CSFD Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017

OFFICIALS Walter G. “Skip” Campbell Mayor Dan Daley Vice Mayor Larry Vignola Commissioner Lou Cimaglia Commissioner Joy Carter Commissioner Michael Goodrum City Manager John Hearn City Attorney

CITY OF PARKLAND OFFICIALS Christine Hunschofsky Mayor Stacy Kagan Vice Mayor Ken Cutler Deputy Vice Mayor Bob Mayersohn Commissioner Grace Solomon Commissioner Robert Payton City Manager

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FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT

Contents Message from the Fire Chief .................................................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. 5 Strategic Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Our Community....................................................................................................................................... 7 Budget/Financial Data............................................................................................................................. 8 Organizational Chart ............................................................................................................................... 9 Performance Measures ......................................................................................................................... 10 Fire ........................................................................................................................................................... 21 EMS .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 Community Paramedic……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….33 Fire Stations ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36 Training .................................................................................................................................................... 51 Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety ................................................................................ 58 Community Risk Reduction..................................................................................................................... 66 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)…………………………………………………………………………………71 Safety and Health .................................................................................................................................... 74 Communications .................................................................................................................................... 78 Public Information Officer ...................................................................................................................... 80 Community Involvement ........................................................................................................................ 82 South Florida Urban Search and Rescue ................................................................................................ 90 Disaster Medical Assistance Team …………………………………………………………………………………………………….91 Special Ops - SWAT/Tactical Paramedics…………………………………………….……………………………………………..93 Honor Guard…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………...95 Pipes and Drums …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……96 Fire Explorer Program ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..97 Awards and Achievements………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….98

Mission: To preserve life and property through emergency medical services, fire suppression, risk reduction, public education and community partnerships.

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Message from the Fire Chief The ISO Class I-rated Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department has achieved much during the last fiscal year and I am proud of the ways we have continued to serve our communities and our members. We remain committed to the cities we serve, and in July, we were honored to be recognized as “2017 EMS Provider of the Year” for the State of Florida, an award presented by the Florida Department of Health.

That same week, the American Heart Association presented us with the 2017 Mission Lifeline Silver Award for best practices in patient care.

Our personnel spent over 41,000 hours training during this past year and I am confident that investing in our people in this way has helped us achieve these stellar results.

Fire Chief Frank Babinec

Our focus on Safety and Health has resulted in strides being made that will improve the lives of our firefighters long into the future. Our dedication to this important issue earned us the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward County “Mike Murphy Innovator of the Year” award in June, and we remain committed to all aspects of safety and health in the fire service.

Through the G.O. Bond that passed in 2014, we opened two state-of-the-art fire stations in 2017, on time and within budget, with the space and technology that will serve us well into the future, and allow us to serve you, for many years to come.

Through our scheduled fleet replacement program, we have continued to add apparatus with improved technology, including a 107’ aerial apparatus, a pumper truck, and three rescues. In keeping our fleet and equipment up-to-date, we are able to continue providing the best possible care to our residents and visitors in their time of need.

Our Community Paramedic program has grown, and is serving the aging population and those with special medical needs with personalized care. In 2017, we responded to 115 calls through this program.

Our dedicated members have continued to volunteer in the community through special events, fundraisers, and in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes, they have gone to Texas, the Keys, and Puerto Rico to help others.

This past year we also brought Pulse Point to the community….a mobile app that allows CPR-certified citizens to begin lifesaving measures before EMS arrives.

We also weathered a storm that we are grateful brought minimal damage to our area, but allowed us to test our planning and preparation in such an emergency. I am proud of how well our organization performed during this event and proud of the individuals that work for this department.

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Through our new Drone Program, we are also able to use new technology to aid in response during an emergency or after a natural disaster. Our social media presence increased this past year, and we were able to communicate critical information through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We held several Facebook Live events to keep residents and businesses informed on topics such as Zika, Pulse Point, and Hurricane Irma. Together with Commissioner Cimaglia, the Police Department, and other organizations, we created a Task Force to address the growing opioid crisis in our community, and we hope to make progress in this area in the year ahead.

In 2017, I received the incredible honor of being named the 2017 Fire Chief of the Year for the State of Florida, by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. What makes this recognition so special is that although I may have been the one named on the award, and I may have been the one accepting the award, this award represents the support we receive from both of our City Commissions and the City Managers’ Offices. We have a committed group of men and women who are the best in the business and who are committed to serving their community. A little over three years ago, I delivered a message to the department when I was appointed to the position of Fire Chief. It said, “As long as we always keep the best interest of the membership, community, and organization in mind, we can never go wrong.”

Although this is a delicate balance, I believe we have lived up to the intent of the message, and this is part of the reason this department is enjoying our current successes. I am confident that together, we will continue. I am grateful to all our personnel for their support, their professionalism, their integrity, their innovations, and their compassion.

I hope you get a good sense of all we have set out to accomplish as you look through the following pages of this report.

Please feel free to reach out to me or any member of my staff if you have any questions.

Frank Babinec Fire Chief

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department provides vital service to the community. From the collective efforts of our firefighters and administrative staff working with city management, other city departments, neighboring fire departments, and the citizens of the communities we serve, we will continue to ensure that our department meets the challenges that are a part of sustaining a first-rate organization.

Throughout the year, we responded to over 15,000 incidents. We conducted over 6,000 fire inspections, and participated in over 600 public education events, either in the community or at one of our fire stations.

We’ve trained our own personnel, as well as that of other agencies via contract with our Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety. We’ve developed personnel to take on higher ranked positions, and trained high school students through our Explorer post, and a special program with Coral Springs High School. We’ve volunteered at City events, and raised funds for local and national organizations through our Benevolent organization’s Pasta Dinner as well as the MDA Fill the Boot campaign. We prepared for, and responded through a major hurricane, and were recognized by the state of Florida for several of our initiatives.

The data on the following pages will show you in great detail all the incidents to which we’ve responded, for Fire, EMS, Community Risk Reduction, and others, as well as give you a breakdown by response zone and when incidents occurred, and indicate what we feel is the most important statistic: response times. How quickly we get to you when you call us, will always be our most crucial goal.

In 2015, we produced a Strategic Plan for the department, shown on the next page, and we will continue to strive to meet the goals and objectives we created.

The Chief Officers of the Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department Scott Nebrasky, John Whalen, Steve Frey, Stephanie Palmer, Jason Gonzalez, Juan Cardona, Frank Babinec, Michael McNally, Rob McGilloway, Bruce Bowers, Michael Caldaro, Michael Moser, Eduardo Lopez, and Michael Ferrara

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The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department, together with both external and internal stakeholders, developed a Strategic Plan for the years 2015 thorugh 2020. While the diagram below will give you a brief overview, the entire Strategic Plan can be viewed on our website at CoralSprings.org/fire.

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OUR COMMUNITIES The City of Coral Springs was incorporated in July 1963 and encompasses a total land area of 23.94 square miles. We are the 15th largest city in the state of Florida by population, and the 5th largest in Broward County. In 2017, 127,381 residents called the city home.

Just to the north of Coral Springs, the City of Parkland had a population of 31,476, within 12.82 square miles.

Of the 24 mile long Sawgrass Expressway, 11.2 miles run through the cities of Coral Springs and Parkland.

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BUDGET/FINANCIAL DATA The entire budget for the new fiscal year can be found on the City of Coral Springs website at: CoralSprings.org/annualbudget.

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PERFORMANCE MEASURES From October 2016 to September 2017, the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department (CSFD) responded to 15,137 incidents with an average response time of 8 minutes or less 96.6% of the time for Emergency calls, and within 10 minutes of less 96.2% of the time for Non-Emergency calls. On average CSFD responded to 41 calls per day.

EMS  

Emergency Medical Calls accounted for 70.9% of all incidents.

The average response time for the 10,734 incidents is 4:54 minutes.

FIRE  

Fire related incidents accounted for 1.1% of the total calls, with an average response time of 5:03 minutes.

Of the fires we responded to 35% were Structure fires, with an average response time within 10 minutes or less 100% of the time.

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OTHER  

The 4,233 OTHER incidents includes calls which do not fall under either Fire or EMS. The top 3 types of calls are:   

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False Alarm and False Call (30.2%) Service Calls (29.6%) Good Intent Calls (25.9%)

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COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIME FY2017 For the purpose of this report, the response time components will include the following times: Call Processing, Turnout, Travel, and Response.

Call Processing Time The interval between receipt of the emergency alarm at the public safety answering point, and the moment when the dispatcher knows sufficient information and applicable units are notified of the emergency, defined in NFPA 1221. NFPA 1221 specifies that 95% of alarms shall be answered within 30 seconds, and in no case shall the initial call taker’s response to an alarm exceed 60 seconds.

Turnout Time The turnout time begins when units acknowledge notification of the emergency to the beginning point of response time. The objective of one minute (60 seconds) for turnout time is established.

Travel time: The time interval that begins when a unit is en-route to the emergency incident and ends when the unit arrives at the scene.

Response Time The time that begins when responding units are enroute to the emergency incident, and ends when responding units arrive on scene. The objective of eight minutes (480 seconds) or less, within the 90th percentile of the time is the established response time.

