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St. Louis Fire Department

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Coordinates: 38°38′39.1596″N 90°12′46.5876″W / 38.644211000°N 90.212941000°W / 38.644211000; -90.212941000
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St. Louis Fire Department
Operational area
Country United States
State Missouri
City St. Louis
Agency overview[2][3]
Established
  • September 14, 1857 (1857-09-14)
  • (167 years ago)
Annual calls110,000 (2022)
Employees1141 (2022)
  • 950 – Uniformed personnel
  • 191 – Civilian members
[1]
Annual budget$72,704,965 mil.USD [FY 2022][1]
StaffingCareer
CommissionerDennis Jenkerson
Mayor of St. Louis responsibleTishaura Jones
EMS levelALS & BLS
IAFF73
Motto"Justifiably Proud"
Facilities and equipment[4]
Battalions7
Stations36
Engines15
Trucks20
Squads2
Ambulances12
Tenders0
HAZMAT3
USAR1
Fireboats2
Rescue boats4
Website
Official website
IAFF website
St. Louis Fire Department fighting a fire, March 2021

The St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD or STL City Fire) provides emergency medical services, fire cause determination, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and rescue services to the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The department is also the second oldest professional and fully paid fire department in the United States.[5][6] The STLFD is responsible for 69.0 square miles (179 km2) and has a population of approximately 294,890 with a daytime population of over 2 million.[2]

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

The St. Louis Fire Department is led by the Fire Commissioner, currently Dennis M. Jenkerson.[7] The Fire Commissioner and Chief is appointed by the Director of Public Safety and each bureau is commanded by a Deputy Fire Chief, who oversees the department's bureaus. Administrative Services, Fire Prevention, Operations, Support Services, Emergency Medical Services are the major operational units in the St. Louis Fire Department.

History

[edit]

The first organized fire department in St. Louis was created in 1822, had several volunteer fire departments in the area. An ordinance was passed to purchase the equipment, which primarily consisted of leather buckets. When the alarm sounded, members of the department would fetch their bucket and rush to the scene.[8] On September 14, 1857, the department transitioned to an all-paid department. The St. Louis Fire Department is the third oldest fully paid fire department, behind the Cincinnati Fire Department and the Providence Fire Department.[9]

Specialized units

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In addition to fire suppression and emergency medical services, the St. Louis Fire Department also has specialized units that include:[10]

Office of the Fire Commissioner

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The Fire Commissioner serves as the senior sworn member of the STLFD. Prior to 1857, the position was known as the Fire Chief'[11][verification needed] The Commissioner is the overall person in charge of the Fire department.

Commissioner Dennis Jenkerson is the 10th individual to hold the post as Fire Commissioner.

The SLFD'S's organization consists of seven bureaus. These include the following: Each bureau is commanded by a Deputy Chief or Deputy Fire Chief or Manager.

  • Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
  • Bureau of Prevention
  • Bureau of Communications
  • Bureau of Support Services
  • Bureau of Fire Inspections
  • Bureau of Fire Investigations
  • Bureau of Fire Suppression

Administration

[edit]
Command Staff Title and Department
Derrick Phillips Deputy Fire Commissioner - Bureau of Administrative & Homeland Security
James Thompson EMS Chief – Bureau of EMS
Charles E. Coyle Deputy Chief – Bureau of Prevention
Michael Richardson Battalion Chief – Bureau of Communications
Ray Daniels Fire Captain – Bureau of Fire Inspections
Adam Owens Chief Fire Investigator – Bureau of Fire Investigation
TBA Battalion Chief – St. Louis Lambert International Airport (ARFF)

Ranks of the STLFD

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Typical rank insignia in the St. Louis Fire Department.

In the St. Louis Fire Department, helmet colors often denote a fire fighter's rank or position. In general, white helmets denote chief officers, while red helmets may denote company officers. The specific meaning of a helmet's color or style varies from region to region and department to department. The rank of an officer in the St. Louis Fire Department is most commonly denoted by a number of speaking trumpets, a reference to a megaphone-like device used in the early days of the fire service, although typically called "bugle" in today's parlance. Ranks proceed from one (lieutenant) to five (fire chief) bugles.

