Changes are coming to help improve response times and support firefighters working at Fire Station 13 in Tampa, which is one of the busiest fire stations in the city and across the country.
According to fire officials, Station 13 is the busiest in the City of Tampa and 54th busiest in the entire country. Staff responded to 11,211 calls for service in 2019. That's 13 percent of all calls citywide. City Councilman Luis Viera says Fire Station 13 is due for some serious help and has introduced a multi-tiered motion to provide immediate relief.
"All firefighters, and all of our first responders, all of our police officers, work really, really hard," Viera said. "But these men and women [at Station 13] are overworked." Now, Viera and Interim Fire Chief Barbara Tripp are unveiling a plan that would first bring a new engine to the station and some other changes.