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INCIDENTS BY CALL TYPE

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# Of Incidents

Incidents Per Month 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 -

1,512 1,279

Oct

1,218

Nov 2016

1,295

Dec

1,278

Jan

1,203

1,269

Feb

Mar

1,343 1,086

Apr

May

1,206

1,232

1,216

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

2017

There is an increase in calls for mainly Emergency Medical related incidents beginning every October, and this trend continues through to March the following year. The average occurrence of incidents remains relatively consistent from October 2016 to March 2017.

Calls for service increases during the holiday months (December 2016 and January 2017), when more people are out doing their seasonal shopping.

The month of May 2017, had a 16% increase in patient transports. There were also increases from the previous month (April 2017) with incidents related to: weakness (19.2%); chest pain (96.0%); traffic accidents (46.2%); and ingestion/poisoning/overdose (300.0%). In May 2017, Coral Springs officials set up a citywide task force to address the opioid epidemic.

In September 2017, the increase in demand for services is due to Hurricane Irma, which veered to the west sparing residents of major catastrophic damage. There is a 24.3% increase in call volume from August 2017 to September 2017, and a 23.3% from 1,226 calls last year (September 2016) to 1,512 calls this September. From midnight, 09/09/2017 (Saturday) to midnight, 09/13/2017 (Wednesday), during and after the storm, EMS calls for incidents like Weakness, Traumatic Injury, and Fall Victims, accounted for 45.0% of the total calls reported.

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ALL INCIDENTS BY HOUR (In a 24-HOUR span) The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department responds to all types of incidents every day, 24 hours a day.

The demand for services varies according to the day of the week, and the time of the day or night. Another factor that determines demand is the type of call (Emergency Medical Services, Fire, or Other call types).

ALL INCIDENTS 1000 900

# OF INCIDENTS

12

11 13

250

7

700

13

10

5

800

265

4

500 400

4

300

92

200

6

10

13

272 252 253 242 243 229 251 241

273

600

100

4

4

183

10

5

171 150

4

11 8

149

150

141 505 555

640 676 629 654 647 638

574 564 564 568

373

465 464

242

7

91

66 379 327 301

3

3

2

1

66

69

55

79

242 190 175 183 179

0 6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

am

18

19

20

21

22

23

0

1

2

pm EMS

3

4

am

Other

Fire

The demand for EMS (medical calls) is relatively lower in the early hours between one and five in the morning, when people are sleeping. The busiest time begins during the morning rush hour around six, and it increases throughout the day, and into the early evening around seven. There is a steady decline in EMS calls after this period, when most people are usually at home.

EMS Incidents 800 700

555

# of Incidents

638

505

600

574 564 564

568

373

500 400

640 676 629 654 647

Peak time for EMS (medical calls) are between Mondays and Fridays, during 6 am and 7 pm.

465 464 379 327

242

301

300

242

190 175 183 179

200 100 0 6

7

8

9 am

17

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

pm

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22

23

0

1

2

3 am

4

5

5

Incidents related to the “other� category include calls for public service assistance, persons in distress, and animal rescues to name a few. The busiest time for these type of calls are between nine in the morning and seven at night.

OTHER Incidents

300

273 250 265 253 242 272 252 243 229 251 241

Peak time for OTHER calls are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, during 9 am and 7 pm.

# of Incidents

250

183

200

171 150

150

149 141

150

92

79 91 66 66 69 55

100 50 0 6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

am

18

19

20

21

22

23

0

1

2

pm

3

4

5

am

Fire calls increase during lunch and dinnertime, and between eleven at night and one in the early morning, when people are most likely sleeping.

# of Incidents

FIRE Incidents 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

13

12

10

13 11

13 10

6

6 5

4 7

10

8

7 4

Peak time for FIRE calls are Sundays and Tuesdays, 11 during lunch and dinner time. Also, between 11 pm and 1 am.

8

9 am

4 10

5

4 11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

pm

7

4 22

23

0

1

3

3

2

3

2 4

1 5

am

Photo by Jim Donnelly, Image Masters

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PRIMARY RESPONSES BY STATION AND UNIT

Station 71 16%

Station 64 16% Station 42 & 97 11% Station 95 10%

Station 43 18%

Station 80 23%

Station 109 6%

# of Primary Responses by Station 0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2724

Station 43 Station 71

2420

Station 64

2419 1668

Station 42 & 97

1589

Station 95

19

3500

3444

Station 80

Station 109

3000

873

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# of Primary Responses by Unit

0 R80 R43 R64 R71 R97 & EN97 R95 EN71 EN43 EN64 R109 LD80 EN95 R42 & EN42 Days EN109 PL80 & ENQ80

500

1000

1500

2000

2500 2378 2070

1825 1755 1291 1181 665 654 594 586 543 408 377 348 287 175

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FIRE Our Core Values Life – We value and respect all life; that of the citizens we serve, as well as our members.

Integrity – We are committed to the highest level of moral, ethical conduct and personal accountability.

Professionalism – Through leadership, all members are committed to delivering quality service in a safe and timely manner.

Compassion – We value an empathetic workforce that seeks to support, understand, and meet the needs of our community.

Innovation – We are committed to developing and utilizing leading-edge techniques, procedures, and equipment through continuing education and training.

Assistant Chief Steve Frey, Battalion Chief Eduardo Lopez A Shift

Assistant Chief John Whalen, Battalion Chief Scott Nebrasky B Shift

Assistant Chief Jason Gonzalez, Battalion Chief Michael Ferrara C Shift

The department operates four primary divisions to further our mission: Fire, EMS, Training and Community Risk Reduction (CRR). Our Fire and EMS divisions work a 24 hour shift every third day. Each shift operates under the command of an Assistant Fire Chief and a Battalion Chief, who are responsible for all aspects of running a shift of approximately 48 members that include Captains, Lieutenants, Driver Engineers, and Firefighter Paramedics.

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EMS

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The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department EMS Division strives to preserve the health, safety and welfare, as well as enhance the quality of life, of the residents and visitors of Coral Springs and Parkland, by providing the highest level of pre-hospital emergency medical care possible, thereby improving the outcomes of catastrophic illness and significant injury, while staying on the forefront of medical advancements through innovation, training, and technology in a workplace built on trust, opportunity and teamwork. We accomplish these objectives in a caring environment with an emphasis on the safety and professional development of all employees.

The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department EMS Division remains strong. We have been able to put several new medical protocols in place, as well as update others that allows us to treat patients in ways that are more effective. Some of these protocols are related to respiratory distress, overdose and trauma. Every department member has received protocol update training that allows him or her to perform these procedures. In June, the CSPFD was awarded the Florida Department of Health 2017 EMS Provider of the Year Award. This prestigious award recognizes our commitment to excellence, as well as our efforts towards finding ways to improve the way in which our community receives pre-hospital care. We also were awarded the American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Silver Award in recognition of our efforts to improve cardiac care for our community. In the last several months our crews have been receiving training in several modalities, all designed to improve their ability to care for our patients.

The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department has become a model agency for many throughout the state and the country. We fulfill many requests for assistance and collaboration with others who seek to achieve the same level of excellence.

Overview of the EMS Division The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department EMS Division ran 10,734 calls for service this past year – 76% of these calls resulted in transport to a healthcare facility.

The following are some of the types of calls that the EMS Division responded to this past year:         27

Car, motorcycle, bicycle accidents: 951 Cardiac arrest: 79 Drownings: 11 (2 fatal, 9 non-fatal) Strokes: 86 Falls: 823 Overdose related incidents: 163 Diabetic emergencies: 149 Shortness of breath: 224

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Role of the EMS Division Chief Division Chief of EMS Juan Cardona serves as the administrative director of the EMS division, managing those functions that support the ability of our department to deliver the highest quality of medical/trauma patient care possible. His primary responsibility is to ensure that every fire department member has the tools necessary, in terms of resources, equipment, apparatus, training, support, etc. required to ensure the wellbeing of our community. He assures department compliance with county, state and federal EMS requirements and regulations. Chief Cardona is responsible for incident emergency response including supervision of on-scene personnel, as well as command, control, and operational decision making when required. He assists in strategic planning, organizing, coordinating and administering fire suppression, emergency medical treatment, hazardous materials, community paramedic and mobile integrated healthcare programs and other activities of the fire department, such as standby EMS Details at high school football games, and local events.

EMS Division Chief Juan Cardona

In March of 2017, the Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department integrated the PulsePoint application in our dispatch center. This was possible through a grant from The Wireless Foundation.

PulsePoint is a software application designed to support public safety agencies interested in improving cardiac arrest survival rates through the involvement of the community. PulsePoint empowers everyday citizens to provide life�saving assistance to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Members of the community who have downloaded the PulsePoint app in their smart phones, have indicated that they are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and are willing to assist in case of an emergency receive a notification if someone nearby is having a cardiac emergency and may require CPR. If you are trained in CPR, you can download the PulsePoint app to your own smart phone and join us in using this revolutionary tool to help save lives.

If the cardiac emergency is in a public place, the location-aware application alerts trained citizens, located in a predetermined radius, of the need for bystander CPR simultaneous with the dispatch of advanced medical care. The application also directs these citizen rescuers to the exact location of the closest publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The objective is to assure that the American Heart Association Chain of Survival concept is maintained intact so that sufferers of cardiac arrest can receive early bystander CPR and defibrillation by EMS personnel, since these are the two lifesaving procedures that can greatly increase cardiac arrest survival.

