July 2021 Florida Fire Services Magazine by ffca

THE PUBLICATION

OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

July 2021 • VOLUME 29 NUMBER 7

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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 Reach Out and Listen . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Communicating in Today’s Fire Service . . . . . . . . . . 10 Cancer is Killing Firefighters... It’s Time to Act! . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Disciplining “Similarly Situated” Employees in the Fire Service . . 18 Jacksonville Revs Up Search Engine For Missing Persons Calls . . . . . . 24

Virtual Search Planning is Changing the SAR Paradigm . . . . . . . . . . . 26

FURTHERMORE FFCA New Members. . . . . . . . . . . 10 Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Meet the PIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Editorial Submissions magazine@ffca.org (850) 900-5180

Department Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . .20

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

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

Members on the Move . . . . . . . . .22 Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Confined Space Training . . . . . . . .32

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 July 2021, Volume 29, Number 7 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.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

July 2021

Fire Rescue Crews Recognized . . . .34 Summer Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 On the Cover (L-R): Search Success! JFRD’s Phillip Holden and Josh Montoro with the Williams siblings.

Cover photo by Cover photo by Assistant Chief Ellis Burns, III Assistant Chief Ellis Burns, III Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

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Reach Out and Listen By Rick Spence, FFCA Chaplain

bout five years ago, our Local along with several other firefighter unions, hosted a reception for a well-known state politician. It was an opportunity for him to get to learn about firefighter issues and an opportunity for us to give him a lot of money. Since this was being held in the middle of August, the weather was like a sweat box with added humidity. I always prided myself in dressing professionally and appropriately wherever I was going and this was no exception. I decided that a coat and tie would seem a little out of place at this particular event, so I decided on a shirt and tie without a jacket. When I arrived, I noticed some people seemed to be smiling at me. I just thought they may have been glad to see me, since I usually did not attend these types of events. As I continued to talk to people in the crowd, I noticed that a lot of people seemed to be smiling at me, and even occasionally laughing. When I realized this, I went into the restroom 6

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to make sure my zipper was not down, my pants were not torn or there was some other wardrobe malfunction. Everything seemed to be in place and I did not notice anything out of line in what I was wearing. I went back out to the reception and continued to talk to people in the crowd. I even got my picture taken with this particular politician. It was after the photograph was taken when a close friend pulled me off to the side to discuss why everyone seemed to be amused by me. One thing I did not mention earlier was that when I put on the shirt and tie, the shirt was a short sleeve button down shirt. I had seen many people on TV (Dragnet, Mary Tyler Moore show and others) wear short sleeve shirts with a tie and did not think anything about what I was wearing. Apparently, this was something that went out of style when these TV shows were cancelled. My friend told me that I looked like someone from a 1970’s TV show. The problem was, I thought that was a compliment. He told

me that I should have worn a long sleeve shirt. I never realized I had violated some major fashion rule. Where are these rules posted and who makes these rules? I wound up staying a few more minutes and then left the event. I felt a little embarrassment for not representing our Union in a better light. The point of this is I knew most of the people at this event but, only one of my friends told me what was amusing to everyone else. The rest of the people were content to let me navigate the crowd, knowing there was something wrong with me. How many times have we asked a friend how they are doing and we get a canned and insincere response of “fine”? Usually, we just smile and acknowledge their response with an equally canned and insincere “that’s good.” But we know things are not fine. One of the things firefighters like to pride ourselves on is that we are willing to help anyone in distress, even to the point of endangering our own safety. Yet there seems to

be something different when it comes to helping one of our own. I’m not talking about helping someone move, loaning our car to them or helping paint their house. I’m talking about taking the time to listen to a fellow firefighter and ask them questions about what they are struggling with. My years of being a FD Chaplain and being deeply involved in church have taught me that roughly 90% of people simply want to vent, just have someone listen to them during a difficult time. It does not have to be something formal or awkward. I would usually ask someone to have breakfast at Chick-fil-a when we get off work in the morning, or ask them if they would want to go fishing in the next day or so. I can honestly say I have never had one person decline my offer to go fishing or have breakfast. Each of them were hurting in some way and were usually just looking for someone to listen to them. We can offer solutions, but most people know what they need to do. They simply want someone to listen and not offer advice. Firefighters are problem solvers, so it is often difficult for us to listen and not give directions. But, that is what is required most of the time. There may be a small number of occasions when someone needs more than someone to listen, they may need professional counseling. Firefighters can do a lot of different things, but mental health counseling is usually not in our tool chest. This is when we refer them to resources above our paygrade, either clergy or a mental health professional. Every FD should have a list of these types of resources so they are readily available for all FD members. This is not a huge ask for us. In fact, I’m sure most of us would want someone to listen to us when we are going through a rough patch. We help others without question, most of whom we do not know or will ever see again. The least we can do is offer help to those who ride in the seat next to us or sit at the desk across from us. Over 13 times in the New Testament, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. Galatians 5:14 sums this up, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” p Rick S ence To do this, all we have to do is show a little compassion and kindness to our fellow • • firefighters, FF in CA a l p a Ch something we do for the public on a daily basis. This is nothing more than the willingness to take a little time to listen. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Communicating in Today’s Fire Service By Chantal Botting, Deputy Fire Chief, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue

ommunicating in today’s fire service is different than what we were brought up in. The culture of today, if you haven’t noticed, is extremely different than our forefathers of the fire service. We are bombarded with text messages, tweets in a social media overload versus reaching out via phone or making faceto-face contact to get information. Today’s firefighter is more text savvy and avoids the personal interaction. Texts not only can cause miscommunication, but also removes that personal touch that we are desperate to regain. Leaders of today are following that trend. Often, I see upper management send an email to their peers instead of having a conversation. That teambuilding inclusive approach has been lost. Firefighters of today need to circle back and look up the definition of empathy and put

Hugh Bruder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boynton Fire Rescue Scott Cassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pasco County Fire Rescue Aaron Colburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reedy Creek Fire Department Joann Deserio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Manasota Medical Reserve Corps Thomas DiBernardo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sunrise Fire Rescue David Dittman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tampa Fire Rescue Paul Ebanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Volusia County Fire Rescue Alexia French . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .St. Lucie County Fire District Hilarie Geraldi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Williams Communications, Inc. Oren Hanson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tampa Fire Rescue Steven Kofsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .City of Naples Fire Rescue Richard Loewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mount Dora Fire Department Joseph Merritt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Flagler County Fire Rescue Mike Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Naples Fire-Rescue Department

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it to use. Here are some steps on how to reengage with “boots on the ground” approach, starting from the top and working down the ranks of probationary firefighters. Don’t forget where you came from. As upper management, it is important to make a concerted effort to step back and reengage in the world of Emergency Services/Operations. Often at times we become detached from the daily grind realities and find ourselves stationary behind two computer monitors. This approach is not what we signed up for, but one way or another this is where the path has led us. What’s most important is not to forget where you came from and what drove you from the beginning to become a firefighter. This motivation is crucial for your success as a leader within the organization to remain relevant and

Ryan Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3M Scott Fire & Safety Brian Nadler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reedy Creek Fire Department Bruce Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3M Scott Fire & Safety Anthony Perez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tampa Fire Rescue Charles Reid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .East Manatee Fire Rescue District Jeffrey Rohrer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Escambia County Fire Rescue Robert Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .North Collier Fire and Rescue District Jim Stables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Matt Talaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .East Manatee Fire Rescue District Chris Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Palatka Fire Department Donald Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mexico Beach Fire Rescue Brian Welborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bay County Fire REscue Paul Wren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .East Manatee Fire Rescue

keep a pulse on what matters most — firefighters that work hard every day to provide the best service to the communities in which they serve. Communicate in their language. We need to identify the common jargon for the new firefighters of today to be able to relate to their wants and needs. You MUST speak their language and get your message across. You need to use your tools in the toolbox: social media, twitter, Instagram, and other generational tech-friendly communication tools. Empathy is crucial. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. As a leader, you need to truly have empathy for your people and the situations that they may be facing. There is “no fake it ‘til you make it” with empathy because the firefighters of today will know it and you will lose credibility. Buy-in. We often like to throw these words around, but do we truly know what they mean. Buy-in is the acceptance and willingness to actively support and participate. Buy-in is a vision or goal that is put forth to an organization and being able to have the members truly believe that same vision and goal and want to participate. As a leader in today’s fire service, the vision and the goal need to not only be believed by the leaders, but they also need to have follow through with accountability and responsibility. To change the culture and to get “buy-in”, the proof needs to be in the pudding and no longer just be lip service.

