May 2021 Florida Fire Services Magazine by ffca

THE PUBLICATION

OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

May 2021 • VOLUME 29 NUMBER 5

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Florida Fire Florida Fire Fire Chiefs’ Florida Fire

Service is the monthly publication of the Chiefs’ Association, provided to Florida Association (FFCA) members, by the 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 Denise Holley - Office Manager Scott Leisen - Marketing Director Ngoc Huynh - Conference & Events Director Liz Aperauch - Administrative Assistant FFCA Board of Directors Ty Silcox - President Douglas Riley - 1st Vice President Reginald Duren - 2nd Vice President Darrel Donatto - Immediate Past President Julie Downey - Secretary/Treasurer Ryan H. Crawford - Northwest Region Director Carlos Aviles - Northeast Region Director Terry Wooldridge Jr. - East Central Region Director Percy Sayles - Southeast Region Director Ian Kemp - West Central Region Director Gregory DeWitt - Southwest Region Director Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Cindy Morgan - Foundation Chair Leland Greek - Senior Member

FEATURES If a Wagon Makes Noise in the

Woods, Does Anyone Hear it? . . . . 6 Leading and Managing Problem Employees . . . . . . . . . . 10 Zoomposium Fills the

Gap for PIOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Gratitude: A Force-Multiplier for First Responders . . . . . . . . . . 18 A Tale of Two Anniversaries . . . . . . 22 What a Long Strange

Trip it has Been . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

FURTHERMORE FFCA Foundation Scholarship Winner . . . . . . . . . .12 God’s Pressure Washer . . . . . . . . .14

Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Editorial Submissions magazine@ffca.org (850) 900-5180

Meet the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Advertising Scott Leisen, Editor in Chief scott@ffca.org (386) 717-0055

First There First Care Conference . .32

FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . .28 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

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 May 2021, Volume 29, Number 5 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 2021 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

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May 2021

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If a Wagon Makes Noise in the Woods, Does Anyone Hear It? By Rick Spence, FFCA Chaplain

ften in the fire service, tasks are classified by the frequency at which they are done and the risks that come along with them. An example would be a window bail out. It is something that is done on a low frequency, meaning it is not done very often, but it comes with a high risk to the firefighter. Taking a patient’s blood pressure would be classified as a high frequency procedure, something we do many times a day, but has a low risk to the firefighter. What if we applied this principle to our everyday life? One of the high frequency events we do is talk. If we speak properly, it has a low risk of injury to ourselves and those we speak to. But, very often, when we do not think through what we say, it comes with a high risk of injuring ourselves and others. Think about how much we talk throughout the day. Many studies estimate the average person uses anywhere from 10,000-30,000 words per day. We do a lot of talking throughout the day (no comments about how our spouse uses more or less than these numbers). But do we use our words in the best way? Do our words build people up and encourage them, or do they beat people down? If you’re like most people, our words both encourage and hurt people. One of the places the Bible addresses this situation is in the book of James, which was written by the brother of Jesus. James says, “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth both fresh and salt water?” It sounds like James understands what we are dealing with. He wrote this down over 2,000 years ago and it is still very applicable today. My wife thinks James wrote it directly to me. That may be accurate, just not very encouraging. I read this passage recently and realized that my mouth would often encourage people, but later in that same day, I would

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babble forth words that would definitely not be considered encouraging. The very thing that the Bible says not to do, and I do it on a regular basis. There are several hundred verses in the Bible that discuss controlling our tongue and how difficult that is. In fact, one verse says, “It is easier to take a walled city than to tame your tongue.” While I try to have mostly positive interactions with everyone, I know it does not always happen. Usually because of something I say. I have started to think about times when someone has said something discouraging to me and how it made me feel. Regardless of how positive and uplifting you are in your speech, the one negative comment you make will be remembered more than anything positive you say (one “oh poop” does wipe out a hundred attaboys). I can remember coaches, teachers, mentors, and other family members telling me good things about myself, up until I hear “but, the …” Nothing else matters after that. That was all I heard, and I do not think I am the only one in this situation. I have caught myself telling my kids how proud I am of them and how well they have handled certain situations. But, in the next sentence I say, “but, if you would have …” Why couldn’t I have just ended the conversation without the last sentence? That was all my kids heard, not how proud I was of them and how much they have accomplished. I would go back and apologize later, but the damage was already done. It was like apologizing to someone for kicking them in the leg; you may regret what you did, but their pain is still there.

I now realize this is something I have to make a very strong and conscious effort to do. I doubt if this is something that will ever come easy for me. In order to keep a close relationship with my kids and others, it is something I must learn. In order to help me learn this skill, I have started to read/memorize a Bible verse every day that deals with controlling our tongue. There are several hundred verses that deal with this subject, so there is no shortage of new verses for me to learn. So many different writers in the Bible wrote about controlling your tongue and tempering your speech. David, Solomon, Moses, among others, wrote about it in the Old Testament. Paul, James, Jesus himself, and others wrote about it in the New Testament. My fondest memory about controlling my speech comes from my grandfather. He lived with us when I was growing up and never went past 4th grade but had as much wisdom as anyone I have ever met. He used to tell me all the time because I think he knew I was going to struggle in this area, “Ricky, you know an empty wagon makes a lot of noise.” He never would say anything else after that. He didn’t need to. He had already made his point. That was the most encouraging thing he could ever say to me, and it was the quickest way to get an empty wagon to stop making more noise.

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Leading and Managing Problem Employees

By Dr. Eric Smith, EFO, Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Barry University

s a fire service manager, how many times have you had to deal with an employee who requires an inordinate amount of your time? We have all managed employees who just don’t seem to “get it”. Fortunately, most employees of any organization are hard working and committed to the success of the organization. However, a small percentage of problem employees require the largest percentage of our time. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to manage department programs and plan for the future if you are spending the lion’s share of your time managing problem employees. One of the first steps in managing problem employees is to find out why they are problems. Every organization has a small number of employees who have slipped through the cracks in the hiring system. Although this is unfortunate, it is one of the facts of life that must be successfully managed. Fortunately, you will find that most of your organization’s employees are self-motivated and will require much less managing than your problem cases. What happens, however, when one of your motivated employees devolves into a problem child? This scenario does not occur in a vacuum; it is likely that something has happened over a period of time that has caused a once stellar employee to become mediocre, or worse. One reason may be that the employee does not have enough responsibility to stay engaged in the activities of the organization. 10

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Another reason may be that the employee has suffered some type of setback in his or her personal life. Yet another reason may be that the department’s goals and needs are no longer in line with goals and needs of the employee. The major dilemma and solution to problem employees lie very close together. The first is finding the root of the employee’s poor performance. This is much easier said than done and requires leadership finesse to get to the issues without further alienating the problem employee. One way to search for underlying employee problems is to analyze and compare past performance documentation with documentation of the employee’s present performance. Unfortunately, this first step may give you little information. Employee evaluations are notoriously subjective and in many cases evaluations are a pro forma exercise that is conducted simply because the organization requires it to be done. An organization that conducts in-depth evaluations and measures the employee against a set of clearly specified and defined standards will likely be able to better track employee performance issues. Charting employee development through analysis of past evaluation and documentation is a fairly easy function of management. However, the leadership component kicks in when the manager attempts to determine how and why a once top-flight employee is now below average. This requires listening, and more importantly,

hearing what the employee has to say. This situation is one that calls for listening skills much more than it requires oratorical skills. Is the employee bored by the simplicity of the work he or she is assigned? Would increased levels of responsibility increase the employee’s feeling of involvement in the organization’s vision and mission? Another potential source of employee performance devolution is personal problems. This is the trickiest area of all. Employees may find personal questions and attempts to intervene in their personal lives offensive. Employee assistance program (EAP) professionals are valuable in allowing employees to address personal issues in a non-work, nonconfrontational, confidential setting. Additionally, this scenario requires leadership skills to make the employee want to go to EAP, rather than forcing them to go. E ri c S m i t h Unfortunately, there is no magic elixir that is foolproof for dealing with problem employees. It requires a combination of experience, training, • and education to achieve Ba rr y U n i v e r sit y positive results. Leading and managing problem employees is sometimes a thankless and frustrating task. However, there is no better feeling for a leader than to reclaim an employee who is viewed as no longer being a productive member of the organization.

