St. Petersburg firefighter Tyler Vilimek is still off the job months after a city hydrant suddenly failed during a call and slammed into him, causing a traumatic brain injury. The Oct. 23, 2025, response sent Vilimek to the hospital and set off an internal review of hydrants across St. Pete. Family members and coworkers say his path back to health is likely to be long and uncertain.
According to documents obtained by WFLA, an internal email inside St. Petersburg Fire Rescue labeled the incident “a complete failure of a city hydrant.” A department memo stated that the unit “blew off its base, striking a firefighter in the face.” That same memo kicked off a wider review that cited a problem potentially affecting an undetermined number of hydrants and told crews to use extra caution, specifically warning them not to position their head or body over certain hydrants. Records in the packet show the hydrant had been inspected about eight months earlier and logged as working. The city later replaced the unit.
The family’s fundraiser on GoFundMe says Vilimek, the engine’s driver engineer, was establishing a water supply at a structure fire near 75th Street and 9th Avenue when the hydrant “launched nearly six feet into the air” and struck him. The page says he suffered a traumatic brain injury, a cervical spine injury and jaw damage, spent six days in the hospital and has been taken off duty indefinitely while he goes through intensive therapy. His wife, Courtney, told WFLA that he was hit in the head and “flew backwards,” and family members say the department’s internal safety guidance that followed has left crews rattled.
Department Review And Safety Steps
Public-facing materials from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue highlight the department’s accreditation and citywide duties, but the agency’s website does not spell out any technical explanation for what went wrong with the hydrant. According to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, the department is an internationally accredited agency that serves more than 300,000 residents. The local firefighters union and rank-and-file members have rallied around Vilimek while officials carry out the review.
TBI Recovery Is Often Long And Complex
A traumatic brain injury can trigger cognitive, physical and emotional symptoms that may require months or even years of rehabilitation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The family’s GoFundMe says Vilimek now spends his weeks in multiple types of physical therapy five days a week, along with frequent specialist appointments as he works to rebuild strength and cognitive function. Neighbors and colleagues have organized fundraising efforts and meal trains while the department evaluates whether equipment or inspection practices need to change.
The accident has stirred community concern and calls for clearer inspection protocols. As crews and investigators check other hydrants around the city, Vilimek’s family says their focus is squarely on his recovery and that they hope the city’s review prevents another line-of-duty injury like this one.