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Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season

July 2021

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

Everyone involved works, trains, and exercises together throughout the year to ensure a coordinated response. We are ready to move into the impacted area to do whatever needs to be done to save lives and help transition into recovery. We are ready for challenging rescues in areas with no cell or radio communication. We are prepared to cut our way into impacted areas with no power and no running water and to operate as long as is required. We are ready for long days in the heat, restless nights, and a seemingly never ending list of objectives that need to be accomplished before the end of this operations period. We strive to be . Chapp prepared to do this with little notice and are thrilled ott H ell Sc when we are called to serve. We train and prepare to respond and serve the citizens and visitors of Florida who are impacted by disaster. Yet, often times we neglect to prepare for when disasters hit close to home. Florida’s ability to respond to disasters is io a n M of S contingent on our responders ability to respond. If t a t e F ir e we are crippled by the impacts of a disaster and cannot take care of ourselves and our families, we will not be able to assist others in need. The first step in preparing to go on a hurricane deployment is to prepare and to get a plan. The Florida Department of Emergency Management has tools to assist, www.floridadisaster.org/getaplan. Prepare to respond. Prepare to deploy. Prepare to serve. Get a plan. •

s the Florida Fire Service braces for the 2021 Hurricane Season, it is important that we properly prepare at all levels, personally and professionally. Here is a brief overview of the many facets of hurricane response in Florida: Command and Control: The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) – coordinates all aspects of disaster response Emergency Support Function (ESF) 4 & 9 (Fire and Search and Rescue)– Coordinates fire and search and rescue functions in disasters and supports the Incident Management Team Incident Management Team (IMT) – Command and control assets and personnel operating in the impacted area Branch Director – Coordinates response in a specific geographic region or of a specific function in the response Division/Group Supervisor – Works under the Branch Director to coordinate response in a specific geographic region or of a specific function in the response Taskforce Leader/Strike Team Leader – Team leader for the resources operating in the impacted area Fire Department based Resources Operating in the Field: Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Taskforces – heavy search and rescue Technical Rescue Teams (TRT) – light search and rescue Hazardous Materials Teams – hazardous materials response Mutual Aid Radio Cache (MARC) Units – mobile communication units to support response Engine Company Strike Teams – emergency response and fire suppression Ambulance Strike Teams – emergency medical and transport Tanker Strike Teams – support water supply for fire suppression Florida Fire Service’s Partners in Response: State Emergency Response Team (SERT) State Fire Marshal (SFM) Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) Florida Forest Service (FFS) Florida National Guard (FLNG) Florida Air National Guard (FLANG) Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

•

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Cancer is Killing Firefighters... It’s Time to Act! By Scott Hechler, CFO, Director of Public Safety, Fire Chief, Hernando County Fire & Emergency Services

he National Fire Protection Association website provides the following fact: “Firefighting is a dangerous profession, and a growing body of research and data shows the contributions that job-related exposures have in chronic illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently undertook two large studies focused on firefighter cancer and concluded that firefighters face a 9 percent increase in cancer diagnoses, and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths, compared to the general population in the U.S.” According to the Boston Fire Historical Society official website, the first publicly funded fire department was established in Boston in 1678. The first career department was formed in Cincinnati in 1853. There is an often-used adage that the fire service having 100, 150, 200, or more accurately 343 years of tradition unimpeded by progress. In some ways that is accurate; however, in many others we have always sought continuous improvements in many aspects of our profession. Firefighter safety has come light-years in my career and the future looks bright if fire departments stay laserfocused on the health and welfare of their people. The reality is that we have known for years there is a direct correlation between firefighting and cancer. Our profession has evolved to become more safety conscious in so many ways due to that fact. My own career is reflective of that. When I was an eighteen-year-old

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rookie in 1982, Nomex hoods were optional as were bunker pants. I was told by senior firefighters that “real” firefighters wore the three-quarter rubber boots and needed to use their bare ears to judge the heat during firefighting. Near miss firefighting incidents changed that culture and our policies. My first engine, an R series Mack, had no jumpseats thus we rode the tailboard. When stopped, we would breathe exhaust from our engine as well as the surrounding vehicles. We rarely cleaned our turnout gear or fire helmet because we were “fire dogs”. Smoke-stained bunker gear with melted reflective tape was a sign of toughness. Smoking and chewing tobacco were part of the culture for many firefighters early in my career. Our stations had ashtrays and firefighters carried coke cans or water bottles to spit in. We did not dwell on the dangers of breathing products of incomplete combustion during overhaul. For a day or so after a structure fire, moist dark black soot would blow out your nose. If that happened to the sinus, it was naïve to not think about the damage of soot being absorbed into our lungs.

At some point, many states passed laws prohibiting firefighters from consuming any tobacco products on-duty or off. Unfortunately, they did not or possibly could not legally make the restriction retroactive, so it only applied to new firefighters hired after the law was enacted. For years, when bunker pants became mandatory, we would place those contaminated pieces of PPE right next to our bed at night to speed turnout time. The smell of the gear permeated the gang-style open bunkrooms of that era, and it was absorbed by the carpet as well as our beds, linen, and pillows. Over the decades since, firefighter health and safety knowledge has grown exponentially in all aspects of our workplace. Education, scientific research, and most importantly firefighter attitudes towards personal safety has improved dramatically. However, the recognition of the cancer risks associated with our job has been inconsistent between each state and fire department. My previous home state of Virginia developed presumptive laws to recognize that there was an occupational correlation to firefighters and certain illness, injuries, and disease starting in the 1970s. It started with the heart and respiratory system and expanded in the 1990s to include

certain cancers. As such, the Virginia Workers Compensation Act was applicable when deciding the benefits that they were entitled to. Due to the hard work of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association and Florida Professional Firefighters Association as well as, so many supportive state elected officials; the Florida Legislature passed a firefighter cancer bill that was signed into law by Governor. Unlike heart related deaths, there had been no national data collection to have a true grasp as to this issue nationally. It was only in July of 2018 that “the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act (H.R. 931) was signed by the president and became public law. This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary registry of firefighters to collect history and occupational information that can be linked to existing data in state cancer registries” (NFPA.org). While firefighter health and safety has long been important to me, I had an awakening while listening to several firefighter cancer presentations at the FIERO Fire Station Design Symposium in 2017. I swore to myself to make it my mission to do better in this area. We cannot undue the mistakes of the past; however, we can make thoughtful changes for

current and future firefighters. On return, I met with my senior staff to discuss the need for a shared vision to demonstrate an even greater commitment to firefighter safety. We adjusted our strategic plan to include the Firefighter Cancer Risk Reduction priority initiative and announced it to our department. We realigned our budget priorities accordingly with the unanimous support of the Board of County Commissioners as well as, our County Administrator. We dove into this project by researching every resource we could find with the IAFC, IAFF, USFA, NFPA, and the Everyone Goes Home Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. We also benchmarked this initiative against other fire departments. The following is a partial list of actions that we have taken thus far in partnership with our IAFF local leadership: • Implemented the Clean Cab concept for all new fire apparatus and updated our SOGs accordingly • Retrofitted our existing engines and ladder truck with Ward’s No-Smoke 2 diesel exhaust filtration devices and added them as part of specifications for new apparatus • Enhanced our NFPA compliant physicals to include cancer markers testing • Developed a new fire station design

template to include hot, warm, and cold zones • Adding redundant overhead exhaust filtration devices in our new stations • Provided two cancer risk reduction type firefighting hoods for every firefighter • Working to provide extractors and dryers in all fourteen stations • Reducing the use of firefighting PPE by providing heavy rescue helmets, gloves, and safety glasses for every firefighter • Purchased a second set of bunker gear for every firefighter • Retrofitted all ambulances with exterior compartment Aeroclave connections for safer decontaminations and upgraded the ventilation and lighting systems to do so as well • Increased investments in physical fitness equipment • Seeking grant support to remodel antiquated fire stations • Starting next fiscal year, adding climatecontrolled sheds to store station bunker gear Our phenomenal team working with our IAFF local leaders have achieved so much in a short period of time. The future is bright for Hernando County Fire and Emergency Services. When it comes to firefighter cancer, avoidance and delays are not an option. We owe it to the firefighters of the past, present, and future.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Meet

PIO

the

Mackenzie McClintock, Public Information Officer, South Walton Fire District

Describe your PIO philosophy. “Keep your finger on the pulse of the community.” To me, being an effective PIO starts with understanding your specific audiences and the agency you work for, then blending in popular culture and humor whenever you can. Each day, I do my best to find the balance between informing the public about serious, developing scenes, as well as taking creative freedom on lighthearted posts to spotlight the SWFD staff and their efforts. The community deserves to have positive content just as much as they do updates on structure fires, motor vehicle accidents and water rescues. Most importantly, I want the information and stories I share to remain relevant and make a lasting impression on both SWFD’s tourist and residential populations. What is the most challenging issue facing the public information function today? Social media is an incredible tool, but often gives uneducated or uncertified members of the public a platform to spread misinformation. I identify the “challenging” issue to be the constant monitoring and scanning of all social media accounts- it is nonstop! Anyone, at any time, from practically any place on earth, could start a “war” within a post’s comments that would inevitably reflect poorly on my firefighters, lifeguards and staff. How has public information changed? I’ve only recently started my career as a Public Information Officer, but I do have prior years of experience working in print and broadcast media. To start, public information’s accessibility is much different thanks to the Internet and social media. Most often, I believe this change is for the better and allows local media outlets to become a massive asset to fire departments. As PIOs, we can share breaking information via email, social media posts, etc., and within minutes our media partners will aid in distributing and sharing that information with the public, helping me do my job. If someone doesn’t follow the South Walton Fire District Facebook page, but does follow one of the area’s TV stations on that platform, my agency’s news will likely still reach that person and they could follow us in the future. What skills do you feel a PIO should possess? Among many skills, PIOs must be detail-oriented, willing to learn and a good listener. Especially for those of us who have not worked as a paramedic, firefighter or lifeguard before, asking a lot of questions is so important! While it isn’t always easy to speak up and admit you need help understanding terminology, an explanation of firefighting techniques or training, or even what a certain piece of equipment is called, messages 16

