Historical marker tells story of fallen Pensacola, Florida firefighter

'Firefighter Vista S. Lowe' historical marker in Pensacola.

This week’s featured historical marker is the “FIREFIGHTER VISTA S. LOWE” marker in Pensacola, Fla. This marker is located on the southeast corner of Seville Square, near the intersection of East Zarragossa Street and South Alcaniz Street.

This marker, which designates the location as a Florida Heritage Site, was erected in 2012. It was sponsored by Vista S. Lowe’s sons, Matthew D. Lowe and Mark D. Lowe, and the Florida Department of State. There’s text on both sides of the marker, but both sides are the same. What follows in the complete text from the marker:

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“FIREFIGHTER VISTA S. LOWE: At this site on Sept. 30, 1962, firefighter Vista Spencer Lowe, age 23, died in the line of duty while responding to a house fire at 409 East Zarragossa St. Upon arrival at the scene, Firefighter Lowe stepped from the rear tailboard of the pumper he was riding (Engine 5, a 1957, 1,000-gallon Seagrave Pumper Truck), tripped and fell to the ground. Unaware of Lowe’s location, the pumper’s driver began backing his truck, trapping Lowe under the truck and crushing him. Lowe was the third firefighter with the Pensacola Fire Department (PFD) and the 33rd Florida firefighter to lose his life in the line of duty. Lowe’s death caused the PFD to change its rules and regulation governing standard operating procedures and training methods, requiring that no fire apparatus be backed up at any time without a department member directing traffic. As a result of these changes, no firefighter with the PFD has since died in the manner in which Firefighter Lowe lost his life in 1962.”

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Vista Spencer Lowe was born in Pensacola on Oct. 16, 1938 to Charles G. Lowe and Rubie Spencer Lowe. As part of the Pensacola Fire Department, he was part of a long, firefighting tradition in one of Florida’s oldest cities. Pensacola’s fire department traces its roots to 1810, but the city didn’t establish it first full-time, paid fire department until Jan. 1, 1898.

In 1810, Pensacola firefighters used 50 leather buckets, a few hoses and nozzles, and two imported fire engines. By 1898, the city had 18 officers and firefighters. Today, the City of Pensacola has seven fire stations, including a fully outfitted station at the Pensacola International Airport.

According to the City of Pensacola’s Web site, six of the city’s firefighters have been killed in the line of duty. Firefighter Henry C. Mandel was killed on Feb. 11, 1943, and Waymon Vallia was killed on May 17, 1943. Lowe died in 1962, and A.K. “App” Appleberg was killed on March 12, 1983. Eddie Frank Jackson was killed on March 4, 1983, and Marvin M. Bartholemew was killed on Nov. 25, 2000.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.