Pensecola, FL area

Last week, April 24-29, Carole and I made an unplanned trip to Pensacola to see my brother after double bypass surgery. By the way, he is doing real well. I knew of a couple of photos that I wanted to get that I didn't get on my last trip out that way in November. So what better time? On Tuesday we drove out to the Naval Air Station to stop at the Naval Air Museum gift shop and a couple of other places on the peninsula. On the way back we stopped at the Warrington VFD, Escambia County Sta#16. Like many in the area it is manned by the volunteers working four hour shifts so the crew was there when we stopped. They protect an area of mixed occupancies on Escambia Bay southwest of Pensacola with 3 engines, one with an aerial device, and a rescue. All were readily moved out for photos.

Our next stop was the Gulf Breeze VFD in the city of Gulf Breeze, a primarily residential community, located on a peninsula south of Pensacola across a three mile long bridge. This peninsula extends west into Escambia Bay from Santa Rosa County. GBVFD is Station #33 of Santa Rosa County. I knew from my earlier visit to the area that they had a new "humongous" aerial that I just had to photograph. No one was at the station but the secretary at the police station next door gave me the name of an individual, a member of the department working at city hall, who she knew would be more than happy to assist. Off to city hall. The person sought was there as well as another volunteer who was quickly designated to go to the station and position apparatus for me. Back to the station for photos of the engine, aerial and rescue. They also have a 24' Boston Whaler fireboat on a trailer in a garage in the backyard. Unfortunately I couldn't get a photo of it. Next stop Pensacola Sta#1. When I was there in November they told me that a new ladder was to be ordered to replace the re-habbed 1976 American LaFrance 100' rear-mount. I figured it must be there six months later. And it was. A 2004 Pierce 100' unit had just been delivered the day before and was sitting in the bay but they wouldn't put it out for me because it hadn't officially been turned over to the city nor had anybody had it out for a drove or been instructed in its operation. Sounds like a good reason to go back there one day.

Final stop of the day was Pensacola Sta#3 to shoot an aerial that I didn't get in November because it was out on annual hydrant inspection. We stopped in Ocala on the way back to Venice and took a tour of the E-One plant. Thats for another story.