Title Insignia Badge color Notes
Fire Commissioner (rank of Fire Chief)
Gold The Fire Commissioner holds the rank of fire chief and is appointed by the Mayor of St. Louis. Highest rank in the St. Louis Fire Department.
Deputy Fire Commissioner (rank of Deputy Fire Chief)
Gold The Deputy Fire Commissioner holds the rank of Deputy Fire Chief and is appointed by the fire commissioner. Second in command in the fire department.
Assistant Chief
Gold The assistant chief is the commander of a bureau within the fire department.
Battalion Chief
Gold The battalion chief is the commander of a battalion of fire stations and apparatus within his/her district.
Captain
Gold A captain is in charge of a crew of firefighters in the fire station.
Lieutenant
Gold A lieutenant is responsible for the administration and supervision of a fire company for fire suppression operations, hazardous material response, rescue operations, etc.
Engineer/Technician/Sergeant No Insignia Silver Engineers/technicians/sergeants are responsible for firefighting vehicles, such as fire engines, that transport firefighters, carry equipment, and pump water at fire scenes.
Firefighter No Insignia Silver A firefighter is a rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and animals from dangerous situations.
Candidate firefighter No Insignia None The primary responsibility of a probationary or rookie firefighter is to learn how to be a firefighter. They are both mentored and closely inspected by other senior firefighters and the officers.
  • Note: In place of bugles, ladder companies are signified by axes, rescue companies by life guns, squad companies by crossed ladders and stacked tip nozzles, and marine companies by bugles with an anchor.

Media

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The firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs of STLFD are featured in A&E Network's reality series Live Rescue.[12]

Fallen Firefighters

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From May 17, 1849, to Jan 13th, 2022, the Supporting Heroes Page reported that 171 Firefighters in the St. Louis Fire Department died in the line of duty.[13]

Marine Division

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Jack Buck patrols the Mississippi during Fair Saint Louis
Stan Musial patrols the Mississippi during Fair Saint Louis
some fireboats of the STLFD
image name commissioned retired dimensions pumping
capacity		 notes
Jack Buck 2003 27 feet 4000 gpm
Stan Musial (fireboat) 2013 44-foot 7000 gpm

As of 2013, there are four small fireboats operated in St. Louis.[14] The largest two are named.[15][16] The 27 feet (8.2 m) Jack Buck was commissioned in 2003 and the 44 feet (13 m) Stan Musial in 2013.

Notable incidents

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Great Fire of 1849

[edit]
Main article: St. Louis Fire (1849)

On May 17, 1849, at 9:00 p.m., an enormous fire broke out in the heart of St. Louis.[17] A steamboat named "The White Cloud" sitting on Cherry Street was on fire. The Fire Department, which, at that time, consisted of 9 hand engines and hose reels, responded to the scene. The moorings holding the boat broke, and the steamer floated downstream, setting 22 other steamers on fire as it went.[17]

The flames leaped from building to building, sweeping everything on the levee for four blocks.[17] The firemen were exhausted after fighting for over eight hours. The entire business portion of the city appeared lost. In a last-ditch effort to save the city, six buildings were spread with explosive powder and blown up. When the fire was finally contained after 11 hours, 430 buildings were destroyed, 23 steamboats along with over a dozen other boats were lost, and three people had died, including a fire captain.[17]

Stations and apparatus and Fire Boats

[edit]

Below is a complete listing of all Fire Station and Apparatus Locations in the city of St. Louis by Battalion District, as of October 2019. In addition to the primary services (Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Prevention, Fire Cause Determination, Hazardous Materials Mitigation, and Rescue Services) The St. Louis Fire Department also provides structural fire protection, emergency medical services, rescue response, and aircraft rescue firefighting at St. Louis Lambert International Airport from the two fire stations located there.[18][19]