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Caitlin Borg Selected as Recipient of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Foundation’s Firefighter/EMT Scholarship By Janel Vasallo, Public Relations and Information Manager, Lakeland Fire Department

stablished in 1994, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Foundation, affiliated with the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA) was created to provide educational opportunities, including scholarships to fire and emergency service professionals and those aspiring to become one. Thanks to the foundation’s mission to support those wanting to give back to their communities as emergency responders, Caitlin Borg is one step closer to accomplishing her dream of becoming a certified firefighter and EMT! Caitlin, who is 25-years-old, grew up around the fire service; her father and uncle both serving in the fire service their entire careers with different departments in Polk County, Florida. Caitlin is a Lakeland native who has always had the desire to become a firefighter but as a single mother of four children, all under the age of seven, she thought it was something that would have to come much later, after raising her children. However, the Firefighter/EMT scholarship Caitlin was

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awarded afforded her the opportunity to do so well before that, which in turn is guaranteed to help her better support her family once she begins a rewarding career in the fire service. Having known her whole life she wanted to follow in her father and uncle’s footsteps, Caitlin worked as a caregiver and child care provider to save the necessary funds to pay for fire standards and medical training, but thanks to the scholarship provided by the foundation, she was able to start in 2021. The scholarship pays up to $3,500 in expenses for recipients. Caitlin is currently enrolled at Pinellas Technical College for her EMT training and will

begin fire standards at Ridge Fire Academy in Winter Haven, Florida later this year. Caitlin shares “I am so incredibly grateful for the foundation’s support, especially as a single mom. This scholarship made this career possible for me and I can’t wait to return the favor by helping others as a firefighter/medic and serve as an example to my own children and others who think a career like this may be out of their reach.” Caitlin acknowledges that balancing school and her homelife has been a real challenge, but she is confident she made the right decision. What wasn’t difficult was the application for the scholarship which Caitlin explains: “it was so straightforward and easy. It required a letter of recommendation and a simple application.” Details on how to apply can be found at https://bit.ly/3vrmk8S. Caitlin is nearly finished with her EMT training and she shares that so far it is her favorite part of the experience. She loves the hands-on practice and the teamwork aspect of working closely with her classmates. She can’t wait to use the skills she is learning in the field to help patients; it is in her caretaker nature after all.

GOD’s

Pressure Washer

By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

ecently, my wife and I took on the task of cleaning our house. It’s not that we haven’t cleaned our house before. In fact, we’ve been cleaning houses as long as we’ve had houses. Nowadays, cleaning the house is the family project on Saturday mornings. But this task was something altogether different. Instead of the usual vacuum cleaner, mop, paper towel and all-purpose spray, our cleaning implement of choice was a Troy-Bilt 2,550psi 2.3gpm pressure washer.

Living in Florida has introduced us to a type of house cleaning that we had never experienced in Illinois – cleaning the outside. I don’t remember washing the outside of any of our houses in Illinois. I don’t remember watching other people wash the outside of their houses in Illinois either. And yet, our house was dirty. There wasn’t one thing that happened for it to get this way; it was just the way the world impacts the house

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day-to-day. Dirt and grime have a way of piling up on the exterior of the house. Routine maintenance is necessary to keep the house clean. In the same way, we must routinely allow God to clean our lives. The world impacts our lives everyday, causing us to retain some of the dirt and grime around us. God cleanses us when we confess and agree with Him about the sin in our lives. However, when routine maintenance is neglected, additional steps are necessary to clean the house. Instead of simply spraying our house with water, it takes a pressure washer, a scrub brush and a cleaning solution to get the job done. Sometimes, we start becoming hardened to the work of God in our lives. We become less willing to come to Him in confession; less willing to draw close in relationship. As this barrier of dirt and grime grows, more effort is needed to become clean. The good news is that even when the stains of sin become deep in our lives, God is willing and able to completely cleanse us. He has already done all that is necessary to make this happen. h A. La C ogna It can be a challenge se p ta Jo to keep a house clean in the midst of a dirty world. But if we are faithful, we can erase the impact of day-to-day Fir t eR or escue Supp living and enjoy the rewards of a clean dwelling. You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com

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Fills the Gap for PIOs By Mike Jachles, Chair, Florida Association of PIOs

ith the pandemic halting most inperson events for over a year, the Florida Association of Public Information Officers (FAPIO) took advantage of the opportunity and hosted the first PIO Zoomposium, a play on the PIO Symposium normally held at Fire Rescue East. Held in conjunction with the South Florida Media Coalition’s monthly meeting March 25, the Zoomposium featured guest speakers from around the country on the topic of handling active shooter incidents and avoiding PIO pitfalls. Guest speakers included Lt. Paul Vance, (ret.) Connecticut State Police and Cmdr. Cassidee Carlson, Aurora, CO Police Department. Vance was the PIO for the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings and Carlson

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was the PIO for the Aurora, CO movie theater shootings. Both guests had also presented at separate, previous PIO Symposia in Daytona Beach. The Zoomposium topic was chosen following the March 22, 2021 mass shooting at King Soopers Supermarket in Boulder, CO. As prevalent as mass shootings seem to be, it is an overwhelming challenge for the PIO handling it. Thus, the need for continued awareness and training to equip the PIO with the knowledge and practices from those who have been there is invaluable. One positive of the pandemic has been utilizing the ability to connect regardless of where you are. In addition to the South Florida Media Coalition group (which marked its’ 12th Anniversary at the meeting) and the FAPIO

state members, PIOs from around the country were also invited to participate. This gave communicators from outside the state a firsthand look at the quality of training and programs FAPIO delivers, as well as the functional role of the PIO Deployment Team. Over 150 attendees logged on and remained engaged for the entire two-hour session. A downside of the pandemic has been the absence of in-person training. FAPIO has rescheduled the FEMA G290 Basic PIO course this year from FRE to the Executive Development Conference (EDC) in July. The need for the training has never been more evident. The FAPIO instruction team delivers a hybrid course that is recognized by FEMA and includes additional topics. The July offering will include newly developed material on executing high quality virtual interviews, with tips and techniques on enhancing audio and video so interviews look professional. For PIOs, relationships are the foundation of success. Whether it’s calling on your local network of PIOs for support in a major incident, or networking with PIOs in other parts of the country to share ideas and best practices, having these relationships are critical. FAPIO will continue to build bridges for PIO professional development. To be added to the FAPIO distribution list, visit bit.ly/2ycKjjH.

