St. Lucie County Fire District

10/30/2026

🕯️ Candlelight Vigil Honoring Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge #1003

Our community is invited to come together on Tuesday, November 3, for a candlelight vigil honoring the life and memory of Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge.

📅 Tuesday, November 3
🕡 6:30 p.m.
📍 SLCFD Station 9
3595 SR-A1A, Hutchinson Island, FL 34949

Parking will be available across the street at Pepper Park.

Please join our community in showing love and support for Austin's family as we gather by candlelight to remember his life, his service, and the lasting impact he made on those who knew and loved him.

Please help us share the details of this candlelight vigil with our community.

10/29/2026

Fire Service Procession | Honoring Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge

Law enforcement and fire service agencies interested in participating in the procession honoring Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge on Saturday, November 7, are asked to register in advance.

Please scan the QR code below to complete the registration form. Additional details regarding procession coordination, staging, and arrival instructions will be provided following registration.

We are grateful for the continued support of our fellow first responders as we come together to honor Austin’s life and service.

10/28/2026

Honoring Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge

The St. Lucie County Fire District continues to mourn the loss of Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Hodge, who passed away in the line of duty on October 24, 2026.

Austin proudly served our community for more than nine years. His loss is deeply felt by his family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the many lives he touched throughout his years of service.

In coordination with Austin’s family and Stone Brothers Funeral Home, the St. Lucie County Fire District shares the following arrangements for those wishing to pay their respects.

Public Viewing
Friday, November 6, 2026
4:00–6:00 p.m.
River of Life Fellowship Church
3950 Juanita Avenue
Fort Pierce, FL 34946

Memorial Service
Saturday, November 7, 2026
10:00 a.m.
Christ Fellowship Church
10250 SW Village Parkway
Port St. Lucie, FL 34987

We remain grateful for the outpouring of love and support extended to Austin’s family and our Fire District family during this difficult time.

Please continue to keep his loved ones and fellow firefighters in your thoughts as we come together to honor his life and service.

10/26/2026

Honoring Firefighter Paramedic Austin Hodge

Today, October 26, at approximately 2 p.m., St. Lucie County Fire District will es**rt our fallen brother, Firefighter Paramedic Austin Hodge, to Stone Brothers Funeral Home in Fort Pierce.

The procession will travel along the following route:

S. 35th Street → Virginia Avenue → S. 13th Street → Delaware Avenue → S. 7th Street → Stone Brothers Funeral Home.

Fire District apparatus will be positioned along the route as our members pay their respects and honor Austin’s life and service.

Community members who wish to pay their respects are welcome to do so safely along the procession route.

We are grateful for the continued love and support shown to Austin’s family and our Fire District family during this difficult time.

10/24/2026

Today, our St. Lucie County Fire District family mourns the loss of one of our own.

Firefighter Paramedic Austin Hodge, a nine-year veteran of our Fire District assigned to Firehouse 9, passed away earlier today while on duty.

In the hours following this heartbreaking loss, our firefighters, Honor Guard, and public safety partners came together to honor our fallen brother and stand alongside one another during an incredibly difficult time.

The brotherhood of the fire service extends far beyond the walls of a fire station. It is a bond built on trust, shared experiences, and an unwavering commitment to one another. Today, that bond was especially evident through the incredible support of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, Fort Pierce Police Department, Port St. Lucie Police Department, and peer support teams from Martin and Indian River counties.

Together, they offered strength, compassion, and support while ensuring Austin was honored with the dignity and respect he deserves.

Our hearts are with Austin’s family, loved ones, and everyone who had the privilege of serving alongside him.

We are deeply grateful to our fellow first responders and community for the outpouring of support during this tremendous loss.

Today and always, we stand together.

10/24/2026

UPDATE 4:20 PM:

The St. Lucie County Fire District has formally identified our fallen member as Firefighter Paramedic Austin Hodge, a nine-year veteran assigned to Station 9.

Please see our most recent post as we honor Austin’s service and recognize the support of our fire service family and public safety partners during this difficult time.
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The St. Lucie County Fire District is deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our firefighters.

Our thoughts are with the firefighter’s family, loved ones, and our fellow firefighters as we navigate this difficult loss.

Out of respect for the family, additional information is not available for release at this time. We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding. Further details will be forthcoming as appropriate. 

10/24/2026

Community partnerships make a difference! 🚒☕️

Today, our station 1 A Shift crew joined our partners at the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office and community members at the Starbucks on Okeechobee Road for its Making Our Community Stronger event.

Events like these provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with our community, spend time with our fellow first responders, and build relationships with the people we proudly serve.

Thank you to the Starbucks team for bringing everyone together and showing your support for the first responders who serve our community!

10/22/2026

10/21/2026

Update | 3:37 p.m. livestream is now available.

Update: We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with our livestream provider. A recording of today’s meeting, including audio and video, will be made available shortly. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Fire District Website Update | Board Meeting Livestream

The St. Lucie County Fire District website (www.slcfd.com) is currently operational; however, visitors may experience intermittent service interruptions as our website provider completes necessary updates. Website availability may fluctuate through tomorrow morning.

For those planning to watch today’s Fire Board meeting at 3:00 p.m., in the event the livestream cannot be accessed through our website, it can be viewed directly through the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/ > Under live tab

We appreciate our community’s patience and understanding as these updates are completed.

10/21/2026

🚴‍♂️ THE BROTHERHOOD RIDE IS COMING THROUGH ST. LUCIE COUNTY TODAY. 🇺🇸

The Brotherhood Ride brings together first responders who cycle across Florida to honor the lives and legacies of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities.

Today, as the riders pass through our county, we honor three heroes whose sacrifice will never be forgotten:

Firefighter Jarius Hodge
St. Lucie County Fire District

Detective Corporal Christopher Mock
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office

Sergeant Terri Jean Sweeting Mashkow
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office

The riders are expected to pass through St. Lucie County between 2:00 and 3:00 PM today, with a planned stop at the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office at 3:00 PM.

Please join us in remembering these heroes, honoring their service, and supporting the families and fellow first responders who carry their memories forward.

Their watch may have ended, but their legacy lives on. ❤️💙