06/13/2026
In response to the original question raised by a concerned citizen about one of our fire apparatus being parked at Kroger and then covered by The Salty Paramedic.
We understand that seeing a fire truck parked at a grocery store may raise questions.
We would like to provide some perspective on what happens behind the scenes.
Firefighters and EMS personnel often work long shifts (24 hours minimum) and must eat meals while remaining ready to respond at a moment's notice. When crews stop to purchase food, they do so with their own money and remain in service the entire time. That means if an emergency call comes in while shopping, everything is immediately abandoned and the crew responds.
Many people don't realize that meals are frequently interrupted. Grocery carts are left behind, food is returned to shelves, and meals being prepared at the station are often left unfinished when calls come in. Hot meals become cold, food is sometimes ruined entirely, and shopping trips may have to be attempted multiple times before crews successfully make it back to the station.
Whether it is the middle of the day or the middle of the night, firefighters and EMS personnel remain ready to respond to fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and other calls for service.
The fire truck is present because our crews must stay with their apparatus and remain available to answer emergencies immediately.
We are grateful for the support of our community and remain committed to serving our residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The next time you see a fire truck or ambulance at the grocery store, please know that those firefighters may have been awake all night helping your neighbors, and they may leave their cart full of groceries behind at any moment to answer the next call for help.
Thank you Salty Paramedic 🙏
