2023 March Magazine

F L ORIDA FIRECHIEF S ’ ASSOCIATION

Florida Fire Service is the monthly publication of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, provided to Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA) members, by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association.

Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association

221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303

Phone:(850) 900-5180

Email: info@ffca.org • www.ffca.org

FFCA Staff

Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO

Ngoc Huynh - Operations & Events Director

Denise Holley - Office Manager

Liz Aperauch - Marketing Coordinator

FFCA Board of Directors

Douglas Riley - President

Harold Theus - 1st Vice President

Michael Choate - 2nd Vice President

Ty Silcox - Immediate Past President

Carlos Aviles - Secretary/Treasurer

Ryan H. Crawford - Northwest Region Director

Brady Rigdon - Northeast Region Director

Chuck Bogle - East Central Region Director

Chantal Botting - Southeast Region Director

Ian Kemp - West Central Region Director

GregoryDeWitt - Southwest Region Director

Wm. Ray Colburn- Executive Director & CEO

James White - Foundation Chair

Leland Greek - Senior Member

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Scott Leisen, Editor in Chief scott@ffca.org

(386)717-0055

Subscription rate for members is $36, which is included in member dues. Archived electronic monthly editions of Florida Fire Service magazine are available at www.ffca.org. Log in as a member and click on the Publications tab.

Florida Fire Service

March 2023, Volume 31, Number 3

USPS # 016-759

Periodical postage paid in Daytona Beach, Florida, and additional post offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Florida Fire Service, 221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of FFCA.

Copyright 2023 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

Greetings FFCA family, I hope this message finds you all well. The 2023 Legislative session is in full swing, and our outstanding legislative team has been very busy attending sessions and advocating for legislation that will benefit the Florida fire service. You can follow the bills that we are tracking on the FFCA website. We held the first of our six Regional Director meetings on March 9, 2023 in Altamonte Springs in conjunction with the Central Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association meeting. Thank you to our First Vice President Harold Theus for covering the meeting in my absence. The remaining five regional meetings have been set and invitations should be coming soon. Please make plans to join us in your region as we share important updates and hear from each of you.

The 2023 Executive Development Conference is being held in Naples at the Naples Grand Beach Resort July 14-18, 2023. Make your plans early to take advantage of the group rate for the hotel. Registration for the conference will be coming soon. We are excited to announce our newest committee “Women in the Fire Service” co-chaired by Deputy Chief Chantal Botting and Chief Julie Downey. Information is available on the FFCA website, and the first official meeting will be held at the Executive Development conference. Hope to see you all at the conference, it will certainly be an event you won’t want to miss.

As we move out of the winter months and

into spring, take time to reflect on all the accomplishments over the past year and focus on the goals for the year ahead. We are fortunate to live and work in a great state that supports its’ first responders and truly appreciates what each of you do every day to protect our citizens and visitors alike. As we continue to focus on mental health and wellbeing, make it a priority to reach out to those that may be going through a rough time. Let

Douglas Riley, Fire Chief FFCA President

them know that you care and that you are available should they need a friend to talk to. We are all in this together and in addition to serving our communities, we also need to remember to take care of ourselves and each other.

As always, your FFCA Board and staff are here for you and welcome you to reach out if you have questions, recommendations or need our assistance.

The FFCA will be honoring all FiveBugle Fire Chiefs and FFCA members who have passed away within the past year. The annual memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 16, during 2023 Executive Development Conference (EDC) being held at Naples Grande Beach Resort, 475 Seagate Drive in Naples.

If you are aware of a Five-Bugle Fire Chief, or a member of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association who has passed away since July 1, 2022, please contact the FFCA office at info@ffca.org or by calling 850-900-5180 by April 30, 2023.

The following is the current list of Five Bugle Fire Chiefs and members who have passed away:

Regi Burkett, Fire Chief-Ret, Century Station, Escambia County Fire Rescue

Edwin Castro, Fire Chief-Ret, Key West

Lloyd Fleming, Fire Chief-Ret, Pensacola Fire Department

David Halstead, Director - Ret, Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM)

James McConnell, Fire Chief-Ret, Seminole Fire Rescue

Dennis Merrifield, Fire Chief-Ret

Willie Morgan, Fire Chief-Ret, Groveland

Wayne Watts, Fire Chief-Ret, Panama City Fire Department

Michael Wright, Fire Chief-Ret, Niceville

7.3 Centimeter Ears!

Several years ago we switched uniform distributors and got new uniforms. A short time after we were fitted for the uniforms, they arrived and we started wearing them. One of our female firefighters, D…(not her real initial) stated “these pants are not very flattering to my hips.” Before I could elbow him, the firefighter sitting next to me stated, “I don’t think the pants have anything to do with your hips not being flattered.” D then turned around and proceeded to call him everything but a child of God. Although some would consider D to be “husky,” she did not deserve that, and I am sure it hurt her feelings.

I am not exempt from saying things that I wish I had not. A few years ago, my wife and I were riding our bikes together and I was about fifty yards ahead of her. I had to keep turning around to go back to where she was. She asked me to slow down and ride with her but, before I knew it, these words had come out of my mouth: “if I rode that slow, I would fall over.” Most people would not believe my brain works faster than my mouth, but it often does. So far, my wife has not ridden her bike with me again.

When I was in Ninth grade, we were learning about the metric system. Our teacher gave us metric rulers and we were required to measure our hands, feet, ears, and eyebrows in centimeters, and then state our answers. My ears were 7.3 centimeters long. When our teacher placed the results on the chalkboard, my ears were the biggest of anyone in the entire school. Other kids began to call me “wingnut” and said I looked like a Volkswagen with its doors left open. I still remember how much

By Rick Spence

that stung. I would wear stocking caps and hooded sweatshirts (I may have started a trend) and grew my hair long to hide my ears. I still remember how mad I got after being teased so much. In fact, as I am writing this now, my jaw is getting tighter and the back of my neck is getting warmer and redder.

I have heard it said that our words are like arrows; once shot, they do not stop until they hit their target. Unfortunately, the bike ride with my wife was not the only time I wish I was able to take back my words before they hit their target. In fact, there have been many times since then that I wish I had been able to take back my words. I am realizing I must make a STRONG conscious effort to avoid saying something I will regret. It is kind of like driving, you must always be aware of your surroundings and intentionally avoid accidents. Likewise, we must make an intentional effort to be aware of our surroundings and avoid accidents with our words.

The Bible speaks repeatedly about controlling our tongues. I think Jesus knew the problems our words would cause and often cautioned us on how we use our words. Jesus said, “for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

(Matthew 12:37) I have paid dearly for my comments that seemed appropriate or funny at the time, but like the words of the kids in my junior high school, my words hurt people and damaged relationships. We used to tell our children just because a thought pops into your head, doesn’t mean it should come out of your mouth. If I had only learned that myself.

Paul was in prison because of his words (preaching the Gospel) when he wrote Colossians, and he still was able to encourage us in how we talk to one another. “Let your speech always be gracious … so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

(Colossians 4:6) Did he really mean ‘always’? Does he know how difficult the people I work with are to get along with? There are more things that we have to deal with today than in Paul’s time (at least those are some of the thoughts that go through my head). No matter how many times I read it, it still says ‘always.’ I get a queasy feeling in my stomach, so I know that ‘always’ is the right answer.

With the words of Jesus and Paul in my head, I am trying to make a more concerted effort to encourage others with my words and not say something that will hurt someone or that I will regret. Even several decades later, I’m hoping my head will grow into my ears, but I’m not so sure about.

