SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The Seminole County Fire Department officially placed its new Squad 2 into service Friday at Fire Station 35, bringing upgraded technical rescue capabilities to one of the region’s most specialized emergency response units.
The new apparatus, valued at $1.7 million, replaces the previous Squad 2 and carries thousands of pieces of specialized equipment designed for the county’s most complex emergencies.
Crews often describe the unit as a “rolling toolbox” for its wide range of capabilities.
Firefighter and paramedic Thomas Blum helped design the heavy rescue unit, which the Special Hazards and Operations Team runs.
“It essentially gives us the capability to handle everything in the county without having to rely on outside resources,” Blum said.
Squad 2 responds to fires and medical emergencies while also providing advanced technical rescue support across a broad spectrum of situations, including hazardous materials incidents, vehicle and heavy machinery extrications, technical rescues, and other complex specialty incidents.
Whether rescuing victims trapped after a serious crash, stabilizing a collapsed structure or responding to a hazardous chemical release, Squad 2 gives the department the resources needed to protect both residents and visitors throughout Seminole County.
Squad 2 has been a cornerstone of the department’s technical rescue program since 1994. The newly commissioned unit marks the fourth generation of Squad 2 apparatus at the Seminole County Fire Department.
“We have a strong understanding of how to use the tools on this toolbox. You can’t be a master of all the incidents that we come across, but what you can master are the tools on your truck,” Blum said.