Pulse Point Launch

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MEDICAL DIRECTOR The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department is extremely fortunate to have the highly acclaimed and skilled physician Dr. Peter Antevy as its Medical Director. The Medical Director is responsible for establishing protocols, reviewing the latest research and evidencebased medicine findings to put in place new programs to improve medical care for the community. He is the liaison between the fire department and all health agencies. He advocates for EMS and the importance of proper pre-hospital care.

Dr. Antevy continues to provide excellent medical direction to our crews. He continues to work on strengthening the Greater Broward EMS Medical Directors Association group so that other fire and EMS agencies from Broward and Palm Beach County can join. Dr. Antevy Dr. Peter Antevy has been instrumental in the establishment of a Rapid Sequence Intubation protocol and training program for all our crews. Recently, we were able to add world renowned Dr. Paul Pepe as our Associate Medical Director. The addition of Dr. Pepe to our medical directors’ team gives us the opportunity to have access to the top medical directors from all over the world and to participate in research programs that can help EMS nationally and globally.

Lt. Mark Myers, D/E Rob Burns, Medical Director Dr. Antevy, Community Paramedic Susan Toolan, and Firefighter Paramedic Kevin O'Connell

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Total Transports: 8,142

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TOP 10 EMS CALLS FOR SERVICE (Nature of Call at Scene)

Fall Victim

Weakness

7.7%

6.1%

Traumatic Injury 5.7%

Traffic Accident

Abdominal Pain

4.9%

4.5%

Chest Pain

Breathing Problem

4.0%

3.6% Sick Person 3.1%

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Syncope 3.3%

Altered Consciousness 2.9%

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day about 10 people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger.

Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.

For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.

Florida had the second highest drowning rate in the nation for children ages 1–14 years with a drowning rate of 2.54 per 100,000 population.

From October 2015 to September 2016, Coral Springs Fire Department responded to nine drowning incidents. Of those 89% were children aged fourteen or younger.

From October 2016 to September 2017, drownings increased 22%, with 64% of the cases being children between 1 – 14 years. Fatalities increased from 11% to 18%. Non-Fatal incidents decreased from 89% (FY2016) to 82% (FY2017).

PLACE OF INCIDENT

Drownings FY 2016 to FY 2017

5 4

Pool 91%

4

Canal 9%

3 2

2

2

2

DROWNINGS BY SEX

1 1 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0 Oct

Nov Dec

Jan

Feb Mar Apr May Jun FY2017

Jul

Aug

Male 64%

Female 36%

Sep

FY 2016

Of the eleven drowning cases, 91% occurred at home in the swimming pool. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 80 percent of people who die from drowning are male. Nearly 65% of the cases are males.

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COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC

Community Paramedic Susan Toolan

The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department Community Paramedic Program (CP) is one of the most innovative and forward thinking ideas in healthcare. Our goal is to put in place a model designed to improve the health of the population, at lower costs, and with patient satisfaction as a strong performance measure. The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department has placed one experienced paramedic in an 8 hour a day, five days per week schedule. The CSPFD Community Paramedic has been tasked with conducting house visits to patients who traditionally have used the 911 system as their primary source of healthcare or for issues that are not necessarily medical emergencies. “The goal is to help our citizens make better use of available emergency services and find ways to add value to their lives by helping them stay healthy.� Many patients simply are not aware that there are resources available to them other than an already taxed 911 system.

The Community Paramedic program is going strong. We continue to work with our high EMS utilizer population to find ways to reduce the number of calls to 911 for non-emergent type issues. We also work with our residents at higher risk of falling to provide them with fall prevention education, as well as resources that can help them avoid falling and sustaining an injury. We continue to work with patients that have been discharged from the hospital after being treated for CHF, pneumonia, diabetes, hip and knee replacement and who are a high risk for readmission. The goal is to help them obtain the necessary resources so that they can remain healthy and out of the hospital. We are now part of the suboxone team, which is a program designed to aid in the opioid crisis by providing patients a way to reduce their drug dependency. We continue to get referrals from our crews and are able to assist in providing the best resource(s) for our residents. To date we have helped over 450 patients in two and a half years.

Susan also participates in several community events throughout the year and maintains a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CSFDCP/ Helping those in need

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Susan is often out and about at community events, meeting residents and sharing information about the Community Paramedic program

Welcoming a soldier home

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STATIONS The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department responds to calls for service from 5 fire stations in Coral Springs, and 3 in Parkland. Each station is responsible for a designated response zone, although all stations are equipped and prepared to respond to any emergency where they are needed.

43 •64 • 71 • 80 • 95 • 42 • 97 • 109

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CORAL SPRINGS FIRE STATIONS STATION 43 - 4550 Rock Island Road Originally named Station 1 in a former location, Station 43 opened in its current location in 1988 and is named for former member William Buchanan. The former station was torn down in June of 2016 and a new station, funded through a GO bond, opened in March 2017 as a station that will house firefighters, apparatus, and equipment well into the future.

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STATION 64 – 500 Ramblewood Drive In 1977, Fire Station 2 opened to protect the southeast edge of Coral Springs. Volunteers provided service under Chief Russ Donovan. Fire Station 2 adopted its Broward County number of 64 and underwent various changes through the years, leading to a renovation in 2008. Station 64 has been located at 500 Ramblewood Drive for more than 30 years.

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64

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STATION 71 – 11800 NW 41st Street As Coral Springs began to grow and develop in the marshy swamplands in the northwest area of the City, a third fire station was needed. Station 3, constructed at 11800 N.W. 41st Street, provided service to the expanding area. Station 3 became Station 71, its official Broward County designation, and served as a central training point for the then-volunteer Coral Springs Fire Department. In 1991, the City built a four-story training tower behind Station 71 to improve on-site fire service training. Former member Cagle earned the honor of having the station named after him when he retired. Station 71 was torn down and a new station built at the same location in 2012.

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Station 80 – 2825 Coral Springs Drive Coral Springs Fire Department needed to house volunteers in a central location. The building, located at 2801 Coral Springs Drive, became the home of Station 4. The building was home to the Police Department and other essential public safety services. Station 4 gave way to its Broward County designation of number 80 and became the City’s main fire station because of its location in the heart of Coral Springs. Heavy call volume and the transition from a volunteer to paid professional department placed a heavy toll on the small firehouse. The City recognized the need for an expansion. In 2010, a new era in the City began with a complete Station 80 transformation meant for career firefighters. The new Station 80 is adjacent to the renovated Public Safety Building and is the first LEED certified fire station, with solar panels on the roof. As the central station in the City, Station 80 houses a brand new 100’ platform apparatus, an additional aerial unit, and a primary rescue, as well as the dive boat, a special events detail unit, and the shift’s Battalion Chief.

43

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80

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Station 95 – 300 Coral Ridge Drive Coral Springs Fire Department opened its fifth and final fire station in 1994. Station 5 received its Broward County designation as number 95. Located in the southwest corner of the City at 300 Coral Ridge Drive, Station 95 serves as the primary unit for the Sawgrass Expressway. In June of 2016, the station was torn down and a new building, a twin to Station 43, opened in April 2017.

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PARKLAND FIRE STATIONS Station 42 – 6500 Parkside Drive • STATION 97 – 6650 N. University Drive

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STATION 109 – 11601 Hillsboro Blvd Fire Station 109 was built to serve the growing western part of Parkland. Its grand opening was in April 2015.

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TRAINING

Battalion Chief Michael Caldaro

Division Chief Robert McGilloway

Battalion Chief Stephanie Palmer

The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department has strived to maintain the highest level of training over the past year. Our philosophy of safe, functional company training has bolstered the levels of confidence of each member making them more proficient in their personal skills, which is an attribute to the membership and our training division. The amount of time our personnel spent training increased by over 11,000 hours from FY2016 to FY2017.

The training division has a multitude of responsibilities outside of the development, delivery and oversight of daily, weekly and monthly requirements for in-service training to our members. At the helm is Division Chief Robert McGilloway, in conjunction with Battalion Chiefs Stephanie Palmer and Michael Caldaro. Ultimately, Chief McGilloway oversees all aspects of the division, with Chief Caldaro coordinating the Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety, and Chief Palmer in charge of the department’s inservice training.

The role of the Training Officer is changing, and adding value and protection to the organization. These changes have resulted in Fire Departments seeing increased workloads that in turn require increased training demands, skill requirements, and contact hours to ensure competency and safety. Fire service training is no longer simply fire based, nor solely decided on a local level. Fire departments are now guided, in part, by national fire service standards, accreditation, certification, and continuing education requirements. There are also increased societal and financial influences of emphasis on topics of firefighter safety and health, expanded roles, large incidents, incident management, current affairs, cultural diversity, ethics, legal issues, and use of mutual aid and regionalization.

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The Training Division is focused on implementing the best practices. Our goal is to create a workforce that is flexible and proactive, and one that identifies and reduces or eliminates redundancies. The Administration’s expectation is that the workforce be well-trained, innovative, and ethical at all times. The increase of line officers (Lieutenants and Captains), Inspectors, and other new employees; as well as officer training and leadership mentorship is essential over the next five (5) years.

The Department is prepared to carry out the mission and values daily with readiness and training: Readiness: At any given moment, we are ready to respond efficiently and effectively to change the outcome of the emergency.

Training: Provides the foundation to be ready. This includes hands on evolutions (drills) conducted regularly to support the capabilities of the Department.