Rick Spence retired as Assistant Chief from the Reedy Creek Fire Department after 30 years. Heis currently the Chaplain for the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, Central Florida Fire Chiefs’Association, Reedy Creek FireDepartment, Lake County Fire Department, Clermont FireDepartment, Maitland Fire Department, and the Florida Professional Firefighters. He serves as Sergeant of Arms for the Florida Professional Firefighters and International Association of Firefighters.He was selected Florida Professional Firefighter of the Year in 2018.He has been married to his wife Alecia for 36 years.

Let your speech always be gracious … so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. C o l o s s i a n s 4 : 6

Traveling today is always an experience.

With my new position I am traveling more than before and with that, those experiences have come new challenges. When I’m away from home now I normally use a ride-share service rather than renting a car. This past week, while attending the Texas Fire Chiefs’ conference, I tested the lost and found system for one of these companies.

On the day I arrived I made the mistake of leaving my phone in one of the cars. Not sure how I became distracted, but it happened. With my entire world connected to this silly device, I thought I would panic. As the driver pulled off, unable to gain his attention, I went into the conference center to check-in and secure my credentials.

After a moment of quiet reflection along

with a little panic, I thought to myself, this isn’t going to be a problem; I’m entering a convention hall with hundreds of firefighters. I knew the brotherhood of the fire service would help me out, and I would soon be reunited with my phone. As I registered, I was met by Chief Jim Mallinger from Cedar Park Fire (TX). We were scheduled to present together at the conference on the next day. While we had not formally met, I knew all would soon be well. Jim and I sat down and went through the lost and found process with the ride-share company and within several minutes my driver was notified and the phone was on its way back to me. Talk about relief.

I mentioned this little experience for two reasons. For those who know me, you know this is way out of character.I just don’t lose

ReturnofEVTTraining

Thepastfewyears havebeenunprecedently challenging for all of us, and unfortunately none of our programs su eredasmuchofa hiatus as our EmergencyVehicleTechnician (EVT)trainingprogram.Evenwithrestrictions lifted,wefoundobtainingspaceandinstructorstobeevenmore di cult than before.However,wearehappytoannouncethatthe EVTSectionoftheFloridaFireChiefs’Associationhasbeenhard atworktogetthisprogrambackupandrunning,recognizingthe critical need for this training.Weplantobeginwithregionalclasses –one in May,andadditionalinthefall.Wehopetobeabletoo er additional classes in conjunction with the Florida FireConference in Orlando, FL from January 8-12, 2024 allowing EVT’stovisit the tradeshow and see the emergency vehicles and parts they so diligently study, train and work on straight from the manufacturers.

James White, CFO Foundation Chair

things other than my car keys, glasses, and of course my phone. The second and more important reason is this: the fire service, no matter where you are, no matter the problem, and no matter if they’ve met you before, will help you make things right.

The recent problems we’ve had as an association are really no different. Our staff at the FFCA have continued to demonstrate the tenacity and drive to come back stronger than before. Even though we never want to go through these stressful times, we know the fire service family, no matter where you are in the world, will be there for you. This week’s little travel adventure made that fact per fectly clear in my mind. All is certainly well that ends well. Travel safely everyone and don’t forget your phone.

WearecommittedtobringingbackEVT trainingandenhanceboththeo ering as well as the experience.Staytunedand visit our webisteformoreinformationasit becomes available.RegistrationfortheMay class is currentlyopen–seebelowfordetails!

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Formoreinformation,contactusatinfo@ ca.orgor(850)900-5180 www.ffca.org/evt

TRAINING ACADEMY G A

Fire Service Tenure: 35 years combined with EMS, 1988- present Career Journey: US Air Force, Apopka Fire Department, Orlando Fire Department, Charlottesville Fire Department, and Polk County Fire Department Form of Government: Board of County Commissioners Population served, including square miles covered: 750,000 population served; 2,000 square miles

Composition of Department:

Approximately 650 employees, staffing forty-nine stations

Department Equipment: Engines, ladder/aerial trucks, brush trucks, drones, battalion chief vehicles, tankers, minipumpers, ambulances, all terrain vehicles, bike teams and special operations units.

Call Summary: In 2022, the Department responded to approximately 122,000 calls for service (100,000 EMS, 80,000 EMS transports).

What is the most challenging issue facing your department today?

As with the EMS and Fire Services across the United States, Polk County Fire Rescue’s most challenging issue is recruitment and retention. Describe your management style.

As a 21st-century transformational leader, my management style is supported by six pillars: high professional standards and expectations, transparent communication, accountability at

all levels, data-driven decision-making, continuous process improvement, and ongoing evaluation of core competencies and service delivery design.

Does your department have a formal, long-range strategic plan?

Yes, we are in the process of updating our most recent strategic plan.As Polk County experiences growth, the Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) is dedicated to enhancing our community risk reduction efforts and customer service by adding more staff, providing ongoing

training, and improving the overall work-life experience of our employees through a focus on mental health, new fire stations, a new training facility, and advancing adoption of state-of-the-art technology and equipment. How have current economic times impacted your department?

As the fourth largest county and a fastgrowing area, the economic times are positively impacting our organization in that businesses and residents moving to the area ensure our Fire Assessment Rate supports the department.

Dr.Hezedean A. Smith, CFO, CEMSO, CPM, NRP,Fire Chief, Polk County Fire Rescue

The growth within the region due to the current economic times also requires the department to ensure an all-hazards readiness and response plan that aligns with our risk assessment.

How you are doing things differently today because of the economy?

The deployment of PCFR’s resources is based on national standards. By ensuring the most appropriate resources are dispatched to emergencies, the department addresses our community’s multifaceted needs more efficiently and economically using state-of-theart technology. We are also focused on ensuring our recruitment and retention efforts are in alignment with the rate of inflation.

What challenges do you see facing the fire service today?

The challenges facing the fire service today center around recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce who will be afforded

equitable opportunities for upward mobility and hiring while ensuring inclusiveness at all levels.

What do you look for in a recruit?

The attitude of all new and potential candidates is an important element we must understand. By exploring their affect, beliefs, and behaviors during the informal recruitment events, the interview, and the background process, reference checks, we can gain insight into potential interested individuals.

How do you view training?

Training must be a mixed approach based on the generation of new employees in the fire service. Some require independence as they come from other departments, others may require personalized training (new to the profession) due to their learning curve and limited exposure.

What is your relationship with your neighboring departments?

As the lead agency, we collaborate with all city agencies. We meet monthly (Polk County Fire Chiefs’ Association)to ensure alignment of goals based on our mission while also ensuring we manage our expectations as a team.

What’s the future for the fire service as you see it?

The future of the fire service requires

leaders to realign their organization’s mission, vision, and values as we focus on a long-term service delivery model that is transformational and aligned with the 21st century Fire and Emergency Services’ principles.

Gaining Credibility

“Your ability as a leader to communicate effectively involves more than just barking orders; you also need to connect with your team in a way that earns commitment, trust, and loyalty.” Fearless Leadership by Carey Lohrenz.

We’ve all experienced them! The boss who seems to think that the best way to get results out of you is to scream louder. Or they believe that holding the proverbial hammer over you will get you to follow the rules. They clearly believe in using the “carrot and stick” approach, but have completely forgotten the carrot, and are more focused on the stick (pretty sure you get the picture and maybe some flashbacks).

During World War II, the German Nazi Army utilized a group of soldiers known as the “OstBattaillone” which commonly were comprised of conscripted members that had previously been prisoners of war It was also pretty common for the members of these units to have been actual foreign volunteers who wanted to simply fight against Stalin and the Russian Army. Their reasons for serving in the OstBattailone were wide and varied, and their level of commitment wasn’t complete compared to the regular German soldiers who actually believed in Hitler’s mission.