Gratitude: A Force-Multiplier for First Responders By Crawford Coates

orce-multipliers have long been employed to improve outcomes in public safety. From license plate recognition to thermal imagers to wearable technologies—any tool for getting more out of what you’ve got finds space in the first responder’s overcrowded tool bag. “If you think about the job of a cop, it’s really more like several jobs merged together,” says Dale Stockton, a partner at Public Safety Insight, co-founder of the law enforcement safety initiative Below 100 and retired police captain. “One moment you’re consoling a grieving parent, and the next you’re in a foot pursuit or handling a domestic violence call. Add to this the increasingly bureaucratic and legalistic framework under which officers often work and, yeah, you need tools and technologies that are going to make your good efforts go further, while keeping you between the lines.” According to Stockton, there’s one particularly potent force-multiplier within anyone’s budget and reach, and which will pay dividends that reverberate positively throughout life. That is gratitude. “When any one of us takes a moment to take a step back and appreciate this gift of life,” he says, “everything comes into perspective. It’s not always easy, or even possible sometimes. But, believe me, a little bit of gratitude here and there goes a long way.”

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The Science of Gratitude Professor Robert A. Emmons, a psychologist at U.C. Davis, has spent much of his career bearing this out. According to Emmons, people who routinely express gratitude see a host of benefits. These benefits, furthermore, are found in children, seniors and everyone in between. These include: • Better, more restful sleep • Lower blood pressure • Increased awareness and engagement • Increased confidence and optimism • Improved physical health and increased exercise Emmons describes gratitude as cultivating an appreciation for what’s good in your life. This is not to pretend life is perfect or without challenges and pains. Gratitude practice is instead a habitual reframing around what’s good, often in the form of a gratitude journal. The next part, according to Emmons, entails accepting that much of what is good in life comes from outside of ourselves. For some, this might be God. For others, this is appreciation for the joy brought to us by people, places, and things. Again, it’s not always easy. “In law enforcement in particular,” says Stockton, “many are giving up on the profession they once loved.” A survey from Police1 and Calibre Press in June of last year confirms this: 36%

would not have chosen the profession if they were to do it over again; 80% said they wouldn’t recommend the job to a son or daughter. “I know it’s rough out there,” says Stockton. “But we’ve never needed good men and women in uniform more than this moment. This is still honorable, necessary work—even though it’s now a political third rail. Believe me: In my 32 years on the job, I’ve seen the pendulum swing both ways before. And who else is going to push this profession forward if not you?” Tips for First Responders For those questioning their professional decision or feeling down, Stockton has some suggestions. 1. Write it down. “Why’d you get into public safety? You wanted to help people? Write it down! You wanted a dependable salary? Write it down. Now ask yourself, are the reasons you go into the profession absent now? In my experience, probably not. You can still make a difference every day.” 2. Affirm your gratitude. “Say to yourself, ‘I am grateful for the comradery.’ ‘I’m grateful for the authority that’s been entrusted in me.’ ‘I’m thankful for the support of the broader society and the people I am able to help.’ Say these things out loud.” 3. Laugh. “People say the world is crazy, and it is! Laughter truly is medicine. As I say, police work is like having front-row seats at the 50-yard

line of life.” 4. Exercise. “At this point in my life, it’s now a daily walk. And along the way, I’m often reminding myself of things that I’m thankful for. It might sound trivial, but sometimes I’ll say out loud, ‘I’m grateful for the birds that I can hear. I’m thankful that I can actually hear. I appreciate the sidewalk or the path, the warmth of the sunshine, even the ability to just walk.”’ 5. Don’t be selfish. “Inherent in being a first responder is risk. We take on risks all the time and this influences our thinking profoundly. What I implore you to do—especially younger folks, who think you’re invincible—is to not take stupid risks. When one of us gets hurt or worse, it affects so many people. Think of the people in your life and develop a healthy respect for the risks you’re willing take. At Below 100 trainings I’ll often ask, in all seriousness: Who else do you want raising your kids?” Some might find the concept of gratitude removed from and foreign to the work of law enforcement. Stockton laughs: “I’m grateful that we are all entitled to our opinions! But seriously: Give it a shot and see. There’s no cost to it, and it just might work.” Being a first responder has never been easy. The routine occupational stress is only exacerbated by recent events: COVID-19, economic uncertainty, and political polarization. Stress is a force you don’t want to multiply. One simple way to improve your quality of life now is to take stock of all the blessings you’ve been bestowed, despite everything else. Make a habit of this—a habit of gratitude—and see if it doesn’t make you, and the people around you, happier. Crawford Coates, MPPA, is the content marketing manager at Lexipol and author of Mindful Responder: The First Responder’s Field Guide to Improved Resilience, Fulfilment, Presence, & Fitness—On & Off the Job. He was previously the publisher at Calibre Press and is a cofounder of Below 100.

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By John W. Bracey, Community Affairs Officer, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Photos courtesy The Great Fire of 1901 by Wayne Wood and Bill Foley

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ne Jacksonville fire service milestone is a joyous occasion; the other, a momentous event that is often considered the city’s worst day on record. May 4 marked the beginning of Jacksonville Florida’s professional fire service 135 years ago when Jacksonville Mayor, Patrick McQuaid approved the city council’s bill to create a paid department. In stark contrast, May 3 marked the 120th anniversary of The Great Fire of 1901. The general alarm, Friday afternoon conflagration overwhelmed the Jacksonville Fire Department and the city. It broke out during lunchtime and ultimately consumed 146 blocks and destroyed 2,368 structures, including three of the city’s five fire stations. The Great Fire also led to seven known deaths and displaced nearly 10,000 people from their homes. People in Raleigh, North Carolina reported seeing the fire’s smoke plume, and the fire’s glow was visible in Savannah. Local authorities called the fire under control around 8:30 p.m., but Jacksonville was in chaos and facing $15 million in damages and an unprecedented reconstruction. There were also reports that the fire had claimed the life of the city’s fire chief. Headlines the following day: “There Is Suffering in Jacksonville! There Must Be Immediate Assistance. Let Those Who Are Able Respond.” A companion story on the front page of The Florida Times-Union and Citizen

Peter Jones was Jacksonville’s first fire chief. He led the paid department starting in 1886 and earned $1,500 per year. Before his fire service career, Jones was elected Jacksonville’s mayor six times in the 1870s.

declared “Prominent Citizens Talk of the Future: A Greater Jacksonville Is in Sight.” Such optimism had a basis. Jacksonville had endured several large-scale fires in the mid- to late-1800s, most of them accidental and some set by troops during the Civil War. The losses from a fire in 1854 included 70 structures and monetary losses that approached $300,000, according to T.

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The Jacksonville Fire Department was four stations strong when it launched in 1886. Central Station (above) was rebuilt after the Great Fire and the structure is still there today. It served as JFRD’s Fire Station 1 until 1986 and is now privately owned.

Frederick Davis’s “History of Jacksonville.” The fire also devoured the city’s only fire apparatus, a water pump wagon. For an emerging city, that scope of damage would require significant redevelopment, but Jacksonville met the challenge. Jacksonville was expanding, and the city’s number of volunteer firefighters was also growing. By 1870, the volunteers had organized into six different companies. Their apparatus was a combination of horse-drawn and hand-driven wagons. Combined, their strength was roughly 90 men, some of whom were prominent leaders. At one point, the mayor, chief of police and several city council members served in the Mechanics Steam Fire Engine Company, according to Davis. Though the volunteers were valiant in their efforts, they were overwhelmed by many fast-moving fires that devoured pinewood structures throughout Jacksonville’s downtown area. The 1880s were a significant juncture for the volunteers. The city did not meet their requests for proper quarters, and that affected morale, according to Davis. It also prompted one company’s temporary withdrawal from service. Another company refused to respond to a fire call, so Jacksonville City Council disbanded that group. A tragedy forces meaningful change. In December 1885, Jacksonville’s commercial district caught fire again, and the city lost its courthouse, the post office, a hardware store, several warehouses, and many other structures. Damages were estimated at $200,000. And for the first time, the volunteers experienced a fire service line of duty death. As Christmas approached, Jacksonville publicly mourned the 24

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loss of volunteer Henry J. Bradley, who perished when a wall collapsed on him while fighting the downtown fire on December 16. Bradley’s name is the first of the 22 firefighters commemorated on the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Fallen Firefighter Memorial Wall. Insurance companies reacted to the fire losses by raising premiums 20 to 30 percent. Property owners, businesses, and the local government were ready for a solution. They would find one in Peter Jones. Jones was born in England in 1832. Soon after, his parents immigrated to New York City.