It allows everyone to understand the capabilities of the Department and what resources we need to bring in for additional support. This is done via: o Company training that falls within ISO Guidelines. o State Fire Classes o Countywide & Regional Mutual Aid Drills This past year our members have increased their knowledge and skills in the areas of:  Live Fire, Breaching and Forcible Entry, and Situational Awareness for responders in a class held with CSPD/City Commission We have also accomplished the following items:  Mutual-aid Training with surrounding agencies o Air Rescue – Aircraft Capabilities and Tactical Considerations Class o Greet-n-Meets with Tamarac FD in stations with crews – overview of equipment and resource opportunities  Changed training rotation/schedules to allow crews to train together  Designated training days for each station/crew  Established incentives and set number of personnel for Field Training Officers per shift  Built garage door and window prop for Hurricane evolution training  Procedural change for Dispatch wellness checks and prompts (Time stamped wellness checks)  Established standard language when units call for immediate assistance from CSPD (Code 3 vs.

Step-it up response)  Conducted a survey to increase communication and build training calendar with end user in mind  Created buy-in and ownership with calendar of events  Extended New Hire Program to five weeks to increase competency testing  Worked with Community Risk Reduction Division to increase training opportunities with suppression personnel (Required to complete Level 1 for Facility Training and Level 2 for Company Training)

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 

Revised the Officer Development Program – changed program to designated weeks and followup with mentors after completion of program Conducted community training: o Prom Scare with local High Schools o JP Taravella High School – DECA group: Crisis Text Line o Vitas Hospice Training

DIVE TEAM

Chief Palmer is also the commander of our Underwater Search and Rescue Dive Team, a public safety diving organization. To be a member of the dive team on dive status, candidates must demonstrate their abilities in a pool environment and be certified as a Public Safety Diver and Dive Rescue Specialist through an internationally recognized diving organization. Candidates must also demonstrate they are comfortable in zero visibility and black water environments. Once selected, divers are certified in search and rescue diving, equipment maintenance, dry suit diving, and underwater communications. Dive team operations include initiating search and rescue operations in underwater environments. The team also provides assistance to local law enforcement when requested. The dive team conducts both land and boat based operations in a variety of challenging bodies of water. The dive team’s primary focus on any operation is safety.

Public safety diving is an exciting, challenging, and rewarding field. It is also considered to be one of the most hazardous that requires a strong commitment. Members of the dive team are highly motivated and professional, and are committed to safety. The dive team is considered an elite group with the Fire Department and membership is highly competitive.

Under Chief Palmer’s command, reports and records were centralized this past year, allowing for greater accountability.

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renewal and recertication for all divers was set to the same date to further improve accountability. Our Dive Team is made of a talented and diverse staff and experienced instructors with a goal of continued improvement in all areas. With a team mindset of “A good idea is a good idea no matter where it comes from”, the Dive Team members work together and with other agencies to forge best practices at all times.

During fiscal year 2017, specialized training was conducted with the Dive Team that included: 

Quarterly training conducted on black water operations for all members

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Annual Watermanship & Skills Assessment test completed to prove proficiency

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Ocean dive with improved visibility to ensure skill sets

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Side Sonar training with select members on waterways

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Mutual Aid Training with surrounding agencies which included a lost diver drill and an submerged car drill

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Our department is proud to consider training one of our most important functions. Keeping skill sets sharp, learning new technology, and continuously improving and learning whenever we can, is key to maintaining our readiness to protect lives and property in the cities we serve.

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TOTAL TRAINING HOURS: 41,191

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CORAL SPRINGS REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SAFETY (CSRIPS) The Coral Springs Fire Academy was certified by the State Bureau of Fire Standards and Training on October 13, 1999 and operated on the grounds of Coral Springs Fire Station 71. The first class graduated in May 2000 and consisted entirely of volunteer members of the department who were upgrading their skills and certifications.

In the fall of 2001, the Coral Springs Fire Academy graduated its first Minimum Standards Class with a 100% pass rate on the State exams. Two more classes graduated with 100% pass rate on the State exams, bringing the total to three. This was a state record for consecutive 100% pass rates on the State administered written and practical exam.

That record stood until 2006, when the Academy began a consecutive run of nine 100% pass rate classes.

That record still stands today. This could not have been accomplished without the dedication and commitment of our instructors, staff, and the City of Coral Springs’ management philosophy of “Always Striving for Excellence.” We continue to strive for 100% pass rate from all of our Minimum Standards classes.

With the success of our Minimum Standards program and at the request of our students, the focus to add EMT-B to our core was underway. In April of 2003, the Academy became licensed by the Florida Department of Education Commission for Independent Education and approved by the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

Our first EMT-B class began shortly thereafter at an offsite classroom. The response was overwhelming, and grew from one evening part-time class to a daytime part-time class running concurrently.

The demand for both programs with limited space made it apparent that a change was needed to facilitate additional students. A building and training site was constructed and opened its doors in January of 2007.

The building was later dedicated to former Fire Chief Donald A. Haupt, Jr. 2007 was the first year being recognized as the Florida Fire Service Training & Education Provider of the Year.

Under the new four acre site, the Academy was able to excel and expand the training by adding additional fire classes and facilitating training to other agencies. Our reputation for excellence continued over the next six years. Winning the Florida Fire Service Training & Education Provider of the Year two more times in 2011 & 2013, no other training center has been recognized more than once.

The catalyst for the recognition was the implementation of a Firefighter 1 Program in Coral Springs High School, which gives students the opportunity to learn about our profession and earn a scholarship.

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Additionally, in 2013 we began the process to become an accredited institution. Staff embarked on a long process with the Council of Occupational Accreditation (COE) verifying and validating the methods we have been teaching for many years.

Notification of our approval and becoming an accredited institution in 2014 paved the way for further expansion of our core certifications to include EMT-Paramedic.

This expansion makes us the only certified training center to offer these programs under one roof. Additional growths to the high school programs include and EMT at Coral Springs High School, West Boca High School and another firefighter 1 program at Lauderhill 6-12.

Furthermore, our influence and dedication to professional training both locally and abroad became the deciding factor that we were no longer a fire academy, but a true educational institution and the reason for a rebranding the facility, logo, and name. In 2015, the City supported the

change and unanimously voted to change from the Coral Springs Fire Academy to the Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety. Continuing our impact and growth we entered into two large contracts with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and City of Miami to provide Fire Officer 1 & 2 courses that would train more than 1,000 firefighters from both agencies enhancing their education and commitment to the community.

2017 began with the opportunity to deliver a process that would benefit the agencies of Broward County. The Broward County Fire Chief’s Association choose CSRIPS to develop and deliver a testing process for all potential candidates. This process included assessing skills in fire, EMS and general knowledge. As part of the Broward County Firefighter Regional Assessment Test (BC-FRAT) the implementation of virtual reality testing was done for medical scenarios for the first time anywhere in the world. A partnership with Virtual Reality Systems made this venture a reality and has proven to be another step in leading training and testing for Florida. Continuing our reach and development of EMS we partnered with Martin County Fire Rescue and instituted an in-house paramedic program which will impact and benefit their members and agency. The culmination of the hard work and dedication earned us the recognition as the #1 Fire Academy in Florida and #2 overall in the country as published by Fire Rescue1.com in June 2017.

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Fiscal year 2016 – 2017 Accomplishments Facility          

Continuous improvements to our website www.csrips.org Upgraded automated student registration and record keeping in our custom learning management system (LMS) Repainted classrooms Created Student Services room Opened the new 2 story Live Fire Training Prop – Can city Released 2016 –2017 All Course Calendar Added new forcible entry props (FDNY Blue Door & Crush Prop) Added Garage Door prop Acquired Aerial truck Installed new security gate

Continuing Education  

Palm Beach County CPR Contract Completed 2 testing cycles of BC-FRAT

Accredited Programs   

Introduction of Saturday Open Houses. Inclusion of students as ambassadors during Open House.

Preparing for accreditation reaffirmation in 2018 Existing Articulation Agreements

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EMS    

Joined FAEMSE. Increased presence in EMS. Equipment/supplies purchases Revamped EMS curriculum and testing EMT-Basic: o Increase of EMT-Basic hours to 306 hours o Increased and maintained pass rates for EMT-Basic o Percentage of students graduated: 89% o Achieved State License: 78%

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EMT-Paramedic: o Percentage of students graduated: 82% o Achieved State License: 77% Firefighter I & II  

Percentage of students graduated: 78% Achieved State License: 95%

CSRIPS Average:  

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Completion Rate: 83% Achieved State License: 83%

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For more information visit www.csrips.org

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COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION

The primary mission of the Community Risk Reduction Division (CRRD) is to employ the three “E’s” of fire prevention in an effort to prevent fire incidents or personal injury before it occurs. The 3 E’s are Engineering, Education, and finally, Enforcement. The CRRD staff is multi-certified and highly qualified to provide a wide range of specialized interventions, technical consultations and fire code enforcement to help ensure safety of the residents and visitors to the city of Coral Springs and Parkland.

Deputy Fire Chief Michael McNally oversees the Community Risk Reduction Division, as well as Emergency Management, Special Operations Dive Rescue Team, SWAT Medic Program, and the department members who are assigned to FEMA’s USAR FL Task Force II and the Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Chief McNally is also responsible for all compliance for new hires and promotions. He began his career with the department as a Fire Explorer, and previously oversaw the Training Division and Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety. Mike is also a Rescue Team Manager with USAR, and has been deployed several times over the years including to Haiti after the earthquake that struck the country in 2010.