During Operation Overlord and the assault on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day, members of the allied forces encountered these units fighting for the Nazi Army. While these individuals may have volunteered to fight for the Nazi Army (to stay out of concentration camps), it was commonly reported that German officers had been placed in command over them with the threat to shoot anyone who did not fight the Allied forces. In many occasions, the members of these units surrendered to Allied forces in relatively short order once engaged. Reports from Allied troops stated that these individuals, on multiple occasions, chose to shoot their German “officers” when it became apparent the Allied forces would overrun their position. It appears that the German leaders of these units became

By Michael Tucker

expendable when adversity came. You see, no amount of threatening by the German “leaders” could overcome the basic needs of the individual, which is safety and security. Operating under the premise that being heavy handed will produce better results is a recipe for failure, both for the leader and the organization. Leadership is about influence, and influence comes through some type of positive relationship. Leaders who have the ability to build relationships and are competent in doing their job, gain credibility and create connections with their followers. This is especially important to understand in recognizing the changing workforce.

Within the next seven years, the workforce will be compromised of 75% millennial workers1 The reality is that those comprising this group have very different expectations of the work environment. Gone are the days where an individual comes to work for a fire department with expectations of staying with that department until retirement. This isn’t necessarily good or bad, it just simply is what it is. Workers entering the workforce today desire being part of something bigger than themselves and feel like what they are doing matters. To expect these individuals to simply do something because they are told to do it by someone they don’t believe in or connect with is unrealistic.

The work environment is quickly transitioning to one where people desire to have a strong work-life balance. While this means that today’s workers don’t necessarily see the value in working lots of extra hours, the achievement of a work-life balance can be improved by leaders who build connections with their followers. The leader who takes the time to get to know their followers by genuinely asking questions to gain an insight into their life and career goals will improve the possibility of making a positive connection. Leaders who make the effort to know their followers at the deepest levels have the ability to help their followers achieve the things that are important

to them and add value to their lives. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to making connections with followers, and leaders who are disingenuous in their efforts will absolutely be found out and deemed a fraud.

Everyone wants to be understood! In an article written by Leon Seltzer in Psychology Today2, he posits that the feeling of being understood is more important than being loved. According to Seltzer,the feeling of being understood plays a distinct role in an individual feeling like they are part of something bigger than themselves and allows for a greater sense of satisfaction in relationships.

The reality is that the workforce is changing around us “old-timers” and to expect the members of the “new” workforce to be “like us” is unrealistic! They will never be like us! Current leaders need to figure out what makes them tick and help them to find their own way They’re smart, talented, and capable. Today’s leaders need to figure out how to connect to tomorrow’s leader and build relationships that create connection to the something that is bigger than themselves. Today’s leader is the pathway to future success, don’t waste your chances.

Michael Tucker has over 37 years of fire rescue and EMS experience, serving fifteen years as Chief of Department and eight years with the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office as Superintendent of the Florida State Fire College.He is currently fire chief of Flagler County Fire Rescue. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science, Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and is designated as a Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. 1 www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/02/13/ managing-millennials-in-the-workplace/?sh=7d68cec051a9 2 www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-theself/201706/feeling-understood-even-more-importantfeeling-loved

By Joseph Dorsette, Acting Assistant Chief of Specialized Services, Broward Sheriff’s Office

Twenty members of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Fire Rescue completed an in-house industrial firefighting training course. This course included sessions in the classroom where members learned about operations at Port Everglades which is in the

heart of Greater Fort Lauderdale and the City of Hollywood. Port Everglades is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, a leading container port in Florida, and South Florida’s main seaport for receiving petroleum products, including, gasoline and jet fuel.

These members spent time reviewing foam calculations, drafting operations for water supply, strategies and tactics for shipboard emergencies, bulk storage tank farm fires, and flowing thousands of gallons of water from the industrial apparatus.

Advancing first responder safety is at the forefront of ALL suppliers within the Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment industry. It's a critical mission in both warning and illumination. Every new feature, widget, and innovation that comes out is designed to further enhance the safety of both the motoring public and first responder

As emergency scenes are made safer with the latest technology and improved product features, suppliers are beginning to take a bigger picture approach to scene safety. It no longer includes just what’s happening on-scene, we are now looking at the moments involved in getting first responders to the scene. We’re asking questions like, ‘How do first responders interact with each other when enroute to an emergency?’ and ‘How do first responders interact with the apparatus and other drivers on the road when responding to a call?’ We’re asking questions that go beyond traditional visual and audible alerting to uncover new ways to make emergency responses even safer for first responders and everyone else on the road.

On the technology side, most of us are familiar with “the cloud." Historically its primary use for the emergency market was to provide access to information and help fleet managers understand and better manage their apparatus. Telematics, a fancy word used to describe fleet management software that offers a comprehensive view of vehicles and aids in operational efficiency, has been in use since the 1960s. Its adoption into our industry began in the early 2000s and is a commonly found feature in apparatus today and will soon reach

By Christopher Watkins

the tipping point of becoming a standard part of builds.

As this happens and the connectivity of our market increases, suppliers are using this readily available technology to improve safety in new and innovative ways. Currently, the latest advancements in cloud-connected safety mean it's now possible for fleets around the country to digitally alert motorists to their presence, incorporate responder-to-responder alerting, as well as control and direct traffic signal priority at intersections, otherwise known as emergency vehicle preemption (EVP).

While every new safety feature is important, that last one on the list, EVP, is a huge deal because we all know that approaching an intersection(s) is one of the most precarious moments first responders face when responding to a call. Not only are they navigating the motoring public, but other apparatuses rushing to the scene as well. Emergency vehicles approaching the same intersection from multiple directions creates an extremely challenging situation. With the latest technology enabled, the driver of each responding vehicle receives a notification that another emergency vehicle is approaching the intersection at the same time, alerting first responders to take extra precautions when clearing the intersection.

Today, through products like Whelen Engineering’s Vehicle Safety Gateway (VSG) and the company’s partnership with Global Traffic Technologies (GTT), intersections can now interact with apparatus by using enhanced precision and GPS data through the Whelen

Cloud Platform®, which directly links the apparatus to an intersection. The earlier issue of range limitation no longer applies, as the cloud can communicate directly to the signal from any distance. This new, centralized technology is not dependent on a line of sight to the intersection either, so it's equally effective around corners.

The granularity and fine-tuning of a fleet's interaction with an intersection becomes much more robust as it is controlled by hardware that interacts with the cloud. First responders and fleet managers no longer need to rely on dated hardware mounted on the apparatus or intersections that require routine maintenance to ensure receivers are tuned accordingly. This new technology and partnership allow first responders to get to emergency scenes safer than ever before, while providing peace of mind that wasn't possible even a few years ago.

To explain it further, let’s look at a common scenario and talk about how traditional hardware reacts versus the new, cloud-control software.

Scenario 1: Single Apparatus Approaches Intersection with "Emitter" Technology

An apparatus approaches an intersection that is located within a turn. The apparatus is outside of the range of infrared preemption, so the signal does not receive the preemption request until the vehicle has turned the corner and is now headed directly towards the signal. This leaves little time for the preemption to be granted and for the signal to clear, so the first responder must slow down or stop in order to proceed through the intersection safely. This

results in delayed response times and the apparatus does not get to the emergency as quickly as possible.

Scenario 2: Single Apparatus Approaches Intersection with "Cloud" Technology

An apparatus approaches an intersection that is located within a turn. Immediately upon switching the apparatus into response mode, and even before approaching the intersection, the signal starts to calculate the apparatus' estimated time of arrival (ETA) using GPS data based on direction and speed. Once an ETA is determined, and once the vehicle has met the ETA or distance parameter that is set by the department, a green light is automatically requested, and the apparatus clears the intersection safely and quickly. With no range limit or sightline requirements, the technology’s ability to preempt around corners and utilize second-by-second GPS data offers a significant improvement in navigating intersections safely and efficiently.