Jones’s first career was in law enforcement in the Big Apple, but he set his sights south and entered politics in a maturing Jacksonville, Fla. Jones became Duval County’s tax collector, then a city council member. Jones was also elected mayor of Jacksonville six times, according to Davis. Jones’s ties to the North raised the ire of some local leaders and politicians, but that did not stop Jacksonville’s newly formed Board of Fire Commissioners from appointing Jones as Jacksonville’s first fire chief, though his job title was “Chief Engineer.” Chief Jones’s annual salary was $1,500, and he commanded a department with a budget of $19,000 and 13 paid men who earned $480 annually, except for the “Assistant Engineer” who earned $900 each year. There were also 10 non-uniformed men who were “Members at Call,” according to Jacksonville’s Board of Trade report for 1886-87. The Jacksonville Fire Department (JFD) was placed in service on July 16, 1886 with four fire stations. JFD’s first call came in on July 21, but it was a false alarm, according to Davis. The department’s first fire call came in on August 10. Telephone systems were not readily available at the time, so Jacksonville relied upon the Gamewell Alarm System. It was a series of wired boxes, each with a trip switch to send an alarm signal via telegraph technology to alert the fire department of an incident. One of Jones’s early requests of city council was to extend the alarm system throughout Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Mayor J.E.T. Bowden assesses The Great Fire’s damage in the vicinity of where Jacksonville’s City Hall had stood a few days prior. Citywide, the damages totaled approximately $15 million.

Fire Chief Thomas Haney served as JFD’s leader for 33 years, longer than any other top chief in Jacksonville. He and his department fought The Great Fire of 1901. The conflagration destroyed three of the department’s five fire stations, including Central Station, which functioned as headquarters and as an apartment for Haney, his wife, Bessie, and their toddler son, Harry. Mother and son remained safe during the Great Fire.

During the Haney era, JFD transitioned from horse-driven apparatus to motorized vehicles, and the department acquired its first fire boat. Also, the Florida Legislature enacted a pension system for city firefighters. Chief Haney retired in 1926, and he remained in Jacksonville for the rest of his life. He died in 1939. Haney was 78.

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The beginning of Jacksonville’s professional firefighting contingent was indirectly the end of the volunteers with one exception. According to Davis, the Mechanics Steam Fire Engine Company, founded in 1870, independently maintained its organization until 1891. Ironically, the Mechanics responded to an overnight fire in August 1891 on Main Street in downtown Jacksonville that also burned their hall on Adams Street. They chose to disband and sold their engine to the city. Jacksonville also lost Chief Jones in 1891, when he succumbed to pneumonia, which he apparently contracted in the line of duty. The Florida Times-Union reported that “Jones had the respect and esteem of everyone who knew him.” John Stephens served as Jacksonville’s next chief for nearly two years. But his successor, Thomas Haney, would set a record in tenure that still stands in the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department – 33 years as the top chief. Haney also led the department during one of Jacksonville’s most terrifying days. It tested Haney, his men and Jacksonville like never before. On Friday, May 3, 1901, Jacksonville’s weather forecast offered a warm spring day with a high of 92. Fairly typical given the mid-spring season. But the city was also enduring a prolonged drought. By that afternoon, Jacksonville felt like the hottest place on Earth. The Great Fire of 1901 was gaining ground from its origin just west of downtown. That’s where an ember from a cooking stove retained enough heat and encountered gusts strong enough to collide with a pile of drying moss at a nearby factory during lunchtime. It was the perfect spark. First, the moss caught fire, then the factory, despite initial efforts from workers at the Cleaveland Fibre Factory to extinguish it. An unthinkable disaster was imminent, given the combination of dry conditions, a steady lineup of volatile pinewood structures one downtown block after another and persistent afternoon winds. “Fifteen thousand people fled for their lives in a firestorm of horror, of flame and smoke, wild rumor and stark confusion,” says “The Great Fire of 1901” by Bill Foley and Dr. Wayne W. Wood. Foley is a deceased Florida Times-Union newspaper reporter and columnist. Wood is a retired optometrist who lives in Jacksonville and has authored several books about the city’s history. Fire Chief Thomas Haney did not flee that afternoon, nor did his firefighters, which numbered 40 that day. Around 12:45 p.m., the Jacksonville Fire Department was putting water on the fiber factory, but it evaporated so quickly that it was no deterrent. When the factory’s roof collapsed, it created “an explosion that hurtled masses of burning moss high into the air,” according to Wood’s and Foley’s research. That incendiary force of nature propelled the fire toward more fuel: more shacks, more homes, more businesses, and more of Jacksonville in flames. “The firemen stood under a roof of flames, and the fire swept over them and the reach of their engines,” wrote Benjamin Harrison in “Acres of Ashes.” Chief Haney wisely positioned half of his firefighters and apparatus west of the factory to guard buildings and dwellings to the rear. He sent the other half of the department to the east, ahead of the fire. But Jacksonville and its fire department were outmatched. The mutual aid that came from Fernandina, Palatka, and Savannah couldn’t arrive soon enough. Each department loaded apparatus into railroad freight cars, and the trains rocketed toward Jacksonville, reportedly at one mile per minute. According to interviews in “The Great Fire of 1901,” Chief Haney exerted himself to the point of fainting a couple times. A few newspapers across the country erroneously reported that Haney died during the fire. The Florida Times-Union and Citizen quickly clarified Haney’s survival on 26

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The Great Fire’s scope of damage was daunting, but the efforts to rebuild Jacksonville were just as mighty. Within two years, the city had built more structures than the fire claimed, according to the Jacksonville Historical Society.

The Jacksonville Fire Department also replaced its three fire stations lost to the fire. Above: Central Fire Station at its Ocean and Adams streets location.

its front page. On May 4, Jacksonville declared a state of martial law as a precaution. But it also began its recovery. The front-page declaration for aid was answered by numerous sources, locally and nationally. In a matter of days, the city had amassed nearly $500,000 in cash and supplies. Western Union Telegraph was helping by transmitting messages for help at no charge to Jacksonville. On May 6, the city launched its rebuilding with the issue of “Building Permit 1,” and many more according to Davis. Following the Great Fire, Atlanta Fire Chief W.R. Joyner paid a visit to Jacksonville and his former colleague. Haney had worked in Atlanta before taking the promotion to become chief in Jacksonville. Joyner said that “No human power could have saved the city. All the fire apparatus of New York and Chicago combined would not have stayed the fire here.” Haney retired from the Jacksonville Fire Department in 1926 at age 65. The department had grown to 140 members who staffed eight fire stations. Call volumes were reaching nearly 900 annually. Haney died at his Jacksonville home in 1939 at age 78. His obituary in the July 20 Jacksonville Journal stated that “Haney was chief during the period when there was more romance, less science, to firefighting than there is today. Hardly a boy lived in Jacksonville during the first half of the century who didn’t want to be a fire chief like Chief Haney was when he grew up.”