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are easier to put together when the PIO understands all the pieces to the story’s puzzle. What are some unique aspects of your PIO function? Being the South Walton Fire District Public Information Officer is unique in that I am the first PIO the District has ever had. In the past, Fire Marshal Sammy Sanchez coordinated a lot of the PIO-type responsibilities and handled social media, but now, “PIO” is officially its own position. SWFD’s Public Information function is also unique in that the community is heavily supported by year-round tourism and an everchanging group of visitors. Each week, new tourists come into town, meaning thousands of people to potentially reach with beach, fire and EMS safety messaging who we have never reached before. What do you think is the most challenging issue facing the Fire Service? While I can’t speak broadly about this issue due to my limited time in the Fire Service, I know South Walton Fire District is having to keep pace with a huge uptick in calls and emergency responses due to the increase in the area’s population. South Walton is booming- commercially and residentially speaking- and that means busier days, nights, weekends and holidays for North and South Walton County’s Fire Services. We see the effects every day, in situations as basic as heavy traffic blocking roadways and paths for emergency vehicles. I’m hopeful and optimistic by what I’ve seen so far at SWFD that the firefighters will prioritize their safety, as well as their physical and mental health, so they can continue to serve the community and meet emergency services demands. What changes do you think are coming to the Fire Service? I’m inspired by changes and dialogue I see concerning the health of firefighters, paramedics and lifeguards, both mentally and physically. In my first few months as a PIO, I’ve already had the privilege of witnessing State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis secure thousands of dollars of funding to fight cancer in firefighters, as one example. As more and more scientific research is published, I believe the Fire Service will continue to learn about the best ways to protect firefighters and provide health-based resources even after their careers are over. What’s the future for PIOs? The future is limitless for PIOs, but we must continue to evolve our methods and ideas as technology develops. It isn’t easy to keep pace with every single analytic or data sheet out there, but we have an endless number of tools at our disposal to educate the public and maximize our reach. It will no doubt be a balancing act, but a rewarding one that our agencies and communities will thank us for!

Disciplining “Similarly Situated” Employees in the Fire Service By Curt Varone

Today’s burning question: When administering discipline in the fire service, must discipline for two similarly situated employees for the same offense be the same when circumstances are similar in nature? For example: Employee A is super star: She shows up early, helps others check out their apparatus and equipment after she is done with her own, teaches classes, is the first to start station housework every day, and always does more than is required. Employee B shows up 1 minute prior to shift change, he has to be paged each time we need him (usually hiding in his dorm room), he never volunteers for anything, basically meets the absolute minimum standards and does nothing beyond the absolute minimum. In other words, we have a great employee in A and a below-average employee in B. Both employees have never been late, but each show up late respectively within a week of each other. First, should the punishment be the same, and second, does it have to be the same legally? Two employees, the same infraction, one is stellar employee and the other meets minimum standards. 18

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Answer: You know, I love answering burning questions, especially ones like this that open a multi-level discussion on a common issue. Perhaps without realizing it, your question incorporates part of the very dilemma you are asking about. Notice how you start with a relatively simple question followed by a factbased hypothetical, but the hypothetical contradicts the very premise of your original question! Are the employees indeed similarly situated or is one a high performer and the other a low performer? It can’t be both! Let me try my best to sort out the answer for you. Most firefighters work for government, and as such have certain rights not always enjoyed by private-sector employees. Civil service systems, merit systems and local requirements placed upon government employers typically do not apply to private-sector employers. One of the most common obligations placed on government employers is that employees can only be terminated for cause or just cause. Government employees who can only be terminated for cause or just cause have a right to due process.

Basic principles of due process and just cause dictate that similarly situated employees be treated similarly. Note the use of two very important, but imprecise, expressions: similarly situated and treated similarly. Both expressions rely upon an evaluation of facts to determine whether indeed two employees are similarly situated and have been treated similarly. Reasonable minds may differ, and our ability to prove that two employees are similarly situated and are treated similarly may be open to debate. If we assume that two hypothetically-similarlysituated-employees commit the same infraction, they should be treated similarly. The failure to do so could be grounds for any punishment to be reversed because (1) it could be a substantive due process violation (imposing an arbitrary punishment), and/or (2) it could fail to meet one of the seven common requirements for just cause (employer must apply penalties evenhandedly; the penalty must fit the offense). A third grounds for challenge could arise if one of the employees is in a protected class, in which case discrimination or reverse discrimination could be alleged by the employee receiving the harsher penalty.

Now, your hypothetical goes on to explain that, factually, A and B are not similarly situated. A is a high-performing employee and B is not. Whether your characterization of A as high-performing and B as lowperforming is accurate and can be proven is another thing entirely. In every such case there are factual questions: Are they similarly situated, and can we prove it? Some fire departments have the flexibility to take things like an employee being a high performer into account, and some do not. Those that have flexibility must be prepared to establish a reasonable basis for treating two employees differently for the same infraction. Employers can accomplish this by including what we refer to as an administrative insight in the written disciplinary decision. An administrative insight is a narrative explanation about why this particular employee is receiving this particular penalty. There’s a certain amount of skill and training that goes into drafting an administrative insight. Very often human resource professionals and/or legal counsel should be consulted when drafting an administrative insight—it is that important. Fire departments that lack the flexibility to treat employees differently for the same infraction commonly use what is referred to as a disciplinary matrix to assess penalties. Think of a disciplinary matrix as an Excel spreadsheet listing all the possible infractions in one column, and the penalties to be assessed for a first offense, second offense and third offense in the next three columns. Disciplinary matrixes have a simple advantage: Everyone knows beforehand what the penalty will be. Favoritism, discrimination and bias are (at least theoretically) eliminated. The downside to a disciplinary matrix is that there is no way to take special circumstances into account. Fire departments that use a disciplinary matrix probably have good reason for doing so; at some point in the past allegations of disparate treatment were leveled and the solution was to develop a disciplinary matrix. If your fire department uses a disciplinary matrix, then the department’s hands may be tied when it comes to punishment, whether employee is stellar or does the bare minimum. However, some departments have an advanced form of disciplinary matrix that offers a range of possible penalties for each infraction. Such systems risk violating the very premise they were intended to guard against: inconsistencies in punishment. That risk can only be managed by providing a written explanation for choosing a particular penalty from the range provided, which brings us back to drafting an administrative insight. So to wrap up, similarly situated employees need to be treated similarly, but not necessarily identically. Fire departments can treat nonsimilarly situated employees differently. In any event fire departments must be prepared to prove that there is a reasonable basis for each penalty imposed. A disciplinary matrix is one way of ensuring we have treated similarly situated employees similarly. Using an administrative insight is another. 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. 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) and Fire Officer’s Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

By Steve Gaston, Professional Standards Coordinator and Jim Dickerson, Fire Chief, Lake County Fire Rescue

arly fire protection in unincorporated Lake County was provided by fourteen state-chartered volunteer fire departments. County residents living within the 14 municipalities were served by city or town fire departments. The population of Lake County grew from 70,000 in 1970 to more than 104,000 by 1980. The Lake County Board of County Commissioners (LCBCC) recognized the need for a fire protection system that did not depend solely on volunteers. Nine special fire districts were formed in the early 1980s with an ad valorem millage levied on all property within the established

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districts. While their governing bodies were appointed by the LCBCC, there was no central authority and little coordination between the districts. In 1985, the LCBCC consolidated unincorporated area fire protection under the county funded by a Fire Assessment Fee (FAF). All special district assets were transferred to county ownership. Soon after, some municipalities were included in the county FAF upon request that the county provide their fire rescue services. In 1992, a combination fire rescue system was created with 22 volunteer stations and 6 paid stations. Paid firefighters moved to a 24/48-hour shift work schedule resulting in improved response coverage. The volunteer force provided additional personnel to help mitigate emergencies or standby at the station for additional calls for service. Management was placed under a county Public Safety Department. In 2005, the Lake County Fire Rescue service formally transitioned into an allcareer Lake County Fire Rescue Division (LCFR). Over the next decade, LCFR made numerous improvements with additional fire stations strategically placed throughout the County adding more “boots on the ground.”