Digital Alerting, offered through HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud®, is another way technology is improving emergency scene safety by notifying the motoring public and fellow responders that an apparatus is nearby. With first responders, the driver of each responding vehicle receives a notification that another emergency vehicle is approaching the intersection at the same time, alerting them to take extra precautions when clearing the intersection. When an apparatus is in motion and connected to the cloud service, alerts can also be pushed to the motoring public around it through phone navigation applications like Waze and Apple maps. Notifications like, “Emergency Vehicle Approaching” and “Emergency Vehicle Ahead, Please Slow Down and Move Over” are examples of what a driver may see. HAAS Alert says their technology can reduce the risk of collisions by 90%. Some vehicle manufactures, including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram, are designing their own infotainment systems to receive these alerts. This means drivers will receive notifications even when not using a navigation app.

If you’re thinking about enhancing the safety of your fleet or want to learn more about how the newest technology is making it safer to get to emergency scenes as well as increasing safety on scene, I suggest you reach out to your trusted supplier or manufacturer to talk about the new advancements I’ve highlighted in this article. Technology is changing rapidly and we’re doing all we can to make it as safe as possible for first responders and everyone on the road. We’d be happy to talk with you about it.

Christopher Watkins is a Clermont, Florida-based Field Solutions Engineer for Whelen Engineering, Inc. Prior to his current position, Chris was an AMSR (Authorized Managing Sales Representative) Territory Representative for Whelen for several years. He has 26 years of experience in the automotive electronics and fabrication industry.

New technologies like the Whelen Cloud Platform® directly link an apparatus to intersections.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series of articles in which Curt Varone will address questions on important fire service legal issues. If you would like to submit a question, please email Shannon Pieper at spieper@lexipol.com.

Question: An employee on an EMS unit takes a picture of an injury such as a burn or some other severe trauma before bandaging to be able to show doctors at the hospital what is under the dressing. What is the appropriate way for the department to handle that picture now that it exists? Can it or should it simply be deleted, or must we collect and keep that picture even though the purpose and intent was fulfilled by the time the ambulance crew leaves the hospital?

Answer: There are two major considerations with regard to the retention of any imagery taken by fire and EMS personnel in the performance of their duties. The first pertains to evidentiary issues associated with the imagery; the second pertains to public records law. Both considerations are best addressed by having a policy to preserve every image taken in a secure archive.

Let’s start with images as evidence. Firefighters respond to emergencies where people are killed and injured, and their property is destroyed. This reality means there is an inherent potential for litigation in much of what we do. Spoliation is the destruction or loss of evidence that is relevant to a legal proceeding. It has both criminal and civil consequences, both of which need to be

By Curt Varone

avoided. When we possess evidence that we know, or should know, is relevant to a legal proceeding, the law imposes a duty on us to properly preserve it. Our failure to do so can be used against us in the event we are sued and can be disastrous for the outcome of the case.

For example, let’s assume the medic takes a photo of a badly angulated fractured arm prior to splinting. The patient is packaged and transported. The image is shown to a doctor in the emergency department and then deleted. Should the patient later sue the fire department and/or the medic for malpractice, the loss of that image may prove to be a point of contention in the suit.

The medic may argue she had no reason to believe the photo was relevant to a legal proceeding, but the patient may claim the medic should have based on complaints the patient made while the arm was being splinted (questioning the medic’s competency), and the excruciating pain the patient experienced. If the medic is found to have spoliated the photo, the jury may be instructed that they can infer the medic deleted the image because it would have been hurtful to her case. In other words, the jury may infer the medic deleted it because she was concerned it may show she was negligent.

A more common example occurs when a fire apparatus is involved in a crash and firefighters take photos at the scene. Any time there is an accident involving fire apparatus, there is the potential for litigation.

The evidentiary relevance of a given photo may not be immediately apparent to a firefighter or medic at the time it is taken. For that reason, personnel must be trained not to delete incident-related imagery. The decision to delete imagery must be evaluated in hindsight, and that hindsight simply does not exist in the moments after the image is taken.

The other big consideration with regards to retaining digital imagery relates to public records concerns. All 50 states plus the federal government have laws that require agencies and individual employees who are in possession of public records to retain them for the duration of what is called the record retention period. Public records are typically defined as any document, correspondence, report or image created or received by a public employee in the course of his/her duties. Deleting a public record prior to the expiration of the record retention period—or refusing to produce a public record when lawfully ordered to do so— is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions, and a finable civil infraction in the others.

When spoliation-related concerns are coupled with a legal duty to retain public records, the scope of the problem becomes apparent. Fire departments need to require that all imagery taken or received in the course of business be retained and archived.

An area of confusion commonly arises with regards to EMS-related imagery. The fact that we retain an image for public records purposes does not mean the entire image will be released

to the public; nor does the fact that an image contains medically confidential information mean it is exempt from the public records law. The connection here is somewhat paradoxical.

Public records laws allow and/or require public agencies to redact certain types of information from a record prior to release. Medically confidential information and personal information (date of birth, Social Security number) are precisely the types of information that can be redacted from a public record when released. However, a public agency cannot withhold an entire public record simply because some parts of it contain protected information. As such, an image taken of a patient may constitute a public record, but portions of the photo may have to be redacted before it is released.

This is no different than the public records aspect of a patient care report. A typical public records request for a PCR will result in the release of a document that is little more than a blank report with black boxes where virtually everything pertaining to the patient has been redacted. The same approach must be taken with imagery.

The determination of whether an image must be released to the public, and/or how much of the image must be released, should be made by attorneys familiar with the intricacies of public records laws. It should not be made by individual firefighters deleting images. The original unredacted images themselves should be retained.

All fire departments need a record retention policy to ensure compliance with both the evidentiary and public records concerns discussed above. The policy should explain the retention periods required by state law and have provisions for what is commonly referred to as a “litigation hold.” A litigation hold is a way of flagging certain records for retention beyond the standard time limits because they may be relevant to a legal proceeding.

Curt Varone has over 40 years of fire service experience and 30 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books:Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed., 2022) andFire Officer’s Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazinewriting the Fire Law column.

By Steve Gaston, CFFCA Board of Directors

in 2017, becoming Internationally Accredited in 2018 through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, and successfully transitioning Ocoee Fire Department into a fire-based EMS transport agency in 2019. In his last two years with Ocoee, Chief Miller’s leadership was invaluable to the Ocoee Fire Department and all of the CFFCA member departments in guiding us through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.”

New Officers

On March 9, 2023, the newly elected officers of the Central Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (CFFCA) were installed. CFFCA Chaplain Rick Spence conducted the swearing-in ceremony at the regularly scheduled general membership meeting of the CFFCA held at the Hilton–Orlando/Altamonte Springs.

Newly elected officers are President Jim Walls – Kissimmee Fire Chief; Vice President Mike Peters – Longwood Fire Chief; District 1 Orange County Director Sean Wylam – Apopka Fire Chief; District 2 Seminole County Director Mike Johansmeyer – Lake Mary Fire Chief; and District 3 Osceola County Director Larry Collier – Osceola County Fire Chief. Congratulations are extended to these duly elected officers for their terms of Office effective April 1, 2023.

Pictured L-R:Jim Walls, Mike Peters, Sean Wylam, Mike Johansmeyer, and Larry Collier.