By William “Trip” Barrs, EFO, CFO, Fire Chief, Treasure Island Fire Rescue

ho would have been able to foresee how our world has changed over the past 14 months since COVID-19 became widespread? Considering how much fire departments were doing to stay relevant and compete for limited budget dollars before this pandemic, it is difficult to comprehend how we maintained our operations during these challenging times. Our ability to train, conduct fire inspections and pre-fire planning were all slowed or stopped at various times, yet we survived and continue to adapt to ever changing conditions. I believe that this is a

Kevin Barbot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sanibel Fire Control District Madison Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Bill Briscoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sanibel Fire Control District Chris Caccavale . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Forrest Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue Nicole Chesser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue John Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sumter County Fire Rescue Brent Drexler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Deltona Fire Department Christopher Gannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Gardner . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Jerry Gonzalez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lauderhill Fire Rescue John Gonzalez . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Southwest Florida Urban Search & Rescue Nate Iuders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District

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testament to the resiliency of our firefighters and officers as well as the innovation of the fire service leadership. From the perspective of leadership, it has become apparent that the new normal will involve an increased use of technology and communications strategies that may seem foreign to many of us. While not new to the business world, the fire service is learning to use virtual meeting spaces for a variety of communications within our organizations, with partners, and the public. I am not sure if it is the ease with which a Zoom or Teams meeting

Jonathan Lavandera . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Tanner Mack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Daniel Moran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Town of Davie Rodolfo Naranjo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control Devon Nichols . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Sarah Panko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Groveland Fire Department Sharon Shivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Deltona Fire Department Ronnie Snowberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DeLand Fire Department Carter Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District Wallace Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christian Tobin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue Kenneth Wannen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hernando County Fire Rescue

can be put together, but there sure seem to be more meetings to attend lately. If this is to become the new normal, we should begin to think about the purpose for our meetings and evaluate the need before sending out those mass invites. Whatever platform your organization has chosen, virtual meeting spaces do have the advantage of saving time on commutes to in person meetings as well as other benefits. The ability to communicate using both sight and sound allows us to better address issues that have the potential to be miscommunicated through email or a phone call. Being able to interact in real time with body language and facial expressions in a virtual meeting may be one of the best improvements that we see being incorporated into our new norms. That being said, depending on the purpose for the meeting, in-person meetings are sometimes more appropriate. You wouldn’t want to roll out a new policy or initiative on a Zoom call if you could safely do it in person. Reserving the virtual meetings for management issues and coordination of ongoing projects seems like a much better way to leverage this new found communications technology. Meeting in cyberspace may replace

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many of the routine communications that take place with other departments or municipal partners, but they are generally no substitute for in-person meetings when addressing leadership issues. As a chief officer, it is vital to be highly visible both within the organization and to the public that we serve. This simply cannot always be accomplished on a flat computer screen. Examples of leadership issues that are best served by in-person meetings are information gathering, research and feedback sessions with our line staff. The officers and firefighters want to know that they are being heard and understood when they speak with the chief and this is best accomplished by doing what one of my mentors calls, “Putting a face in the place”. I hope that after we return to a more normal mode of operations, we don’t lose the tradition of station visits by fire department leadership. These valuable interactions not only help insure effective communication but build morale and are great for reminding us how we all depend on the human aspect of communication to work well together. Other aspects of in-person communication that have changed are the inability of the fire service to meet and share our successes and work on our challenges together. Virtual conferences have been useful during the pandemic, but I really miss attending conferences and continuing education courses with my colleagues. These are valuable networking experiences that help to develop us professionally in our current positions and by allowing us to interact with others from other departments and professions. I certainly hope that we can maintain this rich fire service tradition as we transition to a more open, post-pandemic world. As fire service leaders, whether you are an officer or senior firefighter, it is important for all of us to embrace the changes that we have seen over the past year as they have served to keep us safe and allowed us to continue doing our jobs. We must also guard against allowing some of these changes to become ingrained into our culture. Just because we have not been able to attend multi-company training for fear of spreading COVID-19, this should not become the new norm. As soon as we can safely do so we need to return to the drill grounds for the personal interaction and knowledge sharing that makes the fire service so successful. If your organization has postponed fire inspections or prefire planning, leadership and the labor organizations need to work together to determine when these vital services can be safely restored. By the way….this should be an in-person meeting. Regardless of your personal feelings about getting vaccinated, part of getting where we need to be involves continued vigilance, testing, and achieving the highest percentage of vaccinations possible. We should all be following appropriate guidelines as adopted by your agency and setting the example for the public with our actions. Many fire departments have seen this challenge as an opportunity to re-evaluate their abilities to provide public education in partnership with their local health departments and some are even assisting in the staffing of vaccination m “Trip” Ba illia rrs W sites. Perhaps this is another opportunity to evaluate our ability to stay relevant in a time when community para-medicine is gaining more widespread acceptance? While navigating back to the old normal may not be possible, we have an as s ur Re e Is opportunity to reinvent some of the ways in l a n d F ir e which we do things in our organizations. Let’s all challenge ourselves to keep what we have discovered to work better and discard those old ways of doing things that our forced COVID-19 isolation has shown can be improved. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Allen Clayton, Fire Chief, Madison County Fire Rescue

Fire Service Tenure: 12 years Career Journey: My Path in Fire and EMS started in 2008 when I enrolled in the Firefighter II course at Chipola College right out of high school. While in Fire School, I started volunteering with Sneads Volunteer Fire Department, where I also served as the department's Training Captain. After completing Fire School, I attended EMT school at Chipola. In spring of 2009, I took a job as a Contract Wildland Firefighter out in California for a year before returning home. Upon my return home. I was offered a PRN-EMT job with Holmes County EMS. In February 2010 I was hired full-time with Jackson County Fire and Rescue as a Firefighter/EMT. During my employment at Jackson County, I attended various trainings 30

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and certification classes. In 2013 I picked up a second full-time job with Florida State Hospital Fire Department while I was attending college courses for my Associate of Science degree. While at Florida State Hospital, I was able to move up to Senior Firefighter and was awarded "Firefighter of the Year" for 2016. In April 2017 I left Florida State Hospital and Jackson County Fire and Rescue to further my career with Bay County Emergency Services. During my employment with Bay County, I was a member of the Hazmat Team and assisted with departmental trainings and went to Paramedic School. In August of 2018 I received my Paramedic Certification and was promoted to Firefighter/Paramedic. In September of 2018 took on the Fire Training Program Coordinator role at Chipola College. In December of 2019 I accepted a job offer from Madison County BOCC for the Fire Chief Position. Although this has been a challenging position, it is a great feeling being in a place where you can make a difference for others. Form of Government: County Sources of Funding for Jurisdiction: EMS Revenue and Fire Assessment Fees Population served including square miles covered: 20,000 people 716 sq miles Composition of Department: Combination Department, 24 full-time, 18 part-time, 2 Administrative, and 30 Volunteers.

