Palm Bay Fire Rescue Expands Fleet and Connects with Residents at Touch-A-Truck
Palm Bay Fire Rescue unveiled new high-tech trucks and connected with families during the city’s Touch-A-Truck event, while City Council advances plans for new fire stations to improve response times.
Palm Bay, FL – Palm Bay Fire Rescue (PBFR) is rolling out new, state-of-the-art vehicles and expanding its presence across the city — both on the streets and in the community. The department showcased its growing fleet at the recent Touch-A-Truck event, giving families and children a hands-on experience with the city’s newest firefighting and rescue technology.
🚜 Event Information: Touch-A-Truck 🚒
📅 Date: Thursday, October 16
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Location: City Hall, 120 Malabar Rd SE
A Hands-On Look at Public Safety
Held at Palm Bay City Hall, Touch-A-Truck invited families to explore fire engines, rescue trucks, police cars, and public-works equipment up close. Firefighters and city staff guided visitors through demonstrations and tours, explaining how each vehicle serves a specific role in emergency response.
“Events like Touch-A-Truck help the community understand what it takes to protect a city as large and diverse as Palm Bay,” a city spokesperson said. “When residents see these trucks and meet the firefighters who operate them, they get a clear picture of how their tax dollars make a difference.”
The event has become a community favorite, blending education with connection. Children sat in the driver’s seat, tested sirens, and met the crews behind the city’s newest life-saving tools.
Modern Machines for a Growing City
Palm Bay Fire Rescue is modernizing its fleet to meet the demands of a growing population.
Among the latest additions:
Multi-Mission Monterra units – High-water and flood-capable trucks that can carry up to 25 people during rescues.
Sutphen Custom Pumper Engine – A frontline pumper built for both urban and suburban firefighting.
Fouts Fire Light Rescue “Squad 3” – A rapid-response unit for medical and rescue operations.
New brush and squad units on Acela Monterra and Ford F-550 platforms, replacing aging vehicles.
PBFR has also added a Sutphen SPH 100 aerial platform, offering a 100-foot reach and enhanced firefighting ability for multi-story incidents. Together, these upgrades strengthen reliability, speed, and readiness across the city.
City Council Steps In
Fleet expansion follows decisive action by the Palm Bay City Council.
In August 2024, the Council approved $3.7 million from undesignated funds to build two temporary fire stations — one in the northwest and one in the southeast quadrant — to reduce response times in growing areas. The stations will be deployable, wind-rated structures with built-in utilities and communications.
Council also directed staff to explore up to $40 million in debt funding for permanent stations, including Fire Station 8 and Fire Station 9, each paired with police substations (read The Palm Bayer coverage).
Chief Richard Stover told councilmembers that response times in areas like Babcock Street and Heritage Parkway can stretch to 18–20 minutes under ideal conditions. “That’s unacceptable for a city of this size,” Stover said. “These new stations and vehicles will make an immediate impact.”
Community Impact and Public Trust
The expansion represents a major investment in Palm Bay’s public safety infrastructure. More residents mean more calls for service — and a greater need for modern equipment and strategic coverage.
Diversifying the fleet with high-water and rapid-deployment vehicles also builds climate resilience ahead of flood and hurricane events. Upgraded engines and rescue trucks bring faster deployment and improved communications for emergency crews.
Beyond operations, community events like Touch-A-Truck help build transparency and trust. “When kids get to sit in a fire engine, they’re not just having fun,” one firefighter said. “They’re meeting the people who might one day save their home — or their life.”
Looking Ahead
With temporary stations coming online and new apparatus joining the fleet, Palm Bay Fire Rescue is expanding its reach faster than ever. The City Council’s investments are expected to improve insurance ratings, reduce response times, and reinforce confidence in the city’s ability to protect its residents.
As Palm Bay continues to grow, the sight of shiny red engines rolling through neighborhoods — and the sound of sirens that follow — reminds residents that their first responders are evolving right alongside the community they serve.