2021 Chief Craig E. Haun Leadership Award

On March 9, 2023, the Central Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association’s Retired Fire Chief, Matt McGrew, accompanied by Maria Haun and selection committee chair Fire Chief Mike Johansmeyer, presented the 2021 Chief Craig E. Haun Leadership Award to outgoing CFFCA President Retired Fire Chief John Miller. The unique nomination was endorsed by three agencies: Orlando Fire Department (twenty-five years), Ocoee Fire Department (seven years), and the CFFCA (eight years). The bestowment of this prestigious award was in recognition of President Miller’s longstanding and stellar leadership during his careers with these organizations.

A quote from the nominee stated: “During his tenure Chief Miller led the Ocoee Fire Department to achieve several significant milestones to include achieving an ISO #1 rating

The Fire Chief Craig E. Haun Leadership Award was established in 2015 by the CFFCA Board of Directors in remembrance and honor of Chief Craig Haun for the purpose of keeping Craig’s fire service legacy alive. The inaugural award was presented posthumously on November 24, 2015 to Maria Haun and the Haun family on the first anniversary of Chief Haun’s passing during a special dedication ceremony held at the Lake Mary Fire Department. The award’s design incorporates a photo of Chief Haun and is presented on an annual basis to a highly deserving Central Florida fire rescue leader as determined by a CFFCA nominations review and selection committee.

2022 Chief Craig E. Haun Leadership Award

On March 9, 2023 the CFFCA President John Miller, accompanied by Maria Haun, Fire Chief Mike Johansmeyer, and 2020 award recipient Retired Chief Matt McGrew, presented the 2022 Chief Craig E. Haun Leadership Award to Lake County Office of Fire Rescue - Fire Chief Jim Dickerson. The bestowment of this prestigious award was in recognition of Chief Dickerson’s stellar leadership, his tireless personal passion and care for the “boots on the ground” and his significant career accomplishments during his nineteen years at Lake County Fire Rescue (LCFR), with a career total of 40 years. A quote from the nominee stated: “Fire Chief Dickerson encourages employees of all ranks to be free thinkers and empowers them to make decisions. Chief Dickerson is always willing to help when needed and motivates employees in a positive way to keep LCFR on a progressive path. Chief Dickerson still manages to personally contact every employee on their birthday and fully supports family first values.”

The CFFCA has a longstanding history since its incorporation in 1964 and has proudly served the Central Florida fire-rescue service for 59 years. The association spans the four-county areas of Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake with twenty-five member agencies and over 240 chief officers, including corporate partners. Under the leadership of newly elected President Jim Walls, association meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at the Hilton located in Altamonte Springs unless otherwise announced. For more information on the CFFCA please browse the website at www.cffca.us.

Eagle Scout Candidate Puts Passion into Action

By Julie Murphy, Public Information Officer, MPIO, Flagler County

Eagle Scout candidate Andrew Wheeler has two passions in life: scouting and fire services. He used the passion for one, fire services, to fuel his final project – leading a group of volunteers to make three bunker gear dryers to donate to local fire departments – to earn the highest achievement attainable through the Boy Scouts of America

“No, I didn’t make the dryers,” said Wheeler, a Life Scout with Troop 281 that is chartered with Trinity Presbyterian Church. Wheeler a senior at Flagler-Palm Coast High School, enrolled in the Fire Leadership program there with plans to become a firefighter upon graduation. “I oversaw every aspect of the project, but I didn’t help make them.”

Those working towards Eagle are not permitted to “touch” their projects while under construction, explained Wheeler’s Eagle Scout mentor Pack 281 Cubmaster, Drew Hardesty, who is also a lieutenant with Flagler County Fire Rescue.

“He was a project manager, if you will,” Hardesty said. “Becoming an Eagle Scout is about leadership. When they do these projects, they lead their teams but are not involved in the actual building.”

Wheeler did have to fund raise the $4,500 it took to purchase the materials for the three

bunker gear dryers.

“That was the most challenging part,” Wheeler said. “I got contributions from the Flagler County Fire Union (IAFF 4337), the Palm Coast Fire Union (IAFF 4807), and the Flagler Beach Volunteer Firemen’s Association.”

There were many friends and family who also contributed to making it a reality.

Wheeler’s project began in November 2021 when he made his initial project presentation to Flagler County Fire Rescue, Chief Mike Tucker, Palm Coast Fire Chief, Kyle Berryhill, and Flagler Beach Fire Chief, Bobby Pace. All three chiefs gave their approval, which was necessary for the project to commence.

Pulling together workable plans, raising money, and assembling his team of volunteers took the bulk of the time.

“It just took three days in December for the volunteers to build them once we were ready,” Wheeler said.

Initially, one bunker gear dryer was to go to each of the county’s three fire departments: Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, and Flagler County Fire Rescue. Instead, two went to Flagler County Fire Rescue – Station 62 that is located in Bunnell and Station 41 in the Hammock – and Station 11 in Flagler Beach.

“Chief Berryhill was gracious and donated

the one for Palm Coast to Flagler County,” Tucker said. “He said they have ample dryers at the Palm Coast stations.”

Now that the dryers are delivered – the last on February3– all that remains is for Wheeler to complete the Eagle Scout Application, complete his Scoutmaster Conference, and finally sit before a Board of Review of area adults. He is unconcerned.

“This gave him valuable leadership experience in the troop and in the community. All of the fire chiefs were so supportive of the project,” said Scoutmaster Jason Wheeler, who is also his father. “I am extremely proud of all the Scouts who achieve Eagle. As his father, I am especially proud of Andrew. He has taken the two things that are his passion and has worked hard to succeed at both.”

By Cory Pippin, PIO, Martin County Fire Rescue

Martin County Fire Rescue’s HAZMAT Team, led by Captain Tyler Just, and consisting of members Ryan Matos, Ryan Law, and alternate Alex Newton, pulled off a stunning victory at the 2023 Hazardous Materials Training Symposium, Team Competition in Daytona Beach on January 17, 2023.

In their first time participating in the competition, the team showed off their rigorous training and knowledge through ten events designed to test the skills needed to respond to, and handle real HAZMAT situation.

The judges’ grading focused on two specific areas; hazard analysis and incident response, which included container evaluation, field hazard screening, incident command briefing, PPE dress-out, leak control, and rehabilitation.

Every year, the Florida HAZMAT Symposium allows up to fourteen teams from around the country to enter the competition. This year, two out-of-state teams participated.

Martin County took 1stplace, the City of Orlando came in 2nd, and Brevard County took 3rdplace.

Over the course of three days during the week of Februar y 20, 2023, members of the Florida Technical Rescue Team (FL-TRT424) conducted training utilizing the team’s recently delivered Paratech Hydrafusion Strut kit and Supporter X2 Strut kit.

The training scenarios simulated an underride of a passenger vehicle versus a motorhome with confirmed entrapment in the passenger vehicle. Each training group was tasked with vehicle stabilization of both vehicles involved, door/roof removal for victim compartment access, and victim immobilization/removal.

Florida Technical Rescue Team Training

ByJeff Loder,Lieutenant, FL-TRT-424 Team Commander

Photos by Sheldon Levi.

Palm Coast Firefighter Finds Purpose, Family in New Career

By Patrick Appolonia, Communications and Marketing, City of Palm Coast

At first glance, the journey to joining the Palm Coast Fire Department may have seemed like a breeze for Kyle Gardner, one of the department’s newest career firefighters. By joining the Flagler Palm Coast High School (FPCHS) Fire Academy Leadership program as a freshman in 2017, he was able to get a jumpstart on his fire school studies during the week while spending his weekends at Palm Coast Fire Stations 21 and 24, riding along on calls and learning the ropes. Gardner found his passion and future career at a time in his life when many would likely still be figuring out where their career goals lie.

“From my first day in the Fire Leadership program, I was hooked,” Gardner said. “I knew that a career in the fire service was my calling and I wanted to learn as much as I could to make that a reality.”