Deputy Fire Chief Michael McNally

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Fire Marshal Bruce Bowers

The City’s Fire Marshal, Bruce Bowers, reports directly to Chief McNally. He is actively involved in a variety of organizations that draft additions to or amendments to the fire code at the local, state and federal level.

Additionally, he sits on the City’s Development Review Committee. This committee reviews all new buildings (or those that are altered) prior to building permit application submittal. This is to ensure that fire apparatus have access and can maneuver within the site, that there are ample fire hydrants and that they are properly located. 42 of these reviews were conducted during fiscal year 2017. He is on the City’s Traffic Management Team, which reviews all matters that have the potential to cause changes in vehicular movement, which could impact response times for first responders. Chief Bowers is also a member of the County’s Drowning Prevention Task Force as well as the Fire Code Committee of the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals.

The CRRD provides fire inspections, building permit plan review, public life safety education as well as fire-related investigation services for the residents of Coral Springs and Parkland.

Throughout the year, we perform fire and life safety inspection on over 6,386 properties. These include commercial businesses, residential properties containing three or more living units, assisted living facilities, group homes, foster homes and home-based day care occupancies. We enforce applicable provisions of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Codes and Standards, Florida Fire Prevention Code, State Statutes and Administrative Codes, and the City of Coral Springs Municipal Code of Ordinances as it related to life safety enforcement for the public.

These inspections help mitigate any potential hazards that may contribute to a fire developing, a personal injury occurring or any hindrance to a rapid evacuation. In the event there are violations noted during the inspection site visit, results are noted and a re-inspection is performed, if necessary. During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD members conducted 1,913 re-inspections.

While the ultimate goal is to achieve compliance with fire codes, should an owner fail to make the required life-safety repairs, the case is processed and set for a hearing in front of a Special Magistrate.

At this hearing, the presiding magistrate will determine, based on the severity of the violation, a daily fine amount until the repairs are completed. During Fiscal Year 2017, a total of 130 cases were taken to Special Magistrate which resulted in $24,396.59 in fines. In addition to Special Magistrate fines, we also collected $19,928.64 in Re-Inspection fees.

The CRRD performed 824 architectural plan reviews prior to any new building being built and any new construction alterations to an existing occupancy. Following approval of the blueprints and issuance of a building permit, these inspections are made throughout the project to ensure the approved plan is adhered to. These inspections are performed on the structural elements, as well as a wide variety of specialized systems, which include:      67

Fire Sprinkler Systems Fire Alarm Systems Restaurant Hood Suppression Systems Dry Agency Systems for Computer Rooms or other high dollar loss, sensitive areas Propane Tank Installations including gas lines

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          

Fuel Tank and Piping Installations for Vehicle Fueling Stations Communication Systems Emergency Backup Power Systems Aboveground Fuel Storage Tanks Paint Spray Booth Suppression Systems used in auto body shops Fire Hydrant Placement and Supply Piping Fire Flow Tests Smoke Detectors Smoke Evacuation Tests Hazardous Materials Storage Mobile Food Vendors

During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD conducted 1,540 such inspections.

During certain special events, due to the increased number of people in attendance or the nature of the event has the ability to pose a higher than normal risk of possible safety breaches. Therefore, our Fire Inspectors are present at these special events as well. Their main goal is to make sure exits remain readily accessible, ensure fire and life safety systems are maintained and should an issue arise, render the necessary aid.

In addition to special events, CRRD also conducts fire watches at facilities where a required life safety system is out of service. Should emergency services be necessary, early notification to dispatch and assistance with resident and/or employee evacuation is instrumental in saving lives. During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD participated in 135 such special events.

Per fire code regulations, a fire investigation is required to determine origin and cause of the fire. Our Fire Inspectors are cross-trained as fire investigators and conduct these fire investigations. They have a rotating schedule that guarantees someone is on call to perform investigations when needed. If arson is suspected, the case is turned over to the State Fire Marshal Investigators and local detectives follow through if an arrest is necessary. During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD completed 53 fire investigations.

Another critical mission of the CRRD is to educate the public on Fire and Life Safety issues. During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD conducted 292 car seat installations, coordinated 116 fire apparatus appearances at schools and various community events, coordinated 33 station tours and participated in 65 Fire Safety

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Trailer presentations as part of the Safety Town curriculum. In addition, they orchestrated a variety of life-safety education presentations to students, scout groups and other community organizations.

Life-Safety education areas include:      

   

Basic Fire Safety Education for preschoolers Home Fire Escape Drills for elementary school children CPR Introduction Experiences for the entire community Sleep Safe and Car Seat Education for young families Hurricane Season Preparation and Planning Drowning Prevention Education and Access to Swim Programs for both adults and children Fire Safety Response Training for staff at special risk community locations Safety Planning Evacuation and Fire Drill Coordination at community educational and childcare locations Specialized Programs in Cooperation with our Fire Academy and Police Department

During Fiscal Year 2017, CRRD recorded 14,311 public education contacts.

This is 86% of the 16,560 contacts recorded in FY2016. The achievement is significant considering that in October 2016, during Fire Prevention month, Hurricane Matthew affected the community, and numerous programs and events were cancelled.

Then in September of 2017, we were again impacted, this time by Hurricane Irma.

This resulted once again in cancellation of some of our bigger community programs, and reductions

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in numerous other programs due to the demands of the hurricane recovery.

These CRRD programs have been recognized as “Best Practice” models in both drowning prevention and the wideranging public education arena. Public Education Officer Robert Bertone has received many accolades in the Public Safety field. CRRD has become an aggressive and creative marketer of both the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department’s missions and the City of Coral Springs core values. For more information on the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department’s Community Risk Reduction Division, as well as additional links to Fire Prevention Safety Information, please visit our website at http://www.coralsprings.org/government/otherdepartments-and-services/fire/community-risk-reductiondivision

Edward Escobedo, Thomas Hayes, CERT Commander Mike DiTocco, Rosemary Rodriguez, Alysa Abzug, Bruce Bowers, Ralph Troino, Bob Bertone, Lici Merritt, Harold Alcalde, Daniel Chavez

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COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)

The Coral Springs and Parkland all-volunteer Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates residents about disaster preparedness and how to respond to emergency situations in their community. When emergencies happen, CERT members give critical support to first responders and provide immediate assistance to victims at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with nonemergency projects that help improve the safety of the community. Using classroom and hands-on training, CERT members develop skills to assist others when professional responders are not immediately available. CERT members are trained in Small Fire Suppression, First Aid, Triage, Team Organization, Light Search and Rescue, Disaster Psychology, and Terrorism Awareness. CERT volunteers also receive CPR training.

Coral Springs - Parkland CERT is one of the most active teams in South Florida. In the last 12 months, Coral Springs - Parkland CERT has been activated more than 20 times to support the police and fire departments for events such as fires, gas leaks, hazmat situations, missing person searches, and two hurricanes. The team has responded to multiple canteen/rehab calls in neighboring cities to assist other CERTs while they assist their fire departments. Since its inception, CS-P CERT has responded to hundreds of calls. In addition to the calls listed above, CERT has responded to SWAT activations, large brush fires, a recycling plant fire that burned for over 24 hours, and the Goodyear Blimp crash.

Coral Springs - Parkland CERT is regularly called upon to help search for missing persons that may be in danger. This includes children, teens or adults with disabilities, or seniors with cognitive impairments.

CERT has been credited with dozens of successful searches over the years.

In FY 2016-2017, the team was activated and responded 21 times.

Coral Springs - Parkland CERT had a very productive year.

Our volunteers accounted for over 2,200 volunteer hours. During that timeframe, CERT responded to assist in the search for 3 missing people, 8 structure fires, 2 large brush fires, 2 gas leaks, 2 mutual aid calls, and 2 calls to assist residents. CERT mobilized for both Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma.

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In each of the three missing person cases in which CERT responded to assist, the missing residents, 1 adult and 2 juveniles, were successfully returned to their families.

The CERT Canteen responded to 11 fires and 2 gas leaks where rehab services were provided to first responders who were working at the scenes.

After Hurricane Irma, CERT Members assisted Code Enforcement employees with the Rapid Impact Assessment (RIA) of potential damage throughout the city. Members performed welfare checks on residents on the vulnerable population list, and in assisted living facilities that couldn’t be contacted after the storm. Volunteers assisted with the evacuation of guests from the upper floors of the La Quinta North hotel who were unable to use the elevators due to a loss of power in the building.

CERT volunteers responded to Century Village in Pembroke Pines after Irma to assist with the Point of Distribution (PoD) that was set up to provide ice and water to the 14,000 residents of that community that were left without power for several days.

CERT volunteers also responded to assist with welfare checks at a local high-rise apartment building in the days after Irma as the backup generator stopped working.

CERT volunteers assisted with caring for students, and their parents, during the evacuation of a local High School.

Numerous students and anxious parents were provided with water as the students were released from the Coral Springs Gym.

CERT Leadership Team Member Steve Mitchell

The Regional CERT Academy classes continue to provide training for new CERT volunteers from across the region. Coral Springs - Parkland CERT trained 48 volunteers from Coral Springs, Parkland, and eight other neighboring cities. These trainees have gone on to volunteer in their respective communities.

CERT Members train continuously throughout the year. Training topics include triage, first aid, cspine/backboards/carries, fire suppression, dealing with difficult people, missing person searches, and more. CPR is also a major component of CERT training.