Department Equipment: 3 ALS Ambulances, 2 Engines, 2 Tankers, 2 Brush trucks, and 1 Light Rescue. Call Summary: In 2020 our Department Responded to 4,000 calls for service. What is the most challenging issue facing your department today? Being a Rural County, we are constantly having to do more with less. Describe your management style: I utilize a visionary approach in management. Basically, I lead from the top by projecting my vison for the department in the future to the officers and personnel. Since we have been only running fire response since 2018 this works well to align personnel with positive progressive change within the department. In a department where there is constant change, this gives personnel an advanced notice of direction the department is headed. Every Friday I send all personnel the accomplishments for the current week and give information on plans and goals for the upcoming week. Monthly I meet with officers

and we discuss ideas and objectives for the Department. Does your department have a formal, long-range strategic plan? Yes, our department has a 10 year overall plan. How have current economic times impacted your department? The current economy in the height of COVID-19 has had some good and bad impacts on our agency. The good: our department received a new Ambulance through CARES Act funding. The bad: The availability and cost of essential supplies. Explain how you are doing things differently today because of the economy? The major thing that we are doing differently is better supply inventory and management. We are keeping a close eye overstock of medical

supplies on the Med Units so we can cut back on the wasteful ordering of supplies that are not needed. What challenges do you see facing the fire service today? The major challenge that I am noticing across the board are staffing issues, especially Paramedic/Firefighters. What do you look for in a recruit? In a recruit I look for someone with passion for this career path, and eagerness to learn and be better than they were the day before. How do you view training? Training is essential in this job; everything is

constantly changing. Our department tries to train on one Fire/EMS subject every shift. Do you have a close working relationship with your neighboring departments? Yes, we have a close working relationship our neighboring departments and we train on a regular basis with them. What is the future for the fire service as you see it? I see the fire service continuing to make a better stride for firefighter health, whether it is by cancer prevention, mental health awareness, or just development of better tools for the job.

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Testing their mettle: ALS competition teams from all across the United States have competed in the two-day, Chief Michael Haygood, ALS Competition. Paramedics must be at the top of their game to compete at this level.

First There First Care Conference Partners with Eagles in the Sunshine State By Joel Gordon and Dr. Paul Pepe

Piping in: The Black Pearl Pipe and Drum Corps performs during opening ceremonies of the First There First Care Conference.

cardiac arrest, another with severe chest and hand burns, and a third seizing. Additional units arrive, quickly treating and transporting the most seriously injured to the alerted and prepared local hospital where a team of emergency nurses and attending staff spring into action providing lifesaving, definitive therapy. While this may seem like a scene from a crossover TV series, in fact it is the opening day of the First There First Care-Gathering of Eagles

he under-the-lights high school baseball championship game is in full swing. It’s the top of the seventh, the score is tied, and the bases are loaded. The pitcher begins his windup. Suddenly, and without warning, there is a crack of thunder, a flash of lightning, and everything goes dark. Moments later, as lights come back up, several players are down on the field; some not moving. Within minutes, a team of paramedics enter the field, set up triage and begin treating the injured. There are five patients – one in

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Latest and greatest: The First There First Care trade show features more than 50 vendors offering the most advanced equipment and technology in the EMS and Emergency Medicine industries.

Conference (FTFC-GOE) to be held, this year, at the spectacular Hard Rock Hotel Resort and Casino in Hollywood / Ft Lauderdale, Florida. The FTFC five-day conference, held every year in June, opens on June 14 with the Florida Resuscitation Academy and the perenniallypopular ALS and Emergency Nursing competitions -- and it closes June 17 and 18 with the world-acclaimed, content-packed EMS State of the Science: Gathering of Eagles conference. Past evaluations and attendee comments cite the FTFC conference, now in its 24th year, as featuring the highest caliber of training and education available to the EMS and emergency department communities. This year, partnering with the globallyrecognized talent of the “Eagles”, FTFC even promises to surpass its longstanding track record for being the most informative and entertaining take-home conference in the world of EMS and early emergency department care. The Eagles team is primarily comprised of jurisdictional Metropolitan EMS Medical Directors for 50 of the nation’s largest cities and their counterparts in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other nations as well as the

One of a kind: The First There-First Care Emergency Nursing Competition is the only one of its kind in the Country. ED nursing teams compete head to head in high stress, demanding scenarios that test the very core of their knowledge and experience.

medical officers from pivotal federal agencies and the leadership of major societies such as the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) and Medical Directors from the National Association of EMS Officials (NAEMSO). The week-long event features a pragmatic and user-friendly trade show as well as many pre-conference mini-sessions, progressive wellness initiatives, welcoming receptions, and a high level of EMS and Nursing CEUs -Category I medical CMEs for the docs are also available.

The trade show features more than 50 vendors, offering the latest in prehospital and emergency department concepts and equipment which will permit additional learning and knowledge advancement for attendees. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, last year’s inperson conference was deferred to 2021. This year, the programs are being offered both inperson and virtually, allowing attendees to participate in the entire program or select portions. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino provides an opulent backdrop and destination resort for this high-profile conference. While the iconic guitar-shaped hotel towers above, the resort’s convention center is a high-tech, ultramodern venue that facilitates both high-level health safety and sound learning. To ensure the health and safety of those attending in person, all CDC guidelines as well as Broward County, Florida’s safety protocols will be observed. Along with joining the Gathering of Eagles, this year’s program features the two-day, Certified Emergency Nursing (CEN) course and the one-day, Florida Resuscitation Academy during its mini-sessions. FTFC-GOE is also privileged to host the highly-touted Theater of War program. The

program is long-endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense for its effectiveness in providing insight and self-reflection for those on the front lines. The popularity of TOW has captured the attention of the EMS and EM communities with respect to its relevance for emergency caregivers in terms of crisis coping during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. FTFC is proud to engage the TOW and its team of Hollywood actors joining us in a very special session. Complete program listings and registration details are available at www.firsttherefirstcare.com. Details and regular updates are available on Facebook @firstherefirstcare.com and Twitter @1stthere1stcare.

Crowded house: COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing, CDC guidelines, and virtual attendance will be included as part of the program.

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St. Lucie County “Push-In” Ceremony

East Lake Completes Clothes Drive

By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

On Thursday, April 15, 2021, the St. Lucie County Fire District officially put new engine 1 into service following a traditional “Push-In” ceremony. The ceremony included a wet-down and blessing of the new apparatus. The “Push-In” ceremony pays homage to firefighters in the 1800s who used horsedrawn equipment and would have to literally push the fire engines into the garage after returning from a fire. The wet-down is a ritual celebrated by many fire departments in which firefighters commission a new fire apparatus by anointing it with water sprayed from the retiring pumper’s tank water. The apparatus committee was instrumental in organizing the first “Push-In” ceremony for St. Lucie County in many years. The fire district’s chaplain, retired Lieutenant Tommy Neiman, was on hand to give the blessing and cake was served after to celebrate.

Life Jacket Giveaway By Lt. Steven Lawrence, CFEI, IAAI-FIT, Deputy Fire Marshal/PIO

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue hosted a life jacket giveaway at the City of St. Petersburg Municipal Beach in partnership with the City of St. Petersburg’s Aquatics Department and the Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition. 75 children received life jackets and enjoyed a safe day at the beach! Special thanks goes out to Pinellas County EMS for providing the life jackets! This was our second life jacket giveaway this year, with a total of 225 life jackets distributed. We hope to host a few more this Spring/Summer.

Navarre Beach Receives New Trucks By Danny Fureigh, Fire Chief

Navarre Beach Fire Rescue recently placed four new GMC Sierras in service. These trucks will replace the 4 trucks that were totalled performing rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally. These trucks were purchased through the Florida Sheriffs state contract. 34

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To help celebrate Spring Cleaning Month, East Lake Fire Rescue teamed up with the East Lake Community Library and the East Lake Sunrise Rotary Club to encourage community members to get rid of unused clothes and donate them to a wonderful non-profit: Clothes To Kids. Clothes To Kids allows kids eligible for free/reduced lunch to shop for a week’s worth of clothes, free of charge. The department collected clothes at their station and were extremely surprised by the amount of donations they received. The Fire and Life Safety Educator, Claudia, was able to drop off an entire vehicle filled with bags to Clothes To Kids!

