Navigating the Nation’s Oldest City

With many main streets blocked off to vehicles during holiday weekends and a narrow historic downtown area, the City of St. Augustine Fire Department faces challenges several times each year when responding to emergencies. During the Fourth of July weekend in 2019, the City of St. Augustine Fire Department received a call for a medical emergency at a home on the edge of the city’s historic district. A man needed immediate transportation to the hospital but the department’s ambulance and fire engine were stuck in gridlock traffic. First responders used their Mobile Emergency Response Vehicle (MERV), donated by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, to access the patient and transport him to an awaiting ambulance in a matter of minutes. A traditional rescue vehicle would have taken 15 minutes but with the MERV, it only took four minutes.

“The patient’s spouse commented just how grateful she was that we had this resource available. We could not have asked for a better outcome using our newest versatile tool.” – Chief Carlos Aviles, City of St. Augustine Fire Department