This year 58 members were certified or recertified in CPR. In November 2016, Coral Springs hosted the 2016 Florida Family Safety Fest. This is a fundraiser for CERT programs throughout Broward County. It also serves as a public education opportunity where residents from around the region can come to learn about safety topics, preparation, and mitigation steps. The committee has been hard at work all year planning the 2017 Family Safety Fest. Because of

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the cleanup efforts after Irma, the event has been postponed from November 2017, to April 21, 2018.

This event will include a pancake breakfast on the morning of the event.

CERT Commander Mike DiTocco

For more information about Coral Springs – Parkland CERT, and instructions on how to join this group of dedicated community volunteers, visit www.coralspringscert.org.

For more information about Family Safety Fest, visit www.familysafetyfest.org.

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SAFETY AND HEALTH The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department continues to make strides in the area of Safety and Health in our community and in the State. Our Safety and Health Committee (SHC), which is completing their second year of operations, was formed under the direction of the Fire Chief to encompass all aspects of Safety and Health to provide the men and women of the organization the most comprehensive program available.

The committee is headed by Assistant Fire Chief John Whalen and Captain Christopher Bator.

Assistant Fire Chief John Whalen

Captain Christopher Bator

The primary purpose of the SHC is to provide oversight, direction, and Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) that address the issues of safety and health in the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department. Primarily, the SHC meets at least quarterly and discusses topics related to fire service health and safety issues such as: Cancer Prevention - Cancer and the causes of cancers directly related to firefighters is of great importance to the SHC and the committee is continuously seeking information and ways to limit the exposure to carcinogens faced by our members. This project includes identifying the proper cleaning and maintenance of all firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE), the proper use and care of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), and cancer screening and testing on a regular basis. This project has led to many positive changes including moving firefighting equipment that is subject to exposure to carcinogens and off-gassing, to compartments outside of the apparatus cab, and the purchase and installation of industrial extractors and dryers for PPE. In addition, fire stations have been equipped with PPE gear-isolation rooms specifically designed to reduce exposure to diesel emissions and prolong the life of the PPE. The department has also committed to providing two sets of bunker gear/PPE to firefighters to provide them with an available secondary set with which to respond to other emergencies while the primary set is being

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properly de-conned at the station. New standard operating guidelines have been created for proper PPE de-con, and new de-con kits have been deployed. The SHC is leading the efforts, both locally and on a State and National level, to change the culture of the Fire Service as it relates to cancer prevention and screening for firefighters.

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative (Southeast Region) – The Collaborative was developed in 2016 with multiple organizations from around South Florida to form a group of dedicated public safety professionals that share information and resources related to Safety and Health on a regional level. This collaborative addresses issues in the fire service that affect every type of organization regardless of size. Important issues such as mental health and wellness, suicide prevention, PTSD, equipment and tools, active killer, traffic incident management safety, cancer prevention, and health and fitness are just a few of the topics that are openly discussed and determinations and recommendations are made to assist each organization in any way possible including the sharing of best practices and equipment recommendations.

The collaborative includes safety and health advocates from multiple disciplines including mental health, cancer research and university level medical researchers. The collaborative has grown into a statewide organization with regions in North Florida, Southwest Florida, Central Florida and Southeast Florida and has been recognized as a leader in firefighter safety and health on a State and National level.

Health and Wellness - The Coral Springs Fire Department takes the health of our members very seriously and we have been a leader in initiatives to promote health and wellness. Each year the City of Coral Springs provides a comprehensive health screening to every firefighter in the organization. This program has been a major success and has led to multiple employee’s early detection of potentially serious medical concerns. The LifeScan initiative provides medical screening for numerous issues including heart health, hearing, vision, skin cancer screening, complete blood work, major organ screening, and cancer testing to name a few. All testing and results are completely confidential with only the employee being notified of the results. The information then allows the employee to follow up with their primary care physician.

Peer Fitness - The Fire Department is working to improve the health and fitness of our members.

Currently a program to keep our members at the highest physical fitness level possible is under development. In this model, some members have been sent to a specific peer fitness-training program in order to bring a viable and sustainable program to the members of our department and achieve our goals of physical fitness. The SHC is developing a new model for a peer fitness program where certified physical trainers that are part of our organization make themselves available to our members and conduct personalized physical training and diet programs for any member wishing to participate. In 75

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addition, each fire station has been outfitted with a complete set of physical fitness equipment that is available to all members.

Peer Support- Mental wellness is a top priority for our organization and is becoming a major topic of discussion on a national level. Suicide rates for first responders have been on a steady incline for several years and is now reaching epidemic proportions. The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department believes in taking a proactive approach to mental health and the protection of our members. Peer support is a program dedicated to first responders helping first responders when they need it most. Training our members to recognize the symptoms of depression and other mental issues and providing them with the tools necessary to get our firefighters the assistance they may need. The Peer Support program is another part of our comprehensive mental wellness program that includes EAP, Chaplaincy, behavioral health training, and working with local clinicians to better serve our firefighters’ needs. The Fire Department is very excited that our organization is working towards a comprehensive Peer support model for not only our members and their families but we are part of a team that is working towards the establishment of primary education training in this area for all future firefighters in Florida.

Firefighter Safety - Reducing firefighters’ risk and injuries is of extreme importance to the SHC. A focused effort to reduce risks of injury and accidents is underway. This includes modifying our response policies to meet local and national standards, identifying current and new threats to firefighter safety, and implementing new procedures to minimize the risk of injury or exposure. New ways of documenting injuries to NFIRS have been developed and implemented to improve data collection at a local, state and national level to help track and identify trends.  FY2017 Accomplishments:  Developed a relationship with University of Miami to coordinate cancer research and future technology studies.  One of just four agencies involved with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Firefighter Cancer Initiative (FCI) Culture Change Research  Developed SOG on de-con procedures after fires  Moved towards a “Clean Cab Concept” with moving airpacks and firefighting equipment to exterior compartments of front line apparatus.  Provided Mental Health and Peer Support training with both the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance and Illinois Firefighter Peer Support.

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Members of the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department, the Firefighters Safety and Health Committee, and the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami met with executives from Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. to share our Clean Can concept, for this and additional Firefighter Cancer Prevention methods to be engineered into future fire apparatus designs.

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COMMUNICATIONS The Communications Unit serves the City of Coral Springs by processing both emergency and non-emergency service calls for police, fire and rescue. The Communications Unit also dispatches Fire Rescue units to the City of Parkland. We are one of only two independent 911 call centers in the county that are not part of a regional communications center.

The center employs 37 highly trained communications professionals who use the latest technology to dispatch and track responding units. Service is provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Communications Unit has been CALEA accredited since November 2007.

Some of the latest technology includes:       

Motorola P25 800MHz Trunked Radio System West Enhanced 911 System Superion Public Safety OSSI ONESolution Computer Aided Dispatch System Mapping Including LCD Displays through Superion’s OSSI ONESolution Computer Aided Dispatch System Automatic Vehicle Location through the GPS located on Motorola Handheld Radios Superion Public Sector ONESolution MCT Mobile Field Reporting Application Viking Acoustical Ergonomic Furniture

We answered 60,053 911 calls in fiscal year 2017. Our 911 Call answer time: 10 seconds or less 92.56% of the time.

With the new Superion OSSI One Solution CAD system with GPS capability, has the ability to track the location of fire units for closest unit response to emergencies.

Telecommunicator Hillarey Vullo was recognized by the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department, for her Caller Aid CPR that assisted a 911 caller in performing CPR on a citizen. It was through her actions that the patient survived.

Telecommunicator Hillarey Vullo

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Telecommunicator Erin Kafka was recognized by the Coral Springs Police Department and the Broward County Commission based on her leadership & compassion, as well as her dedication to provide the best level of service to any one she encounters including our officers, citizens and visitors to the City of Coral Springs.

One great example of Erin’s work is the handling of police main channel during the Coral Square Mall shooting that occurred on November 26, 2016 at 09:56. Erin did a wonderful job while on main channel during the incident. She held her composure throughout the incident, kept the units on scene and those still responding informed with details that were coming in from the witnesses on scene. Erin was able to relay what arriving units were advising and keep all units informed. Erin was also able to assist the Incident Commander with pertinent information prior to the request of such information. Erin was always two steps ahead Telecommunicator Erin Kafka to make sure that what was needed for the IC and units was being worked on before it was even requested.

Erin’s actions during this incident directly affected the overall success of the incident, and Erin was recognized by the Broward County Commission on April 4, 2017.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER The Public Information Officer (PIO) is responsible for disseminating information to the public in regards to all aspects of the Fire Department including but not limited to emergency calls, evacuations, natural disasters, and special events. All Fire Department news and information will be released to the media through the PIO. Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department’s Public Information Officer is Division Chief Mike Moser. Division Chief Moser has been with the Department since 2001 and is also a member of Florida Urban Search Michael Moser & Rescue (USAR FL-TF2). Division Chief Moser is a member of the State of Florida PIO Deployment Team and attends specially designed courses regularly, thus affording him the skills and qualifications to provide his services to the community. Division Chief Moser has been deployed out of state as a PIO for incidents including Hurricanes Ike, Charlie, and Katrina, and most recently, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The Florida Fire Chief’s Association named him the 2008 PIO of the Year.Chief Moser was also instrumental in the implementation of our Drone Program. The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department was the first fire department in Broward County to obtain a Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This specialized authorization allows the City of Coral Springs to operate several small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAS) within the airspace of Broward County. The sUAS’s are used for a variety of missions that include searches for missing children or adults, damage assessments after large scale incidents, or safety flights over fires or other major incidents where personnel are working.