Fire Station Number Address Neighborhood Engine Company or Rescue (Mini Pumper) Unit Hook & Ladder Company, Truck Company or Crash Truck Units Medic Unit Special Unit Chief Unit Battalion
1 2910 S. Jefferson Avenue Benton Park Engine 1 Rescue Squad 1
Collapse Rescue unit
Strike Force 2		 Battalion Chief 802 2
2 314 S. Tucker Blvd Downtown Engine 2 Hook & Ladder 2 Medic 2 Chemical Unit 1
Air Truck
Support Unit 7		 2
4 4425 S. Compton Avenue Dutchtown Truck 4 Battalion Chief 804 4
5 2123 North Market Street St. Louis Place Hook & Ladder 1
Truck 5		 Medic 5 Battalion Chief 801 1
6 5747 Manchester Avenue Cheltenham Engine 6 Marine Unit 1 3
7 2600 LaSalle Street Gate District Truck 7 Fire Investigation Unit 821
Unified Command Unit 900		 Deputy Chief 810 2
8 1501 Salisbury Street Hyde Park Engine 8 1
9 814 LaBeaume Avenue Near North Riverfront Engine 9 Medic 9 1
10 4161 Kennerly Avenue The Ville Truck 10 Medic 10 1
11 2224 S. 7th Street Kosciusko Truck 11 Marine Unit 2, Marine Unit 3, Marine Unit 4, Water Rescue Unit 2
12 5214 W. Florissant Avenue Mark Twain Hook and Ladder 6 6
13 1400 Shawmut Place Hamilton Heights Truck 13 Medic 13 5
14 3523 Magnolia Avenue Tower Grove East Engine 14 Medic 14 4
17 3238 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd Grand Center Truck 17 1
19 6624 Morgan Ford Road Boulevard Heights Engine 19 4
20 5600 Prescott Avenue North Riverfront Truck 20 Battalion Chief 806 6
22 1229 McCausland Avenue Hi-Pointe Truck 22 3
23 6500 Michigan Avenue Carondelet Engine 23 Medic 23 4
24 5245 Natural Bridge Avenue Mark Twain/I-70 Industrial Engine 24 6
26 4520 Margaretta Avenue Penrose Engine 26 Medic 26 6
27 5435 Partridge Avenue Walnut Park East Truck 27 6
28 4810 Enright Avenue Fountain Park Engine 28 Hook & Ladder 5 HatMat 1, HazMat 2 Battalion Chief 805 5
29 200 S. Vandeventer Avenue Midtown Engine 29 Rescue Squad 2, 5
30 541 DeBaliviere Avenue Skinker DeBaliviere Truck 30 5
31 4408 Donovan Avenue St. Louis Hills Engine 31 Medic 31 3
32 3500 S. Grand Tower Grove East Engine 32 Medic 32 4
33 8300 N. Broadway Baden Engine 33 Medic 33 6
34 8227 S. Broadway Patch Truck 34 4
35 5450 Arsenal Street Southwest Garden Truck 35 Battalion 803 3
36 5000 S. Kingshighway Blvd Princeton Heights Hook & Ladder 3 3
North Fire Station 6171 Aviation Drive St. Louis Lambert International Airport Rescue 42 (Mini-Pumper) Crash Truck 45 Haz-Mat. Unit 47, Battalion 808 Battalion Chief 808 8
West Fire Station 4578 Fee Fee Rd St. Louis Lambert International Airport Rescue 49 (Mini-Pumper) Crash Truck 52 & 53, Hook & Ladder 40 Stairwell 53 Battalion Chief 808 8

References

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  1. ^ a b "Public Safety: Department Responsibilities" (PDF). Board of Aldermen. February 15, 2017. p. 153. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "About". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  3. ^ "2022 Budget" (PDF). St. Louis. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "Fire Suppression". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  5. ^ "St. Louis Fire Department". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  6. ^ "Fire Department". stlouis-mo.gov.
  7. ^ American, Chris King Of the St Louis. "Promotions under Jenkerson heavily favor South Side whites". St. Louis American. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  8. ^ "Volunteer Department". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "History". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  10. ^ "About us". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  11. ^ https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/fire/fire-department-history.cfm [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ "St. Louis Fire Department to be featured on A&E's 'Live Rescue' Monday night". KSDK.
  13. ^ "Saint Louis Fire Department (MO)". Supporting Heroes. April 27, 2016.
  14. ^ Brett Blume (May 24, 2012). "New Rescue Boats To Patrol St. Louis Riverfront". CBS News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  15. ^ "St. Louis Fire Department names newest marine unit "The Stan Musial"". Fox News. September 29, 2013. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. 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.
  16. ^ Bob Hamilton (September 29, 2013). "St. Louis Fire Department Getting New Boat". CBS News. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013. 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.
  17. ^ a b c d "Great Fire". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  18. ^ "Station Locations". St. Louis Fire Department. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  19. ^ "Firehouse Locations". stlouis-mo.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

38°38′39.1596″N 90°12′46.5876″W / 38.644211000°N 90.212941000°W / 38.644211000; -90.212941000

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