St. Louis Fire Department

After a forced her from her home this morning in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, a moment of comfort came right there on the curb.

Her unit in a multifamily dwelling sustained moderate damage, and for a time, her cats were unaccounted for. located them and reunited them with her. Sitting on the curb, she held them close after an already difficult morning.

Caring for our neighbors includes understanding what matters most to them. Sometimes, that means helping bring a family back together, paws and all.

A safer St. Louis starts with the everyday choices we make at home.

Cooking is one of them. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you need to step away, turn off the burner. Keep towels, packaging and other items that can burn away from the stove.

During Fire Prevention Month, take a moment to make your kitchen safer for everyone who gathers there.

Meet the finalists for the Resilience & Emergency Response Award at the 2026 City of St. Louis Excellence in Public Service Awards! 🏆

These dedicated public servants stepped up when the May 16, 2025 tornado struck our community:

🚒 Deputy Fire Chief Michael Arras (St. Louis Fire Department) – Directed critical search and rescue ops in the hardest-hit areas during the storm. Over his 49-year career, he has transformed firefighter safety, training, and regional rescue capabilities.

📋 Kristen Capps-Jones (City of St. Louis EM) – Led the EOC Planning Section to coordinate disaster relief during the tornado, managed two years of complex disaster finances, and co-teaches CERT classes to empower local residents.

🚒 Engine Company 28 & Rescue Squad 2 – Led by Captains Matt Taylor and Jacques Mathews, these crews handled multiple life-threatening emergencies at once—rescuing a man buried under debris while providing emergency care to an injured family and infant.

Join us in celebrating their incredible dedication to the City of St. Louis! ⚜️

Learn more about our finalists: bit.ly/emergencyresponseaward
The recipient will be announced on Tuesday, October 13, at City Hall.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
⏰ Time: 6 — 7:30 p.m.
📍 Location: The Rotunda, City Hall (1200 Market Street, St. Louis)
🎟️ Admission: Free & open to all

🔌 Where you charge matters.

Charging your phone, tablet, or gaming controller on a bed, couch, or pillow can trap heat and cause the battery to overheat. Choose a hard, flat surface, such as a desk or table. Keep devices uncovered and away from anything that can burn.

Today, take a moment and check where everyone in your household charges their devices.

Small action. Big impact. Protecting our community begins at home.

Lami & S. 13th - Truck Company 11B
Soulard Neighborhood

7300blk of S. Broadway (Part 2)
Engine Company 23B
Carondelet Park Neighborhood

5300blks of Tholozan & Lindenwood
Hook & Ladder 3B
North Hampton Neighborhood

As concludes, thanks all of our neighbors across for welcoming our crews, sharing smiles, and strengthening the relationships that help keep our community safer.

The faces you met tonight are the same firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs who answer your calls for help every day. Our everyday heroes and sheroes put in the work around the clock, responding to emergencies and caring for the neighborhoods we serve.

We are, and will always be, neighborhood based. Our doors are always open to our neighbors, and our commitment extends well beyond tonight’s events. Neighbors knowing neighbors. Building trust. Showing up when it matters most.

This is what public safety looks like.

7300blk of South Broadway
Truck Company 34B
Carondelet Neighborhood

4100blk of Botanical - Truck Company 14B
Shaw Historic District Neighborhood