Caetano’s Ambulance Debuts At Fire Station No. 21!

By Gary Nager

No, it’s not “Deja Vu” all over again, despite the fact it was only three issues ago that this newspaper last put pictures and a
story about Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 21 on the cover. As we reported in Vol. 13, Iss. 17, back in August, Station No. 21,
located on Green Pine Ln. off Cross Creek Blvd. just east of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., has been slated to receive the New Tampa
area’s second Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance (the other is at Station No. 20 on BBD in Tampa Palms) in Tampa Mayor Pam
Iorio’s 2005-06 budget. The City of Tampa’s Fire Rescue Department decided to hold this second Open House in just over 30 days
at Station 21 (the first was to show off the station’s new “quint” fire truck), even though the ambulance shown in these pictures
isn’t the brand new transport vehicle we’ve been promised (it’s been moved to our station from another in the city). The good news
is that the new ambulance is on the way. The even better news is that the team of six paramedics (two per shift) that will man the
new ambulance already has been brought to Station 21 and will remain there even after this ambulance is replaced by the new one.

All told, Mayor Iorio’s ‘05-’06 budget included $160,000 for the ambulance, plus $80,000 for medical supplies and salaries for the
paramedics and a total annual budget line item of $349,000. Although an estimated two dozen New Tampa-area residents came to the second Open House to see the new transport vehicle, no one was happier about it than Bostonian Hair & Nail Studio owner and Tampa Palms resident Joseph Caetano. Although Caetano, who has announced that he is running for the District 7 City Council seat to be vacated in 2007 by current Council member (and New Tampa resident) Shawn Harrison (see page 3), doesn’t live near Station No. 21, he says he recognized New Tampa’s need for a second ALS ambulance when, in 2001, he suffered multiple fractures in a fall at his home and ended up being driven to University Community Hospital by a family member because the ambulance at Station No. 20 was on another call. “Yes, I’ve been lobbying the Mayor and the City Council for another New Tampa ambulance for four years,” says Caetano. “I’m just glad we finally got it.”

Among the dignitaries on hand at the Open House were Iorio, Harrison, retired Tampa Police Chief (and New Tampa resident) Bennie Holder and Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Dennis Jones, as well as a full contingent of Hunter’s Green residents and homeowners association Board members. Chief Jones told Open House attendees that he is working on plans for a third fire station in New Tampa, most likely in the K-Bar Ranch development on Morris Bridge Rd. Station 20’s Open House Oct. 15 Speaking of Open Houses, Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 20 (16200 BBD in Tampa Palms) is having one of its own on Saturday, October 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club is sponsoring this free event, which will have vendor booths, food and presentations by the Greater Tampa Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Station 20 firefighters and paramedics.