Gardner’s course, while paved with great intentions, saw a major challenge during his junior year of high school, when an unfortunate set of home life circumstances made him unexpectedly transfer to Volusia County schools. His fire future was jeopardized by being unable to continue in the Fire Leadership Academy due to the school change. Gardner returned to Flagler Palm Coast High School just months later, only to find his spot in the program was filled. Rather than being deterred, Gardner was inspired to do what he could at the time to work his way back into the career he had begun. He again reached out to the Palm Coast Fire Department.

“It crushed me not being able to go back to the Fire Academy, so I took initiative to reach out to the Palm Coast Fire Department, filled out an application and I called every weekend

asking if I would be able to ride along on calls,” says Gardner “The Palm Coast Fire Department was really the backbone for me not just professionally but personally as well, especially during the difficult times I went through by supporting me, giving advice, and really being there when I needed someone to talk to.”

Hard work and perseverance paid off for Gardner, who saw good fortune in the form of a meeting with retired Ormond Beach Fire Captain Gil Aspinwall, who had stepped in to become the new leader of the FPCHS Fire Academy just before the start of his senior year. Gardner told Aspinall his story and expressed his hopes of rejoining the program. After a brief detour that only further instilled his ambition for a career in fire service, Gardner was welcomed back to the Fire Academy on the first day of class. Following his high school graduation, Gardner became a volunteer intern with the Palm Coast Fire Department while he completed his necessary fire school coursework in 2020 and was welcomed to the department as a career firefighter in February of 2021.

Dave Faust, a Battalion Chief with the Palm Coast Fire Department who oversaw Gardner’s Fire Service journey, expressed that his determination to achieve his goal of becoming

a career firefighter was evident from the beginning. “In the Fire Service, you are always learning, and Kyle is one of those people who is always motivated, always trying to learn more, and always trying to get to that next level,” Faust said. “In doing so, he succeeds in making himself better, which ultimately makes our department better.”

As he closes in on the end of his probationary year, Gardner has continued to maintain his focus on learning all that he can and getting better each day His journey has come full circle in some ways as he now finds himself in the role of mentor, assisting with training the next line of firefighters in the PCFD Junior Firefighter program. For him, it is that semblance of family that comes with being part of the fire service that has inspired him to do for others what those before him have done, and continue to do, for him.

“I don’t know of any other career like this, where you are spending such a significant amount of time with others, in critical situations and it really instills that sense of always looking out for each other,” Gardner says. “A lot of the people in this department were there for me when I didn’t know who else to look to and I really look forward to being able to be that role model, that mentor for others.”

East Lake Fire Rescue Safe Sitter Course

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

Claudia Hernandez, the Fire and Life Safety Educator for East Lake Fire Rescue coordinated another successful Safe Sitter Course in February 2023. During this class, 12 students learned the skills they need to care for themselves and younger children such as safety skills, childcare skills, first aid, and CPR. They also learned valuable business and life skills that they will be able to utilize when taking on odd jobs for family, friends, or neighbors.Students also received a fire station tour, played a variety of games, and received other safety information such as bicycle, pedestrian, and fire safety.Mrs. Hernandez is looking forward to coordinating this class on a frequent basis.

Polk County Employees Recognized

By Katelyn Hoverkamp, Public Information Officer

Three Polk County Fire Rescue employees were recently honored with a Sheriff’s Commendation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Sheriff Grady Judd for their heroic actions on December 3, 2022. Firefighters Akem Poleon and Timothy Green, along with Captain Andy Long, were dispatched to a domestic violence incident in Lakeland, FL. When they arrived, they tended to the victim while the PCSO deputy on the scene conducted his investigation.

During this call, when the deputy attempted to arrest the suspect, the suspect became uncooperative and combative. In the ensuing struggle, the suspect struck the deputy several times in the back of the head. Quick to react, Poleon and Green jumped in to help the deputy and were also hit by the suspect. Despite the violent situation, their actions gave the deputy enough time to detain the suspect safely and put him in the back of the patrol vehicle.

“Thanks to their willingness to aid Deputy Sheriff Turner, without concern for their own personal safety and well-being, this violent felon was taken into custody without serious injury to anyone on scene,” said Sheriff Judd.

Fire Chief Hezedean A. Smith stated, “We are proud of the members of Polk County Fire Rescue who acted in support of our law enforcement partners on the scene.”

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Seminole County Lieutenant Honored By

Doreen Overstreet,

APR, Public Safety Information & Education Officer

Orlando FOX 35’s Good Day Orlando recently honored Seminole County Fire Department’s Lt. Joshua Marzolf with its “Care Force” Award. The award honors local first responders who are making a difference in their community. Lt. Marzolf heads the Department’s Peer Support Team, which provides mental health resources and support to first responders and dispatchers in need. He has been a Firefighter since 2015 and is a reservist member for the U.S. military. Lt. Marzolf also believes in the positive side of speaking about your trauma. In 2005, he had multiple concussions from a military assignment, had seen the after effect of many suicide bombings, and lost many of his friends in the war in Iraq. He makes it his mission to help others connect with mental health resources and talk about their struggles as he knows speaking honestly about mental help can be lifesaving.

Jacksonville Jaguar Visits BCFR for CPR Education

By Lisa Smith, Office of EMS

Jacksonville Jaguar offensive tackle and Cocoa High School

Alumni

Jawaan Taylor, who is certified in CPR, visited Brevard County Fire Rescue’s Station 47-B for additional training and education on the newest technology. In recent events that led up to Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, Taylor, whose father suffered a cardiac arrest locally in 2021, felt the need to be the advocate for high performance CPR. High performance CPR is greater than ever and is at the forefront of the NFL and the citizens of Brevard County Given that BCFR is the leader in CPR training in Central Florida, we extended an invitation to Jawaan for some one-on-one training. Jawaan had the opportunity to perform CPR on one of the resuscitation manikins and was educated on Hands Only and Heads-Up CPR. Station 47 crew members demonstrated the use of the LUCAS device and the EleGARD device which are currently being used at several stations in Brevard County After the training and education was completed, Jawaan paid a visit to BCFR’s Dispatcher Center and expressed his appreciation to the dispatchers for everything they do and for their hard work and dedication to their job as every call starts with them.

Polk County Fire Rescue Appoints a New Fire Chief

Dr. Hezedean A. Smith, CFO, CEMSO, CPM, MIFireE, NRP, was appointed as the new Chief of Polk County Fire Rescue by the Board of County Commission in November 2022. He officially took on the role during his swearing-in ceremony in Lakeland, Florida, on January 12, 2023.

Dr. Smith has over 34 years of experience in both EMS and fire services. He served as a medical service specialist in the United States Air Force from 1988-1992. Chief Smith was with the Apopka Fire Department in Orange County from 1993-1996 before being hired by the Orlando Fire Department. He retired from the Orlando Fire Department in November 2020 after a tenure of almost 25 years. Afterward, he was appointed as the sixth fire chief to lead the Charlottesville Fire Department in Virginia, where he served for nearly two years. During his tenure, he recruited the most diverse workforce in the 165-year history of the organization.

Dr. Smith has various certifications, including a Chief Fire Officer, Chief EMS Officer, Certified Public Manager, Healthcare Simulation Educator, Executive Fire Officer, Fellow in the American College of Paramedic Executives, Certified Occupational Safety Specialist, Fire Service Instructor, and he is also Nationally Registered Paramedic.

Dr Smith continues to be a member of various professional organizations, such as the National EMS Management Association, the Black Chief Officers Committee, the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. In addition, he is an adjunct professor at EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University He is eager to renew his involvement with the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association as he was prior to his move to Charlottesville, Virginia. He has a track record of serving on the data committee and public information and relations committee of the FFCA and has made significant contributions to other endeavors as a member during his tenure at the Orlando Fire Department.

