By Tammy Roberts
Staff writer
The Cocoa Beach Fire Department is reaching new heights, thanks to its most recent piece of equipment.
Last month, the department purchased an $870,000 tower truck that can carry up to 300 gallons of water and can pump about 2,000 gallons of water per minute.
The truck, known as the Tower 51, is equipped with a series of ladders on board, as well as a 100-foot automatic basket ladder that can stretch as high as seven stories.
"The tower ladder can be operated by both the firefighter inside the basket, as well as someone down on the truck," said Deputy Fire Chief G.C. Wine. "This truck really gives our team a lot more versatility with our rescues."
As of now, the Cocoa Beach Fire Department is the only city from Melbourne Beach to Cape Canaveral to boast a tower fire truck of this height.
Only two other cities in Brevard County - Palm Bay and Rockledge - own a truck with a 100-foot bucket ladder. Most stations are equipped with aerial trucks that have a 75-foot ladder with no bucket apparatus.
Unlike other cities in the county, most of Cocoa Beach's residents live in high-rise condominiums and are older than 65.
"Expecting these elderly folks to climb down a seven-story ladder can be a difficult task," Chief Wine said. "This was one of the deciding factors when we began the search for a new engine."
The truck, which is about 50 feet in length, is replacing the department's 16-year-old ladder truck, which had a 75-foot straight ladder, rather than an automated bucket ladder.
With the purchase of the new tower truck, the department now owns two fire engines, a reserve engine, a heavy rescue squad vehicle, a rescue boat, two jet skis and a beach utility vehicle within its two facilities - one on South Orlando Avenue and the other on West Volusia Lane.
The tower truck will remain at the city's downtown station on South Orlando Avenue across from City Hall.
Established in 1949, the Cocoa Beach Fire Department currently has a total staff of 28 people, including four full-time administrative personnel.
Twenty-four of the on-staff firefighters work 24-hour shifts, and then have the next 48 hours off.
Together, the department's two stations serve just less than 4 square miles of residential and commercial area, as well as provide basic fire protection to the Thousand Islands, the area adjacent to Cocoa Beach in the Banana River, Chief Wine said.
In the past two weeks, all of the department's firefighters have been trained to operate and drive the new tower truck and prepare it with equipment for emergency use.
Its staff has added everything from vehicle extrication equipment and rope rescue materials to a surplus of saws, axes and hoses.
As with the department's other engines, the truck is a licensed Advanced Life Support vehicle, featuring an on-board paramedic service that the city implemented in 1999.
"We try to maintain a regular replacement schedule with our equipment," Chief Wine said. "We recognize that being on a barrier island, the salt air gives out trucks a shelf life of only about 10 to 15 years."
With the purchase of the tower truck, the department's oldest piece of equipment now dates back only seven years.
While the cost of the new truck was more than any of the department's other vehicles, the city of Cocoa Beach already had the funds for the truck budgeted, said City Commissioner Kevin Pruett.
"This truck is a huge safety factor when it comes to some of our taller condos and office buildings," he said. "It's a pretty impressive piece of equipment."
Commissioner Pruett had the opportunity to test out the new engine and take a ride up the 100-foot ladder last month.
"I was able to see the ocean on one side and the river on the other," he said. "I was blown away by its stability."
Chief Wine said he understands the advantages of the tower truck and would be happy to assist other cities during emergency situations if necessary.
"We have a strong working relationship with our neighboring departments," Chief Wine said. "If they need our help, we're ready."
Contact Tammy Roberts at (321) 751-5968 or e-mail Roberts@hometownnewsol.com.