consists of a 35’ Boston Whaler Challenger Fire Rescue Boat (FB11) with full electronics and an 1150 GPM fire pump. A 13’ AB Inflatables Profile (M11), Ford Expedition (RD11) and a Freightliner Utilimaster (DV11) to transport all the specialized marine and dive equipment required to perform a variety of water related rescues.

Personnel at the Lakewood Station include certified divers and USCG certified boat operators who train monthly in various locations in and around the area. The dive team has worked closely with the St. Petersburg Police Department on several evidentiary dives.

The marine and dive team is leading the way in marine rescue with their newly added Rapid Dive 11, which gives them the ability to perform rapid rescue of submerged victims within a matter of minutes.

Technical Rescue Team

The Old North East Fire Station, Station Four, houses the department’s Technical Rescue Team (TRT), in addition to Engine 4, Truck 4, Rescue 4 HR 4 and TE 14. The TRT is ready to respond to any emergency requiring specialized services including Rope Rescue, Structural Collapse, Trench and Excavation Rescue, Vehicle and Machinery Extrication, Confined Space Rescue, Swift Water, Below Grade Rescues, Large Animal Rescue, and Natural Disasters. The TRT Team is a Member of the Pinellas County Technical Rescue Team, and a Member of FL Task Force 3 Urban Search and Rescue team. The Team maintains regular training and exercise schedules to maintain a level of proficiency, and trains with other agencies from surrounding cities and counties.

Station 4 has a large cache of specialized equipment and Technician level Trained personnel as defined in NFPA 1006, 1670 Florida Association of Search and Rescue Technical Rescue Team Operations Guidelines.