Significant infrastructure advances were made to the countywide radio communications system transitioning to an 800 MHz smart-trunking system to include all fire departments, police departments, and the Sheriff’s Office. LCFR provides emergency service to the towns of Astatula, Howey-in-the-Hills, and Lady Lake and most recently in 2020 and 2021, assumed fire protection services for the City of Mascotte, City of Fruitland Park, and Town of Montverde. These agreements were initiated by each of the cities and towns in a move to be more efficient and effective in their delivery of emergency services. In late 2019, LCFR achieved a significant

milestone in its history. The first fire-based Rural Rescue transport ambulance was placed in service and deployed from Station 10 in the Astor community. A second rural transport ambulance was deployed a year later to serve the Pine Lakes community. A third Battalion Chief was recently added to the 24-hour shift operation to provide for a more effective, safe and efficient span of control of stations and personnel. LCFR currently consists of 255 firefighters protecting 205,832 residents in a service area encompassing over 1,150 square miles of urban, suburban, rural and wilderness areas. LCFR operates 27 fire stations with 24 providing advanced life support services supported by an annual operating budget of $34 million. Revenues are generated through FAF, MSTU, Impact Fees, and other sources. LCFR responded to nearly 24,000 calls for service in 2020. Administrative support facilitates operations including fire loss management, in-service training and recertification of all personnel, health and safety protocols, medical quality assurance, honor guard team support, state incident reporting, inventory control, and personnel and facilities support services. Operations includes fire suppression, emergency medical advanced life support services, fire-based rural ambulance transport, victim entrapment and extrication, hazardous materials mitigation, HazMat medics, Special Operations Response Team (confined space and highangle rescue), wildland fire response, tanker shuttle task force, State Region 5 “Light Technical Rescue,” and Venom 2 Response Team. In conjunction with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, LCFR operates a marine boat unit and operates as a Rescue Task Force [RTF] Team for Active Attacker incidents. Automatic aid agreements with its city partners provide the public with closet-unit response. This has proven to be the best return on investment for the residents. Through a 2018-enacted penny sales tax, LCFR has been able to financially meet critical infrastructure needs such as replacement fire stations, major renovations to existing fire stations, and replacement of aging apparatus. LCFR continues to pursue grants and has been very successful in grant awards over the years [and hopefully in the coming years] to further enhance our services, maintain compliant operations, and keep our firefighters safe. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Fire Chief Nisbet Retiring from Bayshore Fire Protection and Rescue Services District It is a long and distinguished career – one with challenges and triumphs but one of immense pride. On June 29, 2021, Fire Chief Fire Chief Lawrence Lawrence Nisbet will step Nisbet Retiring aside, officially retiring on It is a long and distinguished careerHe – one September 28, 2021. with challenges and triumphs oneof of leaves behind abut legacy immense pride. professionalism On June 29, 2021, Fire Chief and excellence Lawrence Nisbetthat willhas stepreached aside, officially far across the retiring on September 2021.and He leaves State of28, Florida beyond. behind a legacy of professionalism and as a 14 Starting his career in November 1981 excellence that reached far across year-old cadet inhas Loveland, Ohio, Nisbetthe knew State of Florida beyond. early on that thisand would be his life. He Starting his career in November as a attended vocational school during his1981 last two 14 year-old in and Loveland, Ohio, Nisbet years of highcadet school graduated in 1986 as a knew early on that this would be his life. He certified firefighter, an emergency medical attended vocational school during his last two

years of high school and graduated in 1986 as atechnician certified and firefighter, an emergency medical a fire inspector. He worked technician fire inspector. He worked part-time forand theaLoveland-Symmes Fire part-time forbefore the Loveland-Symmes Department moving to FloridaFire in 1988. Department before Fire moving to Florida He joined Bayshore Rescue in 1988in as a 1988. joined Bayshore Rescue full-timeHe firefighter/EMT andFire began to setinthe 1988 as awhat full-time and began stage for was tofirefighter/EMT come. to In set1990, the stage whattransferred was to come. Chieffor Nisbet to IonaIn 1990,Fire Chief Nisbet transferred to IonaMcGregor District and began to rise McGregor District and began through theFire ranks. He moved fromto rise through the ranks. He moved from firefighter/EMT to engineer, then Lieutenant, firefighter/EMT to engineer, received his paramedic license then and built on his Lieutenant, received his paramedic license formal education, earning an associate and and built on his formal earning an then a bachelor’s degree.education, He has received associate and then a bachelor’s degree. He numerous certification such as Hazardous has received numerous Materials Technician andcertification his Executivesuch Fireas Hazardous Technician his Officer fromMaterials FEMA’s National Fireand Academy. Executive Officer from FEMA’s National In 2002,Fire Nisbet moved to Estero Fire Rescue Fire Academy. where he served as Battalion Chief until 2008. 2002, to Estero Fire to At In that time,Nisbet he wasmoved encouraged to return Rescue where he served as Battalion Chief

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until 2008. At that time, he was encouraged Bayshore Protection and Rescue Services to return Fire to Bayshore Fire Protection and District as the next fire chief – he hasfire come full Rescue Services District as the next chief andcome become firstand Bayshore firefighter –circle he has fullthe circle become the first to retire from the district. Bayshore firefighter to retire from the district. During his his career, career,Nisbet Nisbethas hasserved servedasas President of President of the theLee LeeCounty CountyFire FireChiefs Chiefs Association for Association foreight eightyears, years,championed championedthe the Florida Cancer Florida CancerBill, Bill,worked workedthrough throughmajor major hurricanes and hurricanes andseveral severallarge largerecord-recording record-recording brush fires. fires. Through Throughititall, all,Nisbet Nisbethas hasone one piece of of advice advice––Don’t Don’tBlink! Blink! In a recent recent article articlefor forFlorida FloridaFirefighter Firefighter Magazine (2021), Magazine (2021),Nisbet Nisbetshared, shared,“I’ve “I’veserved served almost 39 39 years yearsin inthe thefire fireservice, service,and andmore more I just than 33 33 years yearsin inFlorida, Florida,but butififfeels feelslike like I just started yesterday. and I I started yesterday. IIstill stilllove lovewhat whatI do, I do, and know I am am going goingto tomiss missthe thefirehouse firehousea alot. lot.So my my recommendation to you regardless if youif So recommendation to you regardless are aare new company officer,officer, or chief you a firefighter, new firefighter, company or officer,officer, enjoy every of this incredible chief enjoyminute every minute of this calling, learn as much as you can, network with incredible calling, learn as much as you can, your neighbors, train, train andtrain, train train some and network with your neighbors, more, and constantly to make yourtoagency train some more, andstrive constantly strive better.” make your agency better.” Making agencies agenciesbetter betterisissomething somethingthat that Nisbet and and Bayshore BayshoreFire Firehas hashad hadmuch muchtotododo with across is across southwest southwestFlorida. Florida. Bayshore BayshoreFire Fire ais small, combination department where many a small, combination department where local have gotten start. manyfirefighters local firefighters have their gotten theirAfter start. graduating fire school, many new firefighters After graduating fire school, many new volunteer with Bayshore while going through firefighters volunteer with Bayshore while the hiring process. While process. at Bayshore, theyat going through the hiring While hone theirthey skillshone and learn ropes Bayshore, theirthe skills andoflearn the becoming a firefighter. Nisbet’s commitment ropes of becoming a firefighter. Nisbet’s to excellence and tradition has to mold commitment to excellence andhelped tradition has many the firefighters to him that helpedofto mold many ofthat thecome firefighters before sending them sending on to neighboring come to him before them on to departments, trained and ready to serve neighboring departments, trained and the ready public. to serve the public. His philosophy philosophyisissimple. simple. “Teach “Teachthe the newbies newbies the the history, history,the theculture cultureand andthe thejob. job. Never embarrass embarrassyour yourdepartment departmentororyour your profession, profession, and andalways alwaysremember rememberour our communities communities look lookup uptotous. us. When Whenyou youreach reach where II am, am, will willyou yoube beable abletotolook lookininthe the mirror and and say, say,“Did “DidIImake makeaadifference?” difference?”My hope is your answer is a resounding “YES”.“YES”. My hope is your answer is a resounding From all all those thoselucky luckyenough enoughtotohave havegotten gotten to know know and and benefit benefitfrom fromChief ChiefNisbet’s Nisbet’s experience, experience, professionalism professionalismand andguidance, guidance,wewe say “thank “thank you.” you.”Thank Thankyou youfor foryour your commitment commitment to tothe thefire fireservice. service. Thank Thankyou youfor your dedication to those working with you for your dedication to those working withand you in your command. Thank you for always being and in your command. Thank you for always abeing mentor, but more being friend.a friend. It has a mentor, butfor more fora being been honor, sir. It hasan been an honor, sir.

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Jacksonville Revs Up Search Engine For Missing Persons Calls By John W. Bracey, Community Affairs Officer, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department

et’s back up to December 2019 in Jacksonville, Fla. Two siblings, age 5 and 6, have wandered from their front yard, and their father is depending on the city’s public safety personnel to locate the boy and girl. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) launch the search with 150 pairs of boots on the ground, but it’s already late afternoon.As darkness covers Jacksonville, the first day of the search ends. Bryan Williams will have to wait until the next day for the search to

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locate his children to resume. Several hours into the second day, the commitment to finding the children is full on. Urgency is also on the rise because the mild December temperatures are forecast to plummet. Heavy rain is also looming. Fortunately, the team is operating with a little more information on the probable location of the youngsters. First responders are traversing a specific wooded and wet area on the recommendation of a search analyst with a fire rescue background and an acquired knowledge of the behavior of missing persons. He encourages them to advance their efforts further down the search line.