As a 21st-century emergency services leader, his immediate focus is to improve EMS recruitment and retention efforts. “As the new fire chief of Polk County Fire Rescue, I am excited about moving the department forward by implementing 21st-century fire and emergency medical services principles,” said Dr. Hezedean A. Smith. “My top priority is to improve staffing, attract and retain a diverse workforce through targeted and innovative approaches that focus on competitive wages, benefits, and a positive organizational culture.”

Accident Victim Thanks Crews that Saved Him

By Lacy Martin & Lt. Patrick Juliano

On February 10, 2023, Flagler County Fire Rescue 22 andPalm Coast Fire DepartmentEngine 22 responded to a motor vehicle accident on Palm Coast Parkway.Arriving crews found the driver unresponsive and pulseless. After crews worked to extricate the patient, they were able to regain pulses and transport to the hospital.

After multiple surgeries and weeks in the hospital, on March 6, 2023, Mr. Mike Rowlands, and his wife Brenda, walked into Station 22 to personally thank the crews who saved his life.

City of Sanford Welcomes New Firefighters

By Mark Seiferth, Deputy Fire Chief

After six weeks of orientation, they have earned their badges!

Please join us in welcoming our newest firefighters- FF/EMT Michael Jacobs JR, Lydia Hough, Ja’Quarius Hillery, Timothy Gerken, Gabriel Carino! They’ll now go on to their assigned shifts as probationary/rookie firefighters where they’ll continue to sharpen their skills through experience and training!

East Lake January 2023 Peer Recognition Award

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

East Lake Fire Rescue’s Firefighter Tyler Hyde received the January 2023 Peer Recognition Award. FF Hyde was recognized by his peers for going above and beyond in three separate incidents.

1. FF Hyde saw students walking home from school and he asked his crew if they could pull over to brighten their day! Hyde and his crew grabbed plastic fire helmets from the truck and distributed them to the students on the spot. The students and their parents loved this!

2. FF Hyde ran a call for a lift assist. The homeowner (a veteran) said they kept struggling to get up because they didn’t have a grab bar on the wall to assist them. FF Hyde (also a veteran) purchased a grab bar on his day off and personally took it to the patient’s home on his next shift. The homeowner was extremely thankful.

3. FF Hyde was off duty and driving through the district with his family when he rolled up on the scene of a single-vehicle motor vehicle accident. FF Hyde cleared the scene and started patient assessment prior to E58’s arrival.

Flagler County Assists Local Girl Scouts

By Lacy Martin, Flagler County Fire Rescue

Over the weekend, members of Flagler County Fire Rescue assisted local girl scouts with their ‘Uniform to Uniform’ patch. Not only were the girls overly excited to hang out with our Firefighters, but they got to spoil them with cookies! Each scout was able to obtain this patch that they needed by learning from our Firefighters about public safety and awareness. The ‘Uniform to Uniform’ patch was created in 2019 by local scouts in Colorado who were encouraged to invite local uniformed personnel to spread awareness about Hometown Heroes. We don’t know who was more excited, our crews for their abundance of cookies or the girls who got a new badge thanks to our local first responders.

Oviedo Firefighters Receive Life-Saving Awards

By Lisa McDonald, Communications Manager

On February 10, five members of B-Shift at Station 46 were recognized for their life-saving efforts for a patient on January 12 by HCA Lake Monroe. The elderly patient (70 years old) had fallen while walking his dog in an Oviedo community and could not get back up. The man had been down for several hours and when he was found, he was suffering from cold exposure. He was unable to move his arms and legs, and when the crew arrived, they found he suffered a spinal injury. Due to the crew’s critical diagnosis, he was quickly and gently collared and immobilized and transported to HCA Lake Monroe as a trauma alert. The patient went into surgery and thanks to the efforts of the crew, the gentleman was given a little longer to live. Sadly, he did succumb to the injury on top of other extensive medical issues, but the life-saving efforts of the team gave doctors enough time to help. The crew was able to rapidly and accurately diagnose the patient. The team was presented with the life-saving awards at Station 46 in Oviedo: Lieutenant/Paramedic Michael Davidson, Firefighter/EMT Jean Gomez (not present), Firefighter/EMT Nathan Kennedy, Firefighter/EMT Alexander Nichols, and Firefighter/Paramedic Gavin Jackson.

Alachua County Receives CAAS Accreditation

By Jennifer DiSanto,Captain of Recruitment, Public Education

and PIO

Alachua County Fire Rescue received their full accreditation and placed the CAAS stickers on their units this month.These stickers represent several years of hard work and dedication by #MYACFRto earn accreditation from CAAS (commission on accreditation of ambulance services). CAAS provides a nationally recognized "Golden Standard" level of service in which agencies must prove competency to be granted accreditation status. Less than 200 ambulance agencies nationwide hold this level of accreditation, ACFR is proud to stand with theelite. This is one more way that we can show the public that we are committed to providing top notch service to our citizens.

East Lake Fire Rescue Promotes New Division Chief

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

On January 3, 2023 Lieutenant Matt Wirth was promoted to Division Chief.Chief Wirth has been a Firefighter Paramedic with East Lake Fire Rescue since July 23, 2012.Wirth has served a total of 16 years in the EMS/Fire field including his time with East Lake Fire Rescue, Madeira Beach Fire Department, Sunstar Paramedics, and as a tactical medic for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.He has been very involved in the department serving as chairman for the hiring committee and a Continuing Medical Education instructor for the department and Pinellas County EMS.Chief Wirth has completed his Florida State Fire Pump Operator Certification, Fire Officer 1, 2 and 3 Certification and Instructor 1.He is a Florida State Fire Inspector and is currently working on his master’s degree program in Public Administration.

New Beach Safety Director

Panama City Beach Fire Rescue is proud to announce its Beach Safety program has a new Director. Firefighter Dar yl Paul has now taken over the program. Dar yl previously served as a Firefighter Paramedic for Panama City Beach Fire Rescue while assisting the Beach Safety program on his off days. He will oversee a program that includes eight full time, four permanent part-time, and additional seasonal personnel.

Fort Myers 2022 Firefighter of the Year

ByOliver Castellanos, Captain

Captain Paul DeArmond is the recipient of the 2022 George Sanders Firefighter of the Year Award. This award is given to a firefighter that went above and beyond the duties to make an impact on the organization.

Captain DeArmond is a 17-year veteran of Fort Myers Fire Department and is currently the Deputy Special Operations Team Coordinator. His dedication to our Hazardous Materials Team is displayed through maintaining training and effective responses. Captain DeArmond is a key member of our Peer Support Team, always making himself available to assist members of the organization and service. His selfless devotion to others and the department is immeasurable. He has served in the capacity of Firefighter, Paramedic, Engineer, Captain, and is currently an Acting Battalion Chief on C-shift.

East Lake Attends North County Training

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

Throughout the month of January, firefighters from East Lake Fire Rescue attended the Air Consumption Drill at the North Pinellas County Training.During this training, firefighters went through a series of stations including multiple hose dragging activities, ladder retrieval and raise, sledgehammer strikes, victim drag, and a flight of stairs while in full gear and breathing air from their self-contained breathing apparatus. The firefighters are encouraged to complete as many tasks as possible before their low-pressure alarm sounds. The instructors document the amount of air in the firefighter’s cylinder before the drill starts and when the low-pressure alarm sounds. The goal of this drill is to build knowledge of personal air consumption and encourage endurance.

Hillsborough County Helps Open State Fair

Richardson HCFR’s First Female Battalion Chief

By Karen Clogston, Public Information

Assistant

The promotions of Daniel Ciorrocco, Tim Langston, and Karin Richardson from captain/medic to battalion chief were formally announced at a February Highlands County Board of County Commissioner’s meeting in front of commissioners, staff, and the community.

