St. Petersburg City Council gave the green light Thursday to a strategic plan that puts a new headquarters and Station 1 for Fire Rescue at the Tropicana Field site. The 2026-2031 plan tackles growth. The city has added roughly 19,000 residents since 2010.
The department serves an estimated 300,000 people across 70 square miles. Last year, that service area generated more than 67,000 requests.
Fire Rescue’s current headquarters houses over 40 administrative employees. Fire inspection, community risk reduction, training, logistics, and other operations are there too. The facility also serves as the department’s Emergency Operations Center when needed.
Deputy Fire Chief Brett Ciskoski said leaders are involved in early planning for stations in District 2, though current facilities will also need work.
“So, it’s not just new growth, but it’s maintaining those buildings that we already have,” said Ciskoski, according to the St. Pete Catalyst.
Twenty community stakeholders participated in the planning process, representing community groups, businesses, health care, education, and other interests. Keeping pace with growth came up as their top concern. Participants questioned whether the department has the equipment to reach new downtown high-rises.
The plan received a unanimous vote. Fire Chief Keith Watts said the department is focusing first on readiness, officer development and immediate operational improvements.
Today, 357 sworn emergency responders work from 13 fixed facilities. Each shift includes a rescue captain and two rescue lieutenants who respond to complex medical calls and oversee patient care.
Speed standards call for the first unit to reach 90% of priority structure fires within seven minutes. An advanced-life-support unit must reach 90% of priority medical calls within eight minutes and 30 seconds.
The city sought proposals this summer for construction management services tied to a new fire training facility on 22nd Street South. The plan does not commit officials to building every project it identifies, with more expensive projects requiring grants, other funding sources or a phased approach.
Watts said the department has been identifying employees with leadership potential and encouraging them to prepare for advancement. The department has brought National Fire Academy courses to the city, developed a guide laying out requirements for advancement and held a three-day internal job fair focused on career development.
“We have a deep bench,” Watts said during Thursday’s meeting. “So that when we leave, because we’re not going to be here forever, we have a plan in place to bring the next group of leaders up into the organization.”