Photos by Captain Eric Prosswimmer

Suddenly, the search team discovers the brother and sister seeking refuge in a small structure that one firefighter described as a “doghouse with a flat roof.” The children are alert, and after two days of observation at a local hospital, they return to their home and their father. Jacksonville Fire Chief Keith Powers and Sheriff Mike Williams are overjoyed at the results, and so is every person directly invested or just keeping track from the sidelines. Law enforcement and fire rescue officials then start a conversation about systematically pooling their resources to create a force multiplier that could expedite search results and increase the

odds of a positive outcome. The discussions lead to a new collaboration in Jacksonville known as MEPSAR, which stands for Missing Endangered Persons Search and Rescue. "When you have an endangered or missing person or small child, it is time sensitive," Sheriff Williams said during a news conference in May at Jacksonville’s City Hall. "The quicker you can get people on the ground, searching in those wood lines and trying to cover those lakes is incredibly important." Reacting to recent local successful search efforts, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said, “I am confident that this collaborative, smart approach to missing persons cases will be a national model for agencies and municipalities throughout the country to emulate.” That is precisely Chief Powers’ vision beyond Jacksonville: “We want to get this

program out to the state and beyond so others can follow suit and adopt.” The news conference was the public announcement of MEPSAR, but the early evolution of the program had already yielded numerous positive results, as well as moments of closure for difficult situations. Some of the quickest successful urban and suburban searches occur by simply dispatching in-service companies to ride their territories. In addition to the success that comes from involving additional personnel with specialized training, MEPSAR also relies upon technology. Both JFRD and JSO have established drone

programs with pilots certified through a federal testing program. JFRD also has a sophisticated mobile command center and a separate rehab unit to aid all personnel during operations. JFRD’s expertise in urban search and rescue is a technical asset and includes a K-9 team. JSO also has a K-9 team. JFRD is also using the Virtual Search Planning method which incorporates one or more search analysts and plays a key role in recovering missing persons. That process is covered in the accompanying story, “Virtual Search Planning is Changing SAR Paradigm.” For more information about Jacksonville’s MEPSAR SOG, please contact the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Division Chief of Operations Steve Riska at SRiska@coj.net

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This map aided in the successful search for two missing children in December 2019 in Jacksonville, FL. It’s a key component of the Virtual Search Planning Process which analyzes human behavior gathered from thousands of missing person cases and applies that information during active searches to determine the probability of a subject’s location.

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Virtual Search Planning is Changing SAR Paradigm The Process has Yielded an 85 Percent Success Rate By John W. Bracey, Community Affairs Officer, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department

hane McNeil had been planning his ambitious excursion for several months. On a warm Saturday morning in September 2010, the high school sophomore finally embarked upon a hike from his home in the Las Vegas desert that would lead to the Colorado River and, ultimately, the Hoover Dam. His endeavor would span nearly 25 miles, not out of the question for the fit 16-year-old. Shane’s biggest challenge would be the terrain and the desert’s guaranteed triple-digit heat. His planned route involved elevation changes of 1,000 feet or more, the Hoover Dam’s fast-moving cold water which he would have to swim through, and whatever creatures might intersect with his path. Shane’s backpack contained bottled water, Bibles, food, and a journal, among other items. He set out at 7 a.m. and was wearing Vans athletic shoes. It’s unclear what he used to cover his bright blond head of hair. Throughout the day, he texted his mother several progress reports.

Search and Rescue Mapping The Virtual Search Planning Process uses as many as 14 specific items of information in the analysis of a missing person to determine the probability of their location. This analysis includes human behavior and performance data gathered from thousands of missing person cases which aids in the prediction of how far any subject would travel from their Last Known Position (LKP). This data, which includes age, physical attributes, and other elements unique to the incident, are considered and then mapped and segmented within the map so trained resources can conduct a search with a high likelihood of detecting either a clue of the subject, or the subject. The facing page is the map that Paul Burke and Ben McMinn developed to aid the Jacksonville, Fla. search resources in locating the Williams children in December 2019. The blue concentric rings indicate the statistical distances from their LKP for children in a given age group, and where certain percentages of them were located. The Williams siblings were located in Segment 2 (Seg2) of the mapping which spans an area 0.4 miles from their home. This is consistent with statistical data of documented cases for missing children 4 to 6 years old, with 50 percent of them found within 0.4 miles or less from where they went missing, and 75 percent found within a distance of 0.9 miles or less.

Around 7 p.m., the sunlight was fading, but Shane had the Colorado River in sight. He would need to climb down a canyon to reach the river, then swim across and take a short hike to the Hoover Dam visitors’ center where his mother would meet him and celebrate his accomplishment that evening. Those details via text message were the last communication between Shane and his mother. She waited about 30 minutes at the visitors’ center for her son to arrive before calling for help. Several agencies deployed personnel and assets in the area, but after four days, there was no recovery. When Paul Burke first heard about Shane on the local news, he was concerned about the teenager. Burke, a retired Alaska State Trooper, but still a public servant, was also perplexed that no one notified him or his workplace – the Nevada Division Paul Burke of Emergency Management (NDEM), State Emergency Operations Center. The wheels in Burke’s head were moving him toward data analysis of Shane’s proximity to the cell tower that allowed his phone to deliver the final text message to his mom. But that was just one component of an emerging search process that Burke had already been developing and discussing with others who were fascinated with the behavior of lost people. The scientific approach involved analysis related to how and where the lost wander based on physical and cognitive attributes as well as patterns that emerge from comparing thousands of missing persons cases from law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency management and academic research. But more on that in a moment. Using the data from Shane’s phone, Burke got a starting point to guide the search. He also paid attention to Shane’s text message which referenced climbing down the canyon and having the Colorado River in sight. Burke then put himself in Shane’s shoes using Google Earth’s mapping of the area. He wanted to see what Shane reported seeing, so he began plotting the 3-D imagery in the direction Shane would have to travel to reach the canyon and river. In an hour or so, he located a vantage point that matched Shane’s description of the river and canyon. Even better, the space was about the size of a football field, so it narrowed the search area. In Burke’s published case study of the search for Shane, he wrote “The fact that he stated he could ‘see the river’ certainly added to the overall analysis that Shane was somewhere in this small area. This spot, above a location known to the locals as ‘Boy Scout Canyon’ was less than 100 meters wide, and it was the only location combined with the distance from the cell tower that the river was viewable.” Burke contacted local authorities with the information to pinpoint the search. Because daylight was fading, the search resumed Wednesday morning. Las Vegas Metro Police Department delivered a SAR team to the location Burke recommended. First, they found footprints from a pair of Vans shoes and within two hours they found Shane’s body at the foot of a canyon wall some 900 feet tall. Shane’s backpack was next to Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

him, and the water bottles were scattered in front of him. There were no signs of foul play, and Shane did not suffer any broken bones. But the coroner’s report could not determine a cause of death. Burke’s case study references the extreme heat, which endured into the evening hours, as a contributing factor to fatigue. Burke wishes he would have learned about Shane the moment the boy’s mother contacted law enforcement. “He passed away because, collectively, the system failed him,” Burke said in a phone interview from his home in Reno, Nevada. Though the final hours of Shane’s young life remain unclear, quickly locating his body in the high probability area that Burke determined was a moment of clarity for Burke and a rite of passage for the Virtual Search Planning process. “That’s when we knew we had something,” Burke said. In the last decade, Burke has grown his team of search analysts to about 80 nationwide, including Alaska. They think like Burke, they are familiar with the behavior patterns of missing persons, and they focus on the details that narrow the search area, such as the clues in Shane McNeil’s final text. The Virtual Search Planning team are volunteers to local governments and SAR teams. You won’t get an invoice from Paul Burke or any of his analysts for their services, but their contribution is proving its value. Combined, the group has worked about 550 cases, and they have located the subjects in 85 percent of those cases. The cost of the search is carried by the agency having jurisdiction, Burke said. “We don’t find people by accident, but on purpose. Our job is to locate them within the first operational period using a process that defines them and their location better than all other methodologies. You work for the missing person, and they deserve your very best,” he added. In May, Burke taught his Virtual Search Planning process to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) in Florida. Several dozen firefighters with SAR experience took the class, and they learned that it’s not a computer program, but a process that uses wide-field information and statistical data to model where any subject is likely to be. “It’s a game changer,” said JFRD Captain Mark Roberts, a long-time member of the department’s special operations team. He is also speaking from personal experience with Virtual Search Planning. 28

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Roberts met one of Burke’s analysts, Ben McMinn, when Hurricane Michael impacted Florida’s Panhandle as a category 5 storm in October 2018. That’s where Roberts first learned about Virtual Search Planning and a search and rescue mapping system known as SARTOPO. The process was relatively new to McMinn, who had met Burke in 2016 when Burke taught Virtual Search Planning to McMinn’s USAR team from Mississippi. McMinn’s career includes 20 years in the fire service in DeSoto County, MS and 15 years with Mississippi Task Force 1. He was impressed with Burke’s methods, so were the rest of McMinn’s colleagues. “This training was the beginning of a shift in the way we managed search operations. The process allowed for a team approach, connecting analysts from across our state and in some cases across the country to develop a search plan for missing subjects.” In December 2019, Roberts was among dozens of firefighters and police searching for two siblings, ages 5 and 6. The brothersister duo wandered from their front yard in a neighborhood on the west side of Jacksonville, and the massive search didn’t locate them the first day. Among the complications, the search was a late afternoon deployment in mid-December so most of the search was by flashlight. Later that night, Roberts recalled what McMinn had shared with him in the Panhandle, so Roberts contacted McMinn for help. They discussed the situation, the terrain, what they knew about the children and within a few hours, McMinn, working with Burke, produced a plan that illustrated the most probable search area to locate the children. Jacksonville’s police and firefighters pursued the plan the next day, but their initial efforts didn’t yield results. The sense of urgency was mounting because the mild December day was about to turn rainy, cold and windy. “We were within 30 minutes of calling it off,” Roberts recalled. McMinn and Burke urged the search team to take a second look and to go further within the search area. JFRD Engineer Phillip Holden was back in the wooded, wet area with dozens of first responders, including police, conducting another line search. Then something caught his attention. Voices. A few steps later, the team found the brother and sister in an abandoned hunting stand. They were dehydrated, but alert. Holden carried the girl, and JFRD’s