This was an especially important day for Highlands County Fire Rescue, as BC Karin Richardson becomes the first female battalion chief in the department’s history. It was made especially poignant after her father saluted her after he pinned her badge on. Her return salute and seeing the two of them share this moment together was an emotional moment for the crowd assembled in the Board room.

Richardson has been an employee with Highlands County Board of County Commissioners for over 25 years.

In February 2019, Richardson graduated from SWAT School in Polk County, becoming the first female medic in Highlands County to complete the school. She is a medic on the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office SWAT unit.

“I congratulate Karin, as well as Daniel and Tim, and wish them well as they start this new phase in their careers with us,” Chief Laney Stearns, Highlands County’s Public Safety Director, said.

Sons of the American Revolution Present Fire Ser vice Medal to Palm Coast Firefighter

By Patrick Appolonia, Communications and Marketing

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) was honored to join Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Florida State House Representative Danny Alvarez Sr. in opening up the 119th Florida State Fair.

HCFR provided standby EMS and fire protection from multiple first-aid stations to mobile medical carts to an on-site 911 dispatcher. We dedicated dozens of trained personnel and assets to ensure fairgoers have a safe experience.

Palm Coast Fire Department Driver Engineer Chris Strozier was awarded the 2023 Fire Service Commendation and Medal by the Flagler Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution on Friday, February 17, at Palm Coast Fire Station #21.

The award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions in an area of fire safety and service in protecting human life and property by

preventing injuries or casualties due to fire and chemicals. Strozier, a Navy Veteran, just recently celebrated five years with the Palm Coast Fire Department, and serves as the C-Shift EMS Field Training Officer, Quartermaster, and leads the department’s Gold Star family honors program.

During the ceremony, Driver Engineer Strozier was joined by his colleagues, including Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill, who echoed the presentation’s sentiments. “Driver Engineer Strozier embodies a deep commitment to our community’s wellbeing daily,” Berryhill said. “His efforts are invaluable to our department, and he always leads by example by inspiring those around him to be better.”

East Lake Fire Rescue Hands-Only CPR Training

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

East Lake Fire Rescue jumped right into American Heart Month by starting off February at the Calvary Church to share Hands-Only CPR with East Lake Middle School students! During the event, students were able to practice compressions on mannequins and they were provided with an American Heart Association hands-only CPR handout. Fire and Life Safety Educator Hernandez also provided a hands-only CPR lesson for the East Lake Middle School morning news, which is shared with the entire school and reached a total of 396 students!

Highlands County Promotes Two Members

By Karen Clogston, Public Information Assistant

Highlands County Fire Rescue promoted two of its own at the end of February, one to the rank of battalion chief and the other to the rank of lieutenant.

Lt. Firefighter/Medic Todd Barton has been promoted to battalion chief, and Firefighter/Medic Jarrod Akins has been promoted to lieutenant, having passed his lieutenant’s exam in December

At a recent promotion ceremony, both received their new officer’s badge and gear Barton had his badge pinned on by his mom, Barbara, and Akins had his pinned on by his wife, Tabitha.

Barton was hired as a lieutenant firefighter/medic with Fire Rescue in January 2019. He is also a part of Fire Rescue’s Special Operations team, working Hazmat incidents when they occur. Akins has been with Fire Rescue as a firefighter/medic since February 2022.

“I congratulate Todd and Jarrod on their promotions. They are important to our department’s leadership and continued growth,” Chief Laney Stearns, Highlands County’s Public Safety director, said. “We all want to see them be successful in what they do.”

Flagler County Receives 500 Doses of Narcan

By Lacy Martin

Flagler County Fire Rescue has an additional 500 doses of Narcan to administer, on each rescue truck thanks to the Florida Department of Health.

“This is the sixth year that we have received doses of Narcan for each rescue thanks to a grant from the Helping Emergency Responders Obtain Support (HEROS) Program,” said Fire Chief Michael Tucker. “This year, we got 500 doses of this life-saving drug at significant cost savings to the County.”

“This drug is an invaluable asset to our patients in Flagler County,” said Rob Errett, Community Paramedic. “The HEROS program saves lives, and we are thankful to be recipients of this grant.”

Hillsborough County Dog Rescue

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue was called to Lucy Dell Park to assist Animal Control with a canine stranded in a shallow part of the pond. A child walking to school noticed the dog was trapped on some floating vegetation and alerted authorities. Realizing they could not safely access the dog, Animal Control called HCFR for help. HR32, TR32, and R32 responded to assist. Crews set up a rope system to lower a lone rescuer, FireMedic Gilbert “Gil” Navas, into the water. Navas made his way to the stranded dog and lassoed him with equipment provided by Animal Control. Navas then carried the dog back toward the boardwalk, where crews from Animal Control safely lifted the canine using a large net. HCFR crews used ropes to lift Navas back up to the boardwalk safely.

Single Vehicle Crash

By Diana J. Matty, Fire Chief

In the overnight hours of February 14, 2023, a single vehicle crash occurred on the Northbound lanes of I-95, south of 45th Street in West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach firefighters responded to this dark stretch of interstate highway and found one vehicle on the side of the road with heavy front-end damage, and a fire in the engine compartment. They also found one female victim lying in on the ground, outside the vehicle with serious injuries. She was semi-conscious and mentioned “my baby” to the firefighters.

While the firefighter from the engine worked with the driver engineer to extinguish the fire, the captain began to search the inside of the smoke-filled vehicle. He found a car seat, but no baby.

There was a hole in the windshield and firefighters then suspected the baby may have been ejected out the front window. Crews began to search the roadside scene for the baby. The captain resumed the search inside the vehicle and using the thermal imaging camera and a LED flashlight, he noticed the bright white glow of a diaper Through the smoke and debris in the vehicle, he located an infant partially wedged inside the glove box of the car.

He pulled this limp, four-month-old girl from a smoke and debris filled environment and handed her over to the waiting firefighter paramedics for Advanced Life Support care. Both the infant and the mother were taken to a local trauma center As of this writing, the infant sustained some significant injuries, but remains in stable condition at the hospital.

A combination of level heads and intense training resulted in these firefighters saving the life of this lucky little girl.

Sarasota County Fire Department was one of fifteen agencies across Sarasota and Manatee counties, as well as state and federal agencies that partnered in the SarasotaBradenton International Airport’s Passenger Aircraft Disaster Response exercise in February. The full-scale disaster response drill was sponsored and coordinated by the SarasotaBradenton International Airport, who worked closely with all responding agencies to develop a realistic opportunity for agencies to work together and ensure seamless response should an incident occur at the airport.

Part of this year’s exercise simulated an aircraft engine fire at night, requiring a largescale joint emergency response to the airport

under realistic conditions. Sarasota County Fire Department Battalion Chief Dave Snodgrass led a team of fourteen SCFD personnel who assisted with medical triage and transport for more than 60 patients, portrayed by volunteers.

Large scale incidents such as the one demonstrated in the PADRE drill require vast resources, logistics, planning and interoperability between agencies. Throughout the exercise, SCFD was in communication with participating agencies, expanded on opportunities to best work together and improved strategies in real time.

This experience was not limited to the execution of the training, but also in the preparations stage. SCFD Assistant Chiefs Travis

Dagenais and Tim Dorsey represented SCFD throughout the airport’s planning process and coordinated SCFD’s staffing and planned response ahead of the exercise.

This event is held every three years as required by the Federal Aviation Administration in continued partnership with local agencies and the airport authority.

Trainings and collaborations with our partners are vital to ensure personnel are prepared for any call at any time.