The sUAS’s, otherwise known as drones, have become an integral part of the public safety community. Just a few short years ago, this technology was not available or affordable for public safety use. Now that the drone industry has evolved, the technology is readily available for use within fire departments all across the country. The Coral Springs Parkland Fire Department has used their drones on several missions since acquiring their authorization. The drone proved to be a worthy addition to the equipment needed during an emergency. The sUAS provided a real-time video link to the incident commander as well as thermal imaging that was instrumental in locating the largest area of heat from a hidden fire in the ceiling of a large retail store. The images were used by command personnel to direct crews and hose streams to the affected area.

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The City of Coral Springs sUAS program is a collaborative effort between the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department, the Coral Springs Police Department, and the City of Coral Springs Communications and Marketing Department. The Drone Program Manager is Ryan Himmel, the Senior Video Producer for the City of Coral Springs.

We have presented several Facebook Live events on topics such as Zika Prevention, Hurricane Irma Updates, Pulse Point implementation, and continue to use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to send out alerts for hazardous weather conditions, road closures, and more.

Division Chief Moser is on-call 24 hours a day to answer calls from the media.

For all media and public inquiries, Division Chief Moser can be reached via e-mail at mmoser@coralsprings.org Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/CoralSpringsFireDepartment https://twitter.com/coralspringsfd https://www.instagram.com/coralspringsfd/

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT The men and women of the Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department participate in several events each year and are honored to be a part of the volunteer efforts to help our local community.

In April, several members proudly walked in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, raising over $6,500 dollars making us one of the three top fundraising teams!

Our fire personnel also were the top contributors to the City of Coral Springs Thanksgiving Basket Drive last year, and several of our members also help put the boxes together. This city initiative distributes baskets of food to needy families in Coral Springs.

Together with the Coral Springs Professional Firefighters Benevolent Association, our staff raised $15,925.33 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association during the annual “Fill the Boot” campaign over Labor Day weekend. The MDA is a cause that is near and dear to our hearts, and in June a group of sworn and civilian fire personnel brought “Taco Night” to the staff and campers at the local MDA camp, serving over 100 individuals tacos and ice cream sundaes and earning the coveted “Golden Spatula Award” for the third year in a row. We are grateful to our communities for helping us “Fill the Boot”!

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Through the efforts of the Benevolent, our members also hosted several other community events. In October 2016, at the 6th Annual Cancer Awareness Pasta Dinner at Fire Station 80 we served over 1,000 people raising funds for the the American Cancer Society, and the Benevolent Association for its programs.

This yearly event features pasta with homemade sauce, sausage or homemade meatballs, a roll, and a drink, all for $5. Mark your calendars for next year so you can join us! With the funds raised, we are able to give back to the community in many ways, including providing monthly “care packages� so our Community Paramedic may help patients in need of daily essentials, donations to victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and holiday gifts for needy families.

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We also sponsor $400 per member for any of our personnel whi wish to escort a World War II veteran to Washington, D.C. through the Honor Flight Program. Although these flights are designed to honor our most senior heroes, those who fought in World War II, these flights have proven to be just as meaningful for our members who volunteer for the role of escort. See www.honorflightsouthflorida.org for more informaton about this heartwarming program.

Fire Inspector Lici Merritt accompanying a World War II veteran to Washington, D.C.

Another very special event is the Annual Joseph Schiro Memorial Run which last took place in February 2017 at the Everglades multi-use trail in southwest Coral Springs. Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer and Coral Springs resident Joseph Lee Schiro, an American hero, a devoted father, son, brother and husband, was killed in action on October 6th, 2012. Joseph was killed by enemy forces during direct ground combat while serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

The Run features a 5k, a 10k, and a Half Marathon, and the proceeds are donated to the trust fund for Joseph’s young children. Register for the next run at www.josephschiromemorialrun.com

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RUN PAULY STRONG The First Annual Run Pauly Strong 5k, 10k and 13k, took place on Sunday, October 30th, 2016 in honor of of our Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department Driver Engineer Paul Pietrafesa, who was fighting pancreatic cancer. We were saddened to lose Paul on November 23, 2016, but the Run Pauly Strong event continues in his memory, the day following our annual pasta dinner each October. Join us out on the levee at the end of Atlantic Blvd as we gather for this very special event. When you register for the run, your Pasta Dinner ticket is free, and when you attend the Pasta Dinner you can pick up your race packet, bib, tee shirt, and goody bag!

Paul Pietrafesa at Run Pauly Strong 2016

Members of the Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department run in honor of their brother

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Each year, Members of the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department are proud to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event held locally at Coral Springs High School. From raising funds, to volunteering at the event, to walking around the track, we contribute in any way we can to help fight this disease that has touched so many of us.

Fr

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Several of our members conducted a toy drive for needy children in November 2016, just as the holiday season got underway. With participation from both Walmart locations in the city, we collected nearly $5,000 dollars, and 3,500 toys.

The toys went directly to younger children in the community. With the money collected, we were able to purchase gift cards for the older kids.

This is another event that we love to hold each year, knowing that our efforts make a difference to the needy families in our community.

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Vincent Bini, Mike Matz, Susan Toolan, Laz Ojeda, Caroline Quevillon and Joshua Muller help deliver holiday gifts to needy families

Fire Department Elf Robin MacDonald and Santa visit residents on Santa’s Express

Deputy Fire Chief Michael McNally, Battalion Chief Eddie Lopez, and EMS Division Chief Juan Cardona wearing our patriotic holiday uniform shirts.

We honor and support those in the military, law enforcement, and all others who serve and protect our country.

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Meeting his hero

We love our littlest residents!

We are proud to protect ALL life and are deeply gratified when we can save the lives of beloved pets

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SOUTH FLORIDA URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE Since 1991, the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team (FL-TF2) has been serving the national community in times of need. If a disaster event warrants national US&R support, FEMA will deploy the three closest task forces within six hours of notification, and additional teams as necessary. The role of these task forces is to support state and local emergency responders' Back Row: Joseph Russoniello, Yair Soto, Anthony Gonzalez, Michael McNally, Sophia efforts to locate victims Moser, James Miller, Steve Fernandez, Eduardo Lopez. Front Row: Jeffrey Hamberger, and manage recovery Oscar Gomez, Michael Moser, Andrew Robins, Stephanie Palmer. Not pictured: Mark Myers, Rich Piloto, Kevin Yannayon, Michael Caldaro and Richard Zino operations.

Each task force consists of two 31-person teams, four canines, and a comprehensive equipment cache. US&R task force members work in four areas of specialization: search, to find victims trapped after a disaster; rescue, which includes safely digging victims out of tons of collapsed concrete and metal; technical, made up of structural specialists who make rescues safe for the rescuers; and medical, which cares for the victims before and after a rescue.

Joe Russoniello, Kevin Yannayon, Stephanie Palmer, Steven Fernandez, and Mike Moser on deployment to Puerto Rico

Most recently, five our our members were deployed to Puerto Rico to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

These first responders consistently go to the front lines when America needs them most, but they are not just a national resource that can be deployed to a major disaster or structural collapse anywhere in the country. They are also the local firefighters and paramedics who answer when you call 911 in your local community. We are extremely proud of the members of the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department have chosen to make the commitment to being part of Florida Task Force II, Urban Search and Rescue Team.

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DISASTER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM (DMAT) The Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department currently has two members who are part the Florida 5 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-5 DMAT). The team members meet monthly for training and are on call for disaster deployment four times a year, but may be called up at any time the team is needed, as was the case when they deployed for Super Storm Sandy in 2012. Public Education Officer Bob Bertone (Safety Officer) and Captain Ivo Ceciliano (Triage Officer) currently serve on the team. The team also serves as a state of Florida emergency medical asset (State Medical Response Team #7) that assist in state emergencies or during planned events to ease the impact on local emergency facilities and departments.

A Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is a group of professional and para-professional medical personnel, supported by a cadre of logistical and administrative staff, designed to provide medical care during a disaster or other event. As part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), it recruits personnel for specific vacancies and coordinates the deployment of the teams who respond to state, national, and international emergencies as well as significant national events.

DMATs are a rapid-response element to supplement local medical care until other resources can be mobilized, or the situation is resolved.

DMATs deploy to disaster sites with sufficient supplies and equipment to sustain themselves for a period of 72 hours while providing medical care at a fixed or temporary medical care site.

In mass casualty incidents, their responsibilities may include triaging patients, providing high-quality medical care despite the adverse and austere environment often found at a disaster site, patient reception at staging facilities and preparing patients for evacuation. NDMS/DMAT personnel are required to maintain appropriate certifications and licensure within their discipline. When personnel are activated as Federal employees, licensure and certification is recognized by all States. They function under the authority of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. A specialized component of the National Disaster Medical System is the Trauma and Critical Care Teams (TCCTs).