Lieutenant Josh Montoro carried the boy. After two days of observation at local hospital, the children returned home. “Definitely one of the best outcomes I’ve seen,” said Holden, who joined the department in 2017. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Assistant Chief Ellis Burns, III, said “It was the coolest thing I’ve seen in 21 years on the job. That’s the most rewarding moment of my career.” Burke recalled his reaction to the good news: “Oh my God, they listened to us! A lot of people just go out there and kick the dirt. Very few people study it as a science.” By Burke’s definition, Jacksonville gained some scientists that December day. And the numbers continue to grow. McMinn credits Captain Roberts and JFRD District Fire Chief Gary Kuehner for rallying support to bring Burke to Jacksonville to teach the Virtual Search Planning class. But there’s much more work to do nationally and beyond. Burke estimates that only 5 percent of the nation’s fire service and SAR resources have been exposed to Virtual Search Planning. He intends to continue growing his team of analysts, none of whom are paid for their work in Virtual Search Planning. “This is a breakthrough process that will change lost subject outcomes from here after,” Burke said. Contact Paul Burke at 1-775-501-0685 or at www.virtualsearch.me

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Harold Theus, Fire Chief, Alachua County Fire Rescue

Fire Service Tenure: 27 years Career Journey: As a child, I remember visiting my father at the fire station. He retired as the Fire Chief in Orange Park near Jacksonville when I was 10 years old. The last thing I considered was being a firefighter. After high school, I floundered for a few years and then my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I was living in Macon, Georgia, at the time, so I went down to see him. He asked if I would take him by the fire station to visit some old friends. We went and I remember walking through the bay, taking in the familiar odor of a bay full of engines, equipment and gear. I had flashbacks to when I was a kid. We got back to his house, and I asked him, “What am I doing? Why I am I not working on a fire department somewhere?” To which he responded, “I’ve been trying to tell you that for years.”

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Normally not impulsive, this experience was a trigger moment for me. At the time I was working as a manager of a jewelry store and upon returning to Macon, I told my boss I was done, I was going to be a firefighter. Moving back to Jacksonville, I started my journey as a volunteer firefighter in 1992 while I was attending the Jacksonville Fire Academy and EMT school. I was then hired by Alachua County Fire Rescue in 1994, which was my first fire department job. I have been serving ACFR ever since, and it’s been a great journey. It’s extremely rewarding and a blessing to be the leader of the organization I grew up in. Over my career, I have served in just about every position. • Firefighter EMT (August 1994November 1997) • Firefighter Paramedic (November 1997-January 1998) • Paramedic Attendant Firefighter (March 1998-April 2005) • Lieutenant Paramedic (April 2005(April 2008)

• District Chief (April 2008August 2012) • Assistant Chief (August 2012April 2015) • Deputy Chief (April 2015February 2019) • Chief (March 2019-Present) Describe your management style: Servant leadership. I really aspire to this style, which is also influenced by my personal set of Christian principles. I strongly believe that crews need to see their administration, so we make it a point to visit stations and show up on calls. I don’t see myself any different than our crews on the street and I have attempted to flatten the hierarchy out, especially in our upper-administration ranks. Everyone’s opinions and ideas are valued, and I try to keep an open line of communication. I’m working for the men and the women in the department, not the other way around, so it’s important that administration equips the employees with the tools to be successful. Form of Government: County Manager and Board of County Commissioners Sources of Funding for Jurisdiction: Combination of ad valorem taxes, fire assessment fee and ambulance transport fee. FY2021 budget is approximately $40 million Population Served and Square Miles Covered: We serve the population of Alachua County, which consists of about 270,000 people with a flux of around 52,000 students at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In total, we cover 969 square miles.

Composition of Department: Career department with 265 uniformed personnel and an additional 34 civilian personnel. Department divided into five sections: Fire Rescue Operations, Budget and Fiscal Services, Medical Billing, E911 Services and Emergency Management. Department Equipment: 15 locations, 14 24-hour Advanced Life Support (ALS) rescue units, 5 Peak-Load rescue units, 9 ALS fire apparatus, one ALS heavy rescue, 1 ALS quint aerial device. The department responded to over 40,000 calls for service this last fiscal year. What were some of your thoughts coming in as the new Fire Chief? There were three key things I thought of when considering the position. I wanted to make sure our employees were well compensated, well trained, and well equipped. As an administration that has been our mantra. I have been really fortunate with a County Manager who heard that early and a Board of County Commissioners who support us. Since being in the positionof fire chief, we redeveloped the pay plan, re-organized our training department and delivery methods and have expanded and enhanced our equipment. What is the most challenging issue your department is facing today? We have several challenges, and the first is related to personnel. Hiring and retaining good people is hard. When I became a firefighter, you would apply with about 100 other people. Now, we barely have enough applications to cover our vacancies. There is a labor crisis in fire departments today. One of the efforts we have made to address this, is hiring individuals who are not fully certified. This action has really helped us with finding employees who have a heart for others. I’ve learned that we can teach individuals to be a Firefighter or EMT , but we cannot teach people the ability to have care and compassion for others. These soft skills are essential in providing a great service for our public. It has also been challenging to keep up with the ever-increasing service delivery demands. We are a busy system and the call load continues to increase. Having adequate resources to respond and maintaining reasonable work-loads for crews is so important. What is an accomplishment you are proud of? With the local union, we created an Educational Incentive Pay Plan, which took the base pay for a firefighter from $32,000 to $40,000. This was huge in attracting new talent. In addition to the base pay, we added a $7500 paramedic incentive pay. The plan has other

built-in incentives and is structured to give people a set, modest raise every year, but if they take certain classes or attend the specified number of educational hours in their pay plan, they get an additional raise on top of that set amount. This allows our employees to be in control of their future pay status and sets them up for promotions. Our Training Department has made huge strides in making sure all of our firefighters and EMS personnel are well prepared. We’ve hosted a number of State authorized classes and increased the number of training hours required. We’ve also added quite a bit of equipment and technology. Ultrasounds, RSI, Blue Card for Fire Ops and ESO for reporting software, just to name a few. Another accomplishment I am proud of is our improved communication and recognition of employees. I conduct a monthly video podcast that is distributed throughout the stations, providing updated information on projects being worked on, training announcements, and individual and crew achievements. Finding reasons to acknowledge the good work our crews do is purposeful. What do you look for in a new recruit? I look for someone who has compassion, integrity, honesty and a servant’s heart. Our firefighters have an enormous autonomy over people in vulnerable situations, so it’s important they are trusted and care for other people as if they were their own family members. I spend a lot of time with the hiring groups. Our Department’s Mission Statement is “Public Servants dedicated to enhancing and caring for the lives of those in our community through preparedness and an immediate response to any and all of life’s emergencies,” and we take it seriously. I encourage new recruits to hang a copy of our mission statement and oath in their locker because there will come a time in their career when they are going to think to themselves, “Why did I ever get into this business?” That oath serves as a reminder of why. The calls aren’t an interruption to your day, the calls are your day. I hope people go into this business because they want to help others, and they have a compassionate heart for what others are going through. Servant leadership – to set aside your own personal needs and put someone else’s before yours – that’s what we are looking for. What are your future goals for the department? One thing I’m working on right now is finding property through public and private partnerships for the expansion and growth of our fire department. Our next two locations will be built on land that was donated by

developers. These partnerships also include the expansion of our advancements in the type of medical services we can provide. We have UF Health and North Florida Regional Medical Center in our backyard, so I want to tap into these amazing resources to make our pre-hospital medical care the best it can be. This evidence-based medical care includes research and development of new equipment. I also want to build up the infrastructure of our organization. We have really focused on placing more units on the road, but we need more supervisory help in the ranks of the department to manage that growth. The overarching goal is to build our brand. I started building it a few years ago, and I tell our new employees that, when you sign on, you’re signing on to be a part of our family. We now have the same last name; we wear the same patch. This increases their accountability to the public to be responsible even when they are not on duty. I’ve been intentional about our brand through local events, social media reach, and even Live Rescue, the A&E television show. I want ACFR to be known in our community, throughout the state of Florida and in the southeast United States. I want our employees to be proud to work for ACFR, to enjoy coming to work and to provide the best service possible to the public.

Vomex’s mission is to “Provide the best, fulfill the need and eliminate the mess!” Vomex was founded in 2012 by Jose A. Pereda, a Rescue Lieutenant/Firefighter/ Paramedic with the City of Coral Gables Fire Department, who created a product that was not available on the market. The clean-up of emesis (vomit) is not a pleasant or sterile task at any time, nevertheless at 3:00 a.m. in the back of a Rescue unit. Pereda invented a self-deploying, hands-free emesis (vomit) bag. By using Vomex, the cleanup costs in taking a Rescue unit out of service

for decontamination of bodily fluids and exposure to caretakers and bystanders have diminished by 80%.Vomex believes the faster the unpleasant situation gets controlled, the cleaner and safer the environment becomes, especially in this Pandemic era. Launched in January 2016, Vomex unveiled the 1st self-deploying, hands-free emesis (vomit) bag in the industry. Vomex’s large opening provides a catch-all container that is nearly impossible to miss in comparison to other emesis bags on the market. It’s handsfree capabilities allows the customer to wear the bag without having to hold it or misplace it. That feature also allows the caretaker to work on the patient without having to hold the bag in place. Vomex’s compact size can be easily stored and fits into first aid kits, glove compartments, purses, pockets, travel bags, etc. Vomex Emesis Bags are perfect for: morning sickness, stomach viruses, alcohol intoxication, food poisoning, chronic illnesses, cancer

patients, bed ridden patients, wheel chair bound patients, pregnancy, post surgery, rideshare drivers, emergency rooms, urgent cares, clinics, school clinics, classrooms and bus drivers, recreational boating or any kind of motion sickness. When finished using the product, use the straps to tie the bag and dispose to prevent any spillage. We are proud to say that Vomex continues to grow and today, Vomex is used by most of the South Florida, Broward and Monroe County Fire Departments and Ambulance Services as well as many other fire departments and ambulance services around the nation. Vomex provides the quickest, safest and most capable emesis bag in the industry. Remember with Vomex, you just “Pop, Use and Dispose!”

