"All of our tankers are either 500 gallon or 750," Anderson said. "So this is quite an increase in what we can take to a fire."

Thus far, the SFD has gotten to use their new aerial tools in only a few actual emergencies, with a crew of ten trained and FAA-licensed firefighters as part of its team. Lt. Powell is clearly in firm agreement with using this modern tool to keep his men out of harm's way, by establishing the scene beforehand, and then sending his men into the area in question. He explains, "The whole point of the drone program is so we have another way to collect information to make more informed decisions."

Medic 1 — comprising an ambulance, its crew and a backup ambulance — moved into the station in August and is expected to stay up to a year, while Fire Station No. 1 at 746 Kentucky St. undergoes a major renovation. Engine 1 — the Kentucky Street fire truck and crew — is being housed in a small temporary building near the station for the duration of the renovation.