New Brevard, Satellite Beach Fire Department Partnership
By Space Coast Daily // December 4, 2013
Tower 63 fire truck now resides at Station 55
ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard County Fire Rescue and Satellite Beach have an auto-aid agreement, cohabitate in the same station and have a rare agreement in that they co-staff the same apparatus, the Tower 63.
The truck is referred to as a tower or aerial platform.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — The Grinch may try to steal Christmas, but he will have a hard time making off with the new shiny red aerial platform fire truck that resides at Fire Station 55.
Immediately before Satellite Beach hosts its holiday party at the fire station on Dec. 8, the public is invited as Brevard County Fire Rescue and Satellite Beach Fire Department celebrate their groundbreaking partnership in co-staffing Tower 63. The crew will raise the ladder 100 feet into the air.
City and county officials will explain why the truck bears symbols of both departments, why the crew is comprised of half city and half county personnel and how the unique relationship benefits the beachside community.
“There was a joint need in that area and instead of both agencies expending funds separately, we came together and solved a community need while also saving money,” said Brevard County Fire Rescue Chief Larry Collins. “It’s a win-win for both.”
The truck has four personnel, two from Brevard County, a driver/operator and lieutenant, and two firefighters from Satellite Beach.
The truck’s ladder gives firefighters access to high-rises that are common along the beachside and allows them to better maneuver and fight fires on single-story buildings, as well.
What: Celebration of joint-staffed Tower 63
When: 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013
Where: Satellite Beach Fire Department, 1390 S. Patrick Dr., Satellite Beach
Who: Public and media invited. Officials to attend: Satellite Beach Fire Department Chief Don Hughes, Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney Barker, Brevard County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief of Operations Mark Lighthill and Brevard County Commissioner, District 4, Mary Bolin-Lewis.
The city will host its “Stop the Grinch from Stealing Christmas” celebration immediately following from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The evening will be filled with surprises, delicious treats, fun, and games.
ABOUT TOWER 63
The truck is referred to as a tower or aerial platform. It has a platform, or bucket, at the tip of the ladder, giving the firefighters a location to work from at any operational height.
“There was a joint need in that area and instead of both agencies expending funds separately, we came together and solved a community need while also saving money,” said Brevard County Fire Rescue Chief Larry Collins. “It’s a win-win for both.”
Max reach is 100 feet up. It has the ability to flow 1,250 gallons of water per minute (GPM) from a master stream nozzle located on the platform base and pump 1,500 GPM from an on-board pump.
The aerial ladder assembly was ordered and constructed from aluminum, as opposed to standard painted steel, in order to resist corrosion and rust common in the beachside response area.
Brevard County Fire Rescue and Satellite Beach have an auto-aid agreement, cohabitate in the same station and have a rare agreement in that they co-staff the same apparatus.