Confined Space Training By Madison Heid, Communications Coordinator, North Port Fire Rescue’s

hen things get tight, you want these guys on the job. North Port Fire Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team (TRT 645) specializes in five Florida Urban Search and Rescue disciplines: rope rescue, trench rescue, 32

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confined space rescue, vehicle and machinery rescue, and structural collapse rescue. Team members train regularly throughout the year performing individual skills with their crew/shift. In June, the team performed

confined space rescue evolutions inside a clean lift station here in the City. North Port Fire Rescue and North Port Utilities partnered together to provide this realistic training environment... as real as it gets.

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Fire Rescue Crews Recognized for Saving Child’s Life By Yvonne Martinez, Public Information Officer, City of Cocoa

he rescue crews from Cocoa Fire Rescue Engine 31-C Shift and Brevard County Rescue 45 were recognized by the medical personnel at Orlando Health, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. A special recognition ceremony was held June 11 where a representative from Orlando Health presented a life saving award to each rescuer that changed the outcome of a critical health emergency for a 12-year-old patient. On May 15th, Cocoa Fire Rescue Engine 31 with LT/Paramedic Bruce Hutchinson, Driver Operator/Paramedic Eric Holt, Firefighter/EMT Nicolas Marcantonio, and Firefighter/EMT Thalia Mendoza, and Brevard County Rescue 45 with LT/Paramedic Nicolas Fuoco and FF/Paramedic Tiffany Reid were dispatched to the residence of a 12-yearold male having a severe asthma attack. When Engine 31 arrived, the patient was in the arms of his father, unresponsive and not breathing effectively. “When we arrived on scene the child was taking his last couple breaths by the street as we pulled up,” Lt. Hutchinson said. “We opened the door and we were immediately handed a child, and from there we went to work.” Driver Operator/Paramedic Holt assumed the role of the lead care provider and began

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to assist the patient’s breathing by administering positive pressure ventilations and nebulized medications to relax the patient’s lungs to allow for better air exchange. The crew from Brevard County Rescue 45 arrived and care was transferred to LT/Paramedic Fuoco with continued treatment during the emergent transport to Rockledge Regional Medical Center. The patient remained in serious condition requiring a tube be inserted to secure his airway for continued oxygenation with a ventilator. The patient was later transferred to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando where he made a complete recovery. “I think we get caught up in the day to day things, even though some of them feel they just did their jobs, they truly made a difference in this family when their world was upside down that evening,” said Sonny Weishaupt, Emergency Medical Services Coordinator for Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “We feel they needed to be recognized for really making a difference in this child’s life.” The 12 -year-old patient suffered a severe asthma attack which could have been fatal had it not been for the combined efforts of the rescue crews and the medical experts at

Rockledge Regional and Orlando Health. “It makes me so proud to see just what hard work and dedication our men and women put in each and every day serving our citizens,” said Cocoa Fire Chief Jonathan Lamm. “It’s not just this call, but every day, they give 110%, and this is just another way to show how they are changing the lives of the people in our community.” “It’s a great feeling,” said Brevard County Rescue 45 Lt. Nick Fuoco. “It’s very rewarding. We do run a lot of calls that have a terrible outcome. To have an impact on someone that young, it’s a good feeling.” “We’re very grateful,” added Lt. Hutchinson. “We really do have a great job. You can go home and really feel like you’re contributing, making a difference and impacting people’s lives.”

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Summer Camp Lets Kids See First Responders at Work By Lisa McDonald, Public Relations and Outreach Specialist, Orange County Fire Rescue

ummer camp is a time for kids to have fun, be creative and most importantly, learn the value of friendship. At the Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida, summer camp means learning the value of safety while having fun doing it. The nine day camp gave an hour a day to Orange County Fire Rescue to show the campers, ages 5 to 11, all the programs and equipment firefighters use on a daily basis. The first day of camp showcased Fire Rescue’s Peer Fit Trainers and a Fire engine. The kids got fitted with a fire helmet and got a ride around the complex with lights and sirens blaring. When they stepped off the truck, they had to quickly make their way through a simple obstacle course that included crawling, picking up a fire hose and running towards the end of the course with the help of all the fit trainers. It was a great way to teach the children about fitness and health. Camp continued with an interactive ‘Science Lab’, taught by the Community Outreach Specialist, Felicia Dixon, who was a former science teacher. Dixon schooled the kids on how fire works, how it spreads and the various ways to extinguish flames using small candles and a digital extinguishing system. For the campers, it was just like playing a video game.

One of the kid’s favorite days was Water Safety, where the Orange County Fire Rescue Dive team got to show off their masks, tanks, buoys, and gear. The campers did dive exercises under the careful watch of the team, picking up weights from the bottom of the pool and throwing ropes across the water so they could learn how to rescue anyone potentially drowning. Bike Safety was in order as a little-known arm of Fire Rescue came out. The team showed off their rescue bikes which were packed with emergency gear. The kids saw how firefighters 36

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rode the bikes and learned about the team which responds to crowded events such as conventions, theme parks and local college football games. An important lesson was taught by a Fire Engine crew about stop, drop and roll and how to get out of a house that is on fire. A unique feature at the Children’s Safety Village is an onsite house that is used for such training. The small structure simulates smoke filling a room and a hot door. The most important takeaway of that day’s camp was having an escape plan ready should they face their home catching on fire. The next week of summer camp brought out a Dispatch Supervisor who taught the kids how to use the 9-1-1 system, when they should use it, and even played a recording of a real-life medical situation where a 5-year-old had to talk to a dispatcher after her mother felt ill. The kids learned hands-only CPR using Fire Rescue emergency mannequins. One of the more dynamic demonstrations for the kids was not only a teaching tool for the children, but a training tool for new firefighter recruits. Firefighters demonstrated how the jaws of life work, actually tearing apart a vehicle to get to patients trapped inside. Firefighters spoke to the kids about car safety, wearing their seatbelts and why they should not distract the driver. The sound of breaking glass and

crunching metal fascinated the kids, who tried to hold the heavy equipment, with the help of firefighters, after the demonstration. The last two days of camp surprised the children as they learned about smoke alarms, fire drills and were taught how STEM programs work with firefighting. One of the Fire Marshals showed the kids smoke alarms, fire drills and how they should leave a room should there be a fire. He also showed off the agencies lock boxes and how fire trucks get in and out of gated communities using technology. The best part for the campers was when the Fire Marshal showed them how he tests fire hydrants and gave the kids a huge spray of water through the parking lot. A few kids tried to turn the wrench after the display of how much pressure a fire hydrant actually holds.

Fire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) was displayed on the last day of camp and the kids saw how Fire Drones pick up heat signatures. The technicians showed them all the drones, from smallest to largest and flew them around the complex. The brush truck was brought out so the campers could see the size of the truck and how the hoses and sprinklers work. Each child was given a chance to hose down and spray the grass using the nozzle. A paramedic truck was also at camp so the kids could get on-board and learn about all the life-saving tools and equipment that are in the truck. At the end of the two weeks, each of the kids received a certificate for all the Fire Rescue modules they participated in. The camp was a great success, not just for the Children’s Safety Village, but for Orange County Fire Rescue as the crews explained what they do and all the equipment they need to get the job done. It’s possible the children were inspired to become future firefighters!

Seminole County Installs Smoke Alarm Systems By Doreen Overstreet, APR, Public Safety Information & Education Officer

This year, the Seminole County Fire Department was awarded a $177,000 federal grant to provide and install free smoke alarms in homes. Just this year, more than 1,000 free smoke alarms have been installed throughout Seminole County. The Seminole County Fire Department recently partnered with the Lake Mary Fire Department and the American Red Cross in Central Florida to install more than 100 free smoke alarms. Part of that grant also provides 700 smoke alarms for the deaf and hearing impaired – called “bed shakers.” These special alarm systems are activated by the sound of the smoke alarm and vibrate the bed/pillow. “Our Seminole County Fire Department is working hard to let any deaf or hearing impaired Seminole County resident know – regardless of age – about the availability of this free lifesaving resource we have,” said Seminole County Fire Department Chief Otto Drozd III. “Serving all residents with special needs is imperative in fire prevention and we want to ensure everyone we proudly serve in Seminole County has fire prevention education and the tools they need.”

