Fire Department

 The St. Louis Fire Department is recognized as a progressive leader in providing the highest quality of emergency services. They are committed to the preservation of life, property, and the environment by effectively and efficiently meeting the emerging public safety and welfare needs of our diverse community. We accomplish our goals by maintaining the highest standards of professional service through continued training, education, and living up to our motto of being "Justifiably Proud." The St. Louis Fire Department protects a city that covers approximately 62 square miles and has a population of approximately 350,000 full time residents and a daytime population approaching 1,000,000. In 2008, the St. Louis Fire Department had a total of 111,102 responses, of which: 49,270 were fire suppression responses and 61,832 were emergency medical services responses. The St. Louis Fire Department employs approximately 900 personnel, which includes Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics, and civilians.

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

• Aircraft Rescue Firefighting at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
• Haz-Mat Task Force
• Marine Operations with a Boston Whaler called the "Jack Buck", which is permanently moored on the Mississippi River, along with several other small rapidly deployable boats.
• Dive & Swift Water Rescue
• High-Angle Rope Rescue
• Trench & Collapse Rescue

The St. Louis Fire Department also believes in and works strongly on community outreach programs. These programs enable the fire department to get  important fire and life safety messages across to the public. The community outreach programs include:

• fire safety presentations

• fire safety house presentations

• free smoke alarm installations

• fire safety brochures (available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Bosnian)

• fire extinguisher training

• CPR training

• fire service career education

• R.U.O.K. telephone reassurance program

For more information on the programs listed above, click on the public education opportunities link.