Many members of the Fl-5 DMAT are also cross-trained to deploy with this team, which specializes in the care and transport of critical trauma patients. Because of the nature of this mission, several times a year the team links up with military units, primarily the Air Force, to jointly train in medical evacuation using those military assets. On January 28 Bob Bertone spent the day training with the team (previously known as the International Medical Surgical Team – South) and the 934th Aero Evacuation Squadron out of Minnesota. The two units linked up at Key West Naval Air Station and trained with the Air Squadron’s C-130 aircraft, converting them from cargo function to air evacuation function and reviewing the medical and transport protocols required.

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During the last year, the FL-5 DMAT deployed three times. The first deployment saw Captain Ceciliano assigned to assist with emergency medical care during the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. He worked in Volusia County, where 92% of the buildings had no power and numerous hospitals were forced to evacuate or temporarily close. The second deployment was in late February of this year. The team was part of the emergency response planning for the President’s address to the Joint Session of Congress, usually known as the State of the Union Address.

The Team activated to be part of the Rapid Emergency Response Teams, which would be working with all of the law enforcement, military, and Fire-Rescue units staging for the event. As part of the preparation for their assignment, team members had to complete advanced Haz-Mat and Trauma Care programs, as well as equipment familiarization with the specialized emergency medical and rescue equipment used for these events. Captain Ceciliano was the Triage Medic on a Casualty Response and Evacuation Team and Public Education Officer Bertone was a Task Force Leader for a U.S. Capitol Rapid Response Team.

On August 25th, the team was placed on Alert for Hurricane Harvey response, and formally activated on August 28th, arriving in Dallas on August 29th. The team then forward deployed to Houston where they assisted in operations in the city center, and stood by as one of two quick reaction teams due to the unstable nature of the evolving events. No one can recall ever responding to an 800-year flood event, and the lessons learned on this deployment help us better plan and prepare our city for disaster impacts.

A specialized component of the National Disaster Medical System is the Trauma and Critical Care Teams (TCCTs). Many members of the Fl-5 DMAT are also cross-trained to deploy with this team, which specializes in the care and transport of critical trauma patients. Because of the nature of this mission, several times a year the team links up with military units, primarily the Air Force, to jointly train in medical evacuation using those military assets. On January 28 Bob Bertone spent the day training with the team (previously known as the International Medical Surgical Team – South) and the 934th Aero Evacuation Squadron out of Minnesota. The two units linked up at Key West Naval Air Station and trained with the Air Squadron’s C-130 aircraft, converting them from cargo function to air evacuation function and reviewing the medical and transport protocols required.

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SPECIAL OPS – SWAT/ TACTICAL PARAMEDICS The Coral Springs Tac-Medic Team was the first in Broward County to provide medical assistance in conjunction with SWAT as a fully operational team during a high-risk operation.

The SWAT Team and TacMedics will respond to any incident deemed as a potential hazard for responding medical personnel, as well as police personnel.

These incidents include, but are not limited to responding to violent citizens, barricaded SWAT Medics Justin Parrinello and Yair Soto subjects, hostage situations, search warrant service, dignitary protection service, and drug-related incidents.

The SWAT medics have participated in numerous competitions including the International Tactical Emergency Medical Support (ITEMS), which brings TEMS providers from around the world to compete in a simulated “real time” style competition involving tactical emergencies and working with other SRT teams. The Coral Springs SRT Medics have placed numerous times including 2nd and 3rd with members on two different teams in 2002 (Toronto, Ca), 2nd in 2003 (Dallas, TX) and eventually taking 1st place in 2004 in Virginia Beach, VA. Members of the team are often used to provide tactical medical training to the Police Department, and surrounding Departments, as many of the team members are instructors for Tactical Combat Casual Care (TCCC).

The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department established the SRT medic program in conjunction with the Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT) in 1999. The team was formed to provide close medical support to SRT Officers during training, search and/or arrest warrants, and any operation outside the scope of normal police operations. The members of the team are chosen based on a selection process involving a physical ability tryout, oral interview, and experience. The team members are required to attend Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) while maintaining a demanding training schedule in order to be active on the team. During this past year, they responded to approximately 25 callout/warrant incidences.

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Jan Tripician, Christopher Hunter, Zach Bogenschutz, John Whalen, Justin Parrinello, and Jason Gonzalez

Using the armored Bearcat, Police and Fire personnel were able to brave hurricane force winds to help deliver a baby during Hurricane Irma and transport her and her mother safely to the hospital

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HONOR GUARD The Coral Springs -Parkland Fire Department Honor Guard was started in September 2003. The honor guard consists of several members of the department who volunteer their time to represent the department with the utmost professionalism.

Examples of the events we participate in are: •

Fire station openings

•

Annual holiday parade

•

Opening of miscellaneous city functions

•

Firefighter/Police Officer funerals

•

9-11 memorial ceremonies throughout the South Florida area

•

Dignitary welcoming ceremonies

This year we have sent two new members to the state fire academy for training, and are hoping to attend the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Colorado so that we may honor one of our own who passed in 2016.

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PIPES AND DRUMS Since the inception of the Coral Springs Professional Firefighters Pipes and Drums in 2008, the band has played at many functions throughout the tri-county area. Members of the band are active members of the fire department and they represent the spirit of the history of the pipes and drums across the country.

The Pipes and Drums continue to provide their service for the following types of events and fundraisers:

• • • • •

Fire Department Retirements & Funeral Services Memorial Parades & events Fire Academy Graduations & Parties Community & Promotional Events Military Events

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FIRE EXPLORER PROGRAM The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Explorer Program is a career development program designed for high school aged students interested in the Fire Service profession.

Explorers train alongside Firefighters and Paramedics where they learn real-life rescue skills. After successful completion of their probation period, they are permitted to ride along on the fire apparatus and respond to emergency calls.

In June 2017, the Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety hosted the 17th Annual Fire Explorer Competition. With 10 teams from around the region competing our Competition team placed 2nd overall.

We have also expanded our youth outreach with Firefighter and EMT training programs at Coral Springs High School. Taught by CSRIPS, the high school offers the State of Florida Firefighter I Program and a State of Florida Emergency Medical Technician training program, the same curriculum that is offered at CSRIPS. Upon completion of these programs, the student can take the state test and become certified Firefighter and/or EMTs.

The Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Explorer Program has graduated hundreds of young men and women over the years, many of them becoming full-time firefighters, EMT’s, and Paramedics. Some of our past explorers have become high-ranking officials in Fire Departments all across the country.

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AWARDS and ACHIEVEMENTS It was truly a banner year for the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department. We are proud of the many accolades that our department and our members achieved this past fiscal year, for the outstanding work that they do. In March 2017, we bestowed the following awards for 2016:            

1 Administrative Commendation 1 Community Service Commendation 1 Community Involvement Commendation 2 Meritorious Duty Commendations 1 Medal of Valor 2 Team Citations, presented to 24 individuals 3 Letters of Commendation 28 Lifesaving Commendations 5 Civilian Lifesaving Commendations 4 Unit Citations presented to 24 One Technical Rescue Citation presented to 9 individuals 68 Letters of Appreciation from patients or other individuals we assisted

We also honored the following personnel: Firefighter of the Year: Firefighter Paramedic Robert Wood Supervisor of the Year: Lieutenant Patrick Staab Civlian Employee of the Year: Office Assistant Estelle Tesler Instructor of the Year: Captain June Ohlrich

The City of Parkland recognizing Lt. Staab, Captain Ohlrich, and Firefighter Wood

Fire Explorer of the Year: Rashad Ramsahai

Robert Wood

Patrick Staab

Estelle Tesler

June Ohlrich

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Rashad Ramsahai

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During this year, several members of our department were also recognized in the community and we are proud of the hard work and commitment to their profession.

Lieutenant Alden Prince, a very vocal advocate for citizen AED/CPR training, was named the Broward Health Paramedic of the Year for his active commitment and dedication, on and off duty, to both his community and his department.

Captain Christopher Bator was awarded the 2016 Fire Officer of the Year by the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Broward Count for his tremendous efforts in the area of Safety and Health in the fire service, and his work with the Collaborative Lt. Alden Prince

Battalion Chief Michael Caldaro, Captain Kevin Olejniczak, Lieutenant Kathy Manza, Lieutenant Jared Saint John, and Firefighter Paramedic Timothy Butler were honored at the Broward Health EMS Recognition Breakfast as 2016 Broward Health North Paramedics of the Year for saving the life of Oniel Bromfield who attended the ceremony with his wife and child.

Assistant Fire Chief John Whalen received the prestigious Medal of Valor award in March 2017 for his heroic rescue of a man drowning in a canal just before Hurricane Matthew.

Chief Babinec and Assistant Chief Whalen

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In addition to these individual achievements, the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department was honored to be selected as the EMS Provider of the Year for the state of Florida, an award that was presented in July 2017 at the annual state awards ceremony in Orlando.

Assistant Chief John Whalen, Captain Jan Tripician, John Atwater, Caroline Quevillon, D/E Kasey Easley, Megan Jayne, Lt. Johana Cinque, Fire Chief Frank Babinec, Dr. Paul Pepe, Bob Bertone, EMS Chief Juan Cardona, Dr. Peter Antevy

The members of the Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Department are extremely proud of these accomplishments, and prouder still that the vision and hard work of our Fire Chief was recognized as well this past July when he was selected as the Fire Chief of the Year by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. We know that everything we have been able to accomplish as an organization stems from our leadership. We congratulate our Fire Chief Frank Babinec on this well deserved recognition!

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2801 CORAL SPRINGS DRIVE CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA 33065 CORALSPRINGS.ORG/FIRE 954-344-5934

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