Osceola Firefighter Recognized by AdventHealth By Andrew Sullivan, APIO, Public Information Coordinator

Congratulations to Osceola County Firefighter Joell Tamblyn, center, who was recognized by AdventHealth as their Responder of the Quarter during a brief ceremony on July 13. FF Tamblyn works C Shift from Station 42, and has worked for Osceola Fire Rescue & EMS since January 2008.

A Big Win For Charity By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

It was a hard-fought battle involving Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) versus the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The contest? One of speed and shopping skills held on June 4th at the grand re-opening of a newly remodeled Save-A-Lot Supermarket. The rules? 99 seconds to fill a cart with groceries the closest to $99. The winner? Well, HCFR was at the top of its game, as Driver Engineer Nate Rogers used his purchasing prowess and excellent form to come closest to the mark. The big winner, though, was Feeding Tampa Bay which received more than $20,000 thanks to donor companies Save A Lot, Fresh Encounter, Care Plus and HCFF Local 2294. It was HCFR’s honor to help raise support for this charity which staffs food banks and distributes free meals to families and individuals in need, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 38

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East Lake Hosts Change of Command Ceremony By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

Elected officials, friends, family, and community partners packed the house at East Lake’s Change of Command Ceremony on June 28, 2021, to honor three retirees and recognize 12 promotions. While the district has seen numerous retirements and promotions, the district has never experienced this many retirements and promotions at one time. At this event Fire Chief Tom Jamison, Assistant Chief George Bessler, and Lieutenant Gary Hurlbut, with about 100 years of dedicated combined service, officially retired and were honored with the last alarm notification as respected members of the district. The change of the guard ceremony symbolized passing the responsibilities and maintaining an unbroken succession of command. Bugles were historically used before the advent of modern communication tools as a means of calling orders to the firefighters on the scene of fires to accomplish the mission and keep firefighters safe. During the change of command, Chief Stryjewski the most senior district firefighter and Lieutenant Lane the labor representative, presented the bugle to the outgoing commander Chief Jamison to symbolize entrusted leadership and responsibility for the firefighters of the district. Chief Jamison then surrendered the bugle and passed it to the incoming commander, Chief Gennaro. By taking the bugle, Chief Gennaro signified his willingness to accept responsibility of the district, its missions, and its firefighters. Fire Chief Jason Gennaro, Deputy Chief Greg Godwin, Deputy Chief Mike Porch, Division Chief Scott McLain, Division Chief Jason Letzring, Lieutenant Devin Mormando, Lieutenant Chris Herzog, Lieutenant Amanda Torok, Driver Nick Katsimbrakis, Driver Jeff Jackson, Driver Jacob Dixon, and Driver Steven Berger were recognized and sworn in during the ceremony.

Daytona Firefighters Teach Middle Schoolers By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

Daytona Beach Firefighters visited a group of students from a local Middle School to teach them about the fire service. While Firefighters were speaking to the students, they showed them their tools, explained the requirements to become a firefighter and even let them try on gear.

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North Port Fire Rescue New Hires By Madison Heid, Communications Coordinator

Clermont Badge Pinning & Promotional Ceremony By Pamela McDuffee, Administrative Assistant

The City of Clermont Fire Department recently held a Badge Pinning & Promotional Ceremony on June 14, 2021 to recognize personnel over a twenty month period who we promoted and hired at the fire department. Promotions included Lieutenant and Engineer and positions included Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Plans Examiner, Professional Standards Officer/ Logistics and Administrative Assistant. Each members participated in a competitive process to join the rank and profession of the Fire Service. Congratulations to the following members who were joined by their family and friends along with the Clermont Fire Department, Executive Officers, City Mayor, City Council, CFD Honor Guard and FD Chaplain: LT Timothy Massicotte 09/16/2019, ENG Jeremy Mullaly 10/07/2019, ENG Bruce Mace 10/07/2019, ENG Nicole Chavers 09/25/2020, FF Ridge Litz 09/13/2019, FF Ricardo Reguera 09/13/2019, FF Josiah Hook 01/06/2020, FF Ryan Bennett 01/06/2020, FF Anthony Hoffman 01/06/2020, FF Scott Norfleet 11/02/2020, FF Jhonatan Munoz 11/02/2020, FF Timothy Sanders 04/19/2021, FF Angel Montalvo 04/19/2021. Fire Inspector Tana Damian 01/27/2020, Plans Examiner Clint Fisher 06/07/2021. Fire Chief David Ezell 09/23/2019, Professional Standards Officer/Logistic Charles Chapman 07/29/2019, and Administrative Assistant Beth Carter 01/13/2020.

Brevard County Vaccinating Against COVID-19 By Susan L’Argent, Office of EMS

This year started out extremely busy for Brevard County Fire Rescue. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reach out to us and requested assistance with administering the COVID-19 vaccine to Brevard County Residents. On January 6th, we began administering COVID-19 vaccines to the department’s first responders and municipal city agency first responders. Our Paramedics were also helping by assisting the DOH in administering the COVID-19 vaccine to the county’s the most vulnerable population (65 and over) at their drive-thru location. We even took it a step farther and began the “Operation Homebound” initiative. On February 8th our Fire Medics began going out into the homes of individuals who were either unable to leave or had difficulties leaving their homes to administer the vaccine. With the help of Brevard County Emergency Management and the Florida DOH, BCFR has vaccinated over 1,300 individuals against COVID-19. 40

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North Port Fire Rescue is happy to introduce five new Firefighter/EMTs and welcome them to the Department family. From left to right: Brett Fey, Rickey Baker, Trevor Anderson, Yohank Benitez and Markus Freudenberg. We look forward to seeing all they will accomplish with NPFR. Congratulations!

New Aerial Apparatus for Hillsborough By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

On June 2nd, members of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) traveled to Pierce Mfg. headquarters in Wisconsin to complete the final inspection on two of our newest aerial apparatus: a 100-foot mid-mount platform for HCFR Station 5 and a 107-foot Quint for HCFR Station 9. The Velocity Ascendant Tower truck is the department’s first mid-mount and will enable crews to better maneuver in areas with narrow roadways and tight clearances. The ladder truck’s lower profile allows avoidance of tree limbs and easier station access. It includes a “blacked-out” platform to reduce glare, and both cabs contain all hard surfaces for easier wipe down and decontamination. Chief Dennis Jones thanked the hard work done by HCFR personnel, County Fleet, Pierce and Ten-8, on the design and build of these state-of-theart apparatus. These new trucks will begin hitting the streets of Hillsborough County in the near future.

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.

Lake County Promotes Seven Employees By Samantha Shylkofski, Lead Public Information Officer

Lake County Fire Rescue will promoted seven employees during a small ceremony on June 2. Four firefighters were promoted to lieutenant, including Gary Gratz, Jennifer Seda, Rolando Torres and Michael Yamin. Three lieutenants were promoted to battalion chief, including Barry Fitzgerald, Kraig Gilligan and Michael Robertson. All seven employees endured an extensive promotional process and finished as the top candidates. They are evaluated for their interpersonal skills, tactical consideration and public speaking, among other skills that will help them in their new responsibilities. “We are pleased to announce the promotion of these seven employees, including that of a third battalion chief-to-station ratio,” said Lake County Fire Chief Jim Dickerson. “This will improve safety and supervision by reducing the square miles currently being covered by two daily battalion chiefs. Adding these three new battalion chiefs (one per shift) will keep the department on track with its Strategic 1-3-5 plan.”

Firefighters Deliver Baby in Back of Rescue Truck By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

At 6:22 PM, on May 6, 2021, Telecommunicator Jada Webb took a call from a patient in labor. This was not the patient’s first birth and the process was moving along very quickly, so Jada stayed on the phone until the crew from station 17 arrived. The baby was not going to wait and made her entry at 6:45, just as the rescue truck approached the hospital. Baby Princess weighed 7lbs., 4oz. Both mom and baby were fine. There could not have been a more seasoned group of dads responding on this call; this 5-man crew has a total of 17 kids between them. Pictured with mom is the crew from station 17: (L-R) Firefighters Matthew Lamont, Michael Farrell, Roberto Santa, Jose Rosario and Ryan Maples. 42

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St. Johns County Fire Rescue New Hires By Greta Hall, Public Information Officer

St. Johns County Fire Rescue is proud to introduce and welcome 7 new firefighters to the ranks of the Department. These firefighters have just completed a challenging 6-week orientation program and will officially be in service protecting the citizens and visitors of St. Johns County. On behalf of SJCFR congratulations and welcome to the greatest job in the world!!?

Hillsborough Station Groundbreaking By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

On the morning of June 23rd, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) hosted a groundbreaking for a station that might be called groundbreaking in its own right. HCFR Station 45, in the Central Brandon area of Hillsborough, will help pace the county’s growing population, but the goal is to both improve response times as well as the health and safety of fire rescue crews. HCFR Chief Dennis Jones spoke about the importance of responding to the county’s population boom saying: “Every response time we can reduce allows Hillsborough residents that much more safety in critical moments of their lives.” He also cited the station’s state-of-the-art design when it comes to reducing cancer risks for firefighters. Station 45 will include a decontamination room accessible directly from the station bays with its own air control system. This allows crew members returning from fire scenes to clean potential carcinogens off their clothes and skin surfaces before entering the main areas of the station.

Daytona Beach Names New Fire Chaplain By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

The Daytona Beach Fire Department recently welcomed a new Fire Chaplain, D’Arthur Wilcox Jr. to the department. