STL’s Fire Department Debuts Two New Rescue Vehicles

Both firefighting vehicles due to be in-service later this month

ST. LOUIS (March 15, 2021): Two new firefighting vehicles will be placed in-service at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) later this month. The new vehicles include a Smeal 110’ hook and ladder with a basket. The second is a Rosenbauer 3000 Panther, a high-tech aircraft rescue and firefighting truck. The vehicles when placed in-service will become an important part of the city’s fire department presence at STL.  

STL’s new hook and ladder is built with a 100-foot rear mount platform. It has a full 180 degree horizontal sweep of any area and gives fire fighters a 2,000 gallon per minute flow rating in its ability to extinguish a fire. The Panther has a 360-degree forward looking infrared camera system to investigate any emergency situation, holds 3,000 gallons of water, also stores 700 lbs. of Purple K (a dry chemical extinguishing agent) and 500 lbs. of Halotron (fire extinguishing agent).

“The addition of these two vehicles to the airport’s fleet of rescue vehicles allow us to expand STL’s ability to keep the public safe during any potential airport emergency,” says Battalion Chief Steve Simpson of the St. Louis Fire Department. He adds, “These vehicles give our firefighters assigned to STL the most up-to-date and best firefighting tools available.”

The Smeal 110’ hook and ladder was built in Snyder, Nebraska, while the Rosenbauer 3000 Panther was configured in Lyon, South Dakota. Both of these firefighting trucks were delivered to STL in February 2021. During the past few weeks, STL-based firefighters have been training with the new equipment. The training is necessary for the department to get the vehicles into service at the airport.

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