ACFR Welcomes New Members at Pinning Ceremony By Jeff Taylor, MBA, EFO, Deputy Chief

Alachua County Fire Rescue welcomed 19 new members to the organization at a pinning ceremony held April 17. The group includes two EMT Drivers and two EMS Lieutenants who will work in the department’s Peak Load Division as well as four Rescue Lieutenants and 11 Firefighters working in the Operations Division. The event was held at Fire Station 24 and attended by local leaders and families of those who were sworn in.

Promotions in Volusia County Fire Rescue By Kate Lind, VCFR

Four Volusia County Fire Rescue employees have recently advanced through the ranks, and are now holding new positions. Division Chief Steve Luciano has been promoted from the position of battalion chief to division chief. He will serve as the “B” shift division chief. Beau Falconnier and Carl Laundrie have been promoted to the position of battalion chief in the Operations section. Heather Love is now a Volusia County Fire Rescue “C” shift battalion chief. In addition, Love oversees the Volusia County Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials team. In all four photos Chief Bailey is shown with the individual being promoted.

Schedule a demo: ten88re.com

Chief George Bessler “Completes” Fight for Air Climb Just Days after Brain Surgery By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

The East Lake Fire Rescue Assistant Chief of Training and EMS, Chief Bessler was diagnosed with a brain tumor in late March. Following his surgery, the department celebrated the fact that the brain tumor was found to be noncancerous. After many days filled with occupational and physical therapy, he was finally discharged from the hospital, but unfortunately, he was unable to make it to the Fight for Air Climb that he has attended for the past four years along with his son, Alex Bessler. Alex refused to allow his father to miss this event, so this year he creatively decided to climb the steps himself wearing bunker, with a cut-out picture of his father strapped to his air tank. Chief Bessler continues to express his gratitude for all the support shown for him and his family and is humbled by the amount given.

Palm Beach Gardens New Training System By James Ippolito, Deputy Fire Chief/PIO

Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue recently purchased a Firesled Functional Training System which will help the department focus on firefighter functional fitness. The exercise equipment realistically simulates and replicates many common fire ground tasks. Members of the department’s Health and Wellness committee are leading the initiative and are rolling out training to the entire department. The department is currently budgeting for a complete set of Firesled training equipment for each fire station.

Navarre Beach Receives Drone Donation By Danny Fureigh, Fire Chief

Navarre Beach Fire Rescue received two drones that are water proof and can drop off self inflating life vests to swimmers in need. These drones were donated by Navarre Beach residents Harrell and Irma Schaeffer! They have many other uses besides water rescue. They have a loud speaker that can aide in finding lost children, can be used at Structure fires, wildland fires and many other uses. 36

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May 2021

HCFR Wins Fundraising Championship By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

There’s another champ to add to the growing list in “Champa Bay.” The Bucs won the Super Bowl, and the Lightning won the Stanley Cup, but on April 18, the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Climb Team successfully defended its Top Fundraising Team title for the third year in a row in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb. All proceeds go to the American Lung Association in its fight against lung disease, cancer and now COVID-19. HCFR’s climb team raced one thousand stairs up and down Raymond James Stadium, each member in full bunker gear. Additionally, Top Individual Fundraiser this year went to 8-year-old Rylee, the daughter of HCFR Team Captain Lt. Celia Merritt. The team raised nearly ten thousand dollars for this great cause, and can proudly announce the trophy will remain in our lobby until next year’s challenge.

Survivor Meets Rescue Crew By Michael Aiken, Deputy Chief

Members of the Longwood Fire Department responded to an alarm on January 3, 2021 involving a child struck by a car. Engine 15 was the first unit to arrive on scene. Upon arrival they found a child that was pinned under a car. The crew assessed the situation and decided to lift the car off of the child using the hydraulic tool. The crew deployed the tool and the required cribbing to stabilize the car as it was lifted. Seminole County Fire Department Engine 36 and Rescue 36 arrived and assisted Engine 15. Battalion 15 arrived and assumed command. The child was extricated in under five minutes after the arrival of Engine 15. The child was transported to Arnold Palmer Hospital where she made a full recovery. The performance of Engine 15, Battalion 15 and the other units involved exemplifies the dedication to duty and excellence in performance during a difficult situation which required quick action to save a life. On March 1, 2021 the girl and her family came to Station 15 and met the crew that rescued her. The Longwood Firefighters involved were Battalion Chief Robert Gibson, Lieutenant Troy Feist, and Firefighters Jose Enriquez and Darleen Walstrom.

North Port Fire Rescue Awards

Palm Bay Rope Rescue Technician Course

By Madison Heid, Communications Coordinator

By Anthony Gianantonio, Deputy Chief

North Port Fire Rescue recently honored three fire personnel at their Awards and Badge-Pinning Ceremony. They were nominated by their peers as Staff Employee of the Year, Fire Officer of the Year, and Firefighter of the Year. 2 1 EMS Training Captain Dave Ingalls (1) was named Staff Employee of the Year. Captain Ingalls has worked for the Department for 21 years. His nomination pointed out his role in promoting the Department, commitment to making NPFR a strong EMS agency, and his leadership skills. Lieutenant/Paramedic Josh Clements (2) was chosen as Fire Officer of the Year. Lieutenant Clements has worked 3 for the Department for 13 years. In the nomination, his co-workers touted his strong leadership skills, strong desire to train, as well as being a valuable resource to the other line officers. Firefighter of the Year was given to Firefighter/Engineer Anthony Morandi (3). He has been with the Department for six years. In the nomination, Firefighter Morandi’s work ethic, passion for the fire service, and his ability and desire to train his co-workers were a common theme. All North Port Fire Rescue personnel work hard to be the best they can be. Congratulations to these three gentlemen for getting the much-deserved recognition.

Members of Palm Bay Fire Rescue received training and certification at the Rope Rescue Technician level the last week of April at Eastern Florida State College. Fifteen members were selected to attend the Rope Rescue Operations and the Rope Rescue Technician course as part of Chief Hoog’s initiative to rebuild the department’s Technical Rescue Team. These members are going to move on to Confined Space Rescue Operations/Technician, and Trench Rescue Operations/Technician training and certification courses soon. As the city is experiencing continual growth, the department is proactively preparing for the multitude of hazards associated with a expanding population and increase in building height.

East Lake Fire Rescue Distributes 120+ Life Jackets By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

On April 10, 2021, East Lake Fire Rescue hosted their Water Safety Drive Thru event in the Brooker Creek Plaza parking lot. During this event, community members were able to drive through in their car and pickup free life jackets for their children as well as bags filled with water safety materials and goodies. The department was overwhelmed (in a good way!!) by the amount of people that stopped by the event. By the end of it, over 200 water safety bags and over 120 life jackets were distributed. This event was so successful that the department is already planning another similar event.

Submitting Articles Please submit your article as a MS word document and include a high resolution jpeg image as an attachment (do not embed photo in document). Try to keep submissions under 300 words if possible. E-mail files and pics to: magazine@ffca.org. If you have an interesting topic that would be informative or entertaining to other departments - feel free to write a feature article for this magazine, we welcome all your submissions! All articles must have a title or headline and a byline as part of the article (please note format in above briefs) - if no byline is supplied- the article will run without. 38

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

May 2021

HCFR Helps Open Florida State Fair By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) was honored to join the Florida Agriculture Commissioner and other dignitaries at the Florida State Fairgrounds on April 22 for the “Flip the Switch” ceremony to open the festivities. The ceremony is an early morning event in which state, county, and local officials, including the Fire Chief, literally flip a giant switch lighting the fair’s largest Ferris wheel and other rides. During the eleven day run of the fair, HCFR staffs first aid stations and rescue carts throughout the 355-acre fairgrounds. The Florida State Fair was postponed this year by a few months to make sure all possible COVID-19 precautions were taken, but it’s hard to stop a more than hundred-year tradition which opened in the Tampa Bay area in 1904!

Firefighters Meet Boy Hit by a Car Four Months Earlier By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

Sometimes there is one call that brings a wave of emotion that can almost be overwhelming. That was the case on Sept. 16 when station 10, B-shift, responded to a young boy hit by a car... the outlook was grim. But in this case, 9-year old Carlos made a miraculous recovery. He still has a long road ahead, but doctors are amazed by his progress. On January 14, the crew (LR); PM Bryce Doughty, Cpt Frank Haskell, Lt Dane Vachon, PM Dan Baumker, PM Wade Tindall and BC Ron Hazellief got the opportunity to meet Carlos, and his family. It was an uplifting reminder of just how important their job is.

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Residential Structure Fire in Daytona Beach Firefighters Dive Looking for Survivors By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

On February 19 at approximately 9:15 AM, a caller reported that a vehicle had possibly crashed through a guardrail and was submerged in a canal due to auto debris they noticed on the road and in the water. The caller was a truck driver that had passed through the area less than two hours prior and at that time did not notice the car parts or guardrail damage. First on scene was the crew of FF/Paramedics, Scott Adams and Brad Roberts, who immediately and without hesitation, dove into the water to search for survivors. Unfortunately, the murky water made visibility impossible. After several attempts of feeling around the vehicle, they could not find any openings and had to turn it over to sheriff’s rescue divers. Firefighters, Sheriff’s deputies, and Florida Highway Patrol spent several hours on scene recovering the vehicle from about ten feet of water. There was one fatality and no transports.

Brush Fire in Palm Bay Gets Close to Structures By Anthony Gianantonio, Deputy Chief

Crews in Palm Bay stopped a fast moving brush fire that was moving close to two structures. The occupant of one of the homes was alerted by neighbors about the fire. He initially started utilizing a residential garden hose but was quickly deterred by the heat and smoke. Engine Companies from Station 4 & 5 arrived within minutes and began immediate structural protection while brush units arrived shortly after and aggressively attacked the advancing fire between the structures. Extensive mop up was completed and the structures sustained no damage from the fire. During the initial mop up phase of this fire, Engine 4 was sent one block away for a confirmed kitchen fire. An attack line was advanced while additional engine companies responded and arrived to assist in search and ventilation efforts. Fire was confined to the kitchen and cabinets.

Daytona Firefighters Rescue Ducklings By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

Daytona Beach Firefighters rescued six ducklings that were trapped in a storm drain. Firefighters had to use a hose to gently wash them to one opening of the storm drain where a firefighter was waiting to collect them. They were able to get all of the ducklings out of the drain and carried them over to a nearby pond where the mother duck was waiting patiently with her other ducklings. 40

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

May 2021

By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

Several units from Daytona Beach Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire. As they arrived on scene they observed heavy flames and thick smoke coming through the roof of the house. Multiple engines attacked the fire and conducted a search to ensure all occupants were out of the home. They confirmed that the resident was at a neighbor’s house and was uninjured. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding houses.

Dual Agency Efforts Combat Residential Fire By Mackenzie McClintock, Public Information Officer

South Walton and Destin firefighters responded and worked quickly to prevent a residential structure fire from spreading across connected homes in Miramar Beach. First due units arrived at a quadplex structure around 2:30 p.m. on April 22, 2021 to find a middle unit heavily involved, with black smoke and flames showing from the backside. South Walton Fire District and Destin Control Fire District firefighters confirmed all occupants were outside of the structure before beginning a rapid, fire extinguishment attack. SWFD command called for a second alarm, as the fire continued to spread throughout the middle unit, breaking down the structure’s roof and walls. However, the combined work from ladder companies and firefighters surrounding the fire from all possible sides prevented the flames from overtaking the connected residences. The SWFD Fire Marshal’s investigation yielded the fire was accidentally caused and originated in the middle unit, which was a complete loss. SWFD District Chief Chris Kidder said the fast and efficient efforts of all responding units prevented the fire from spreading to the other three homes, leading to one report of minor smoke inhalation from a resident, and the safe recovery of a cat. Firefighters extinguished the flames and were completing overhaul less than an hour after the call came out.

Daytona Beach Brush Fire Burns Over 25 Acres By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

Several units from the Daytona Beach Fire Department spent a number of hours battling a brush fire. Originally starting as six acres, the fire grew to over 25 acres. Along with the Department of Forestry, Daytona Beach Firefighters were able to get the brush fire 90% contained.

Daytona Beach Firefighters Rescue Large Bird By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

A crew of Daytona Beach Firefighters used a ladder to climb over 20 feet up a tree to rescue a large bird that was injured and unable to fly. Once the firefighters caught the bird and brought it down, they noticed that it had a fishing line wrapped around its beak. They cut the fishing line and were able to release the bird.

Pasco County Responds to a Car in a Home By Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, Pasco County Fire Rescue responded to the 3100 Block of Banyan Hill Ln in Land O Lakes. A 43-year-old driver suffered a medical emergency while driving, left the roadway, drove through the front yards of four homes, and crashed into the garage of a fifth home. Firefighters arrived at the house and extricated the patient. The patient was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Firefighters from Squad-1 shored up the home and secured the damaged wall to protect the homeowner and community. The homeowner was at home, but didn’t suffer any injuries.

Osceola Responds to SlingShot Ride Incident By Andrew Sullivan, APIO, Public Information Coordinator

On the night of March 26, Osceola County Fire Rescue & EMS responded to a call from an attraction operator along the U.S. 192 tourist corridor at Old Town. The ride, called SlingShot, is a reverse-bungee attraction that features a two-person capsule and launches riders to a height of 275 feet at up to 100 miles per hour. This particular attraction attaches the rider capsule to two adjacent towers and pulls them upwards through several connected steel cables. Some cables are load bearing, and some are for capsule stability to prevent lateral motion or sway. On this night, one of the stabilizing cables broke, and as a built-in safety measure, the rider capsule was unable to be returned fully to the ground. Our Tower 72 and the City of Kissimmee Fire Department’s Tower 11 worked together to safely perform a successful high angle rescue of two teenage girls who were stuck in the ride approximately 40 feet in the air, bringing them to the ground, and providing medical evaluation. Thankfully no one was injured in the incident, which prompted a brief statewide closure of all similar rides while safety inspections were conducted.

HCFR Responds to a Stilt Home Fire

Dog Rescue in Daytona Beach

By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

In the early morning hours of April 24, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) battled this multi-story residential fire that engulfed a home near the Hillsborough River. Receiving the call just before midnight, crews arrived to find a wooden two-story home elevated on stilts with flames through the roof. After determining no one was inside, firefighters fought the flames using both a ground and aerial attack for more than an hour to extinguish the blaze. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

After hearing reports of a dog stuck in a storm drain, Daytona Beach Firefighters immediately started rescue attempts. They climbed down through a manhole; however, the dog was scared and began running through the sewer in the opposite direction. Firefighters tried to go after her but the space was too tight to fit. After utilizing members of the department’s Technical Rescue Team, the Firefighters were eventually able to capture the dog and reunite her with her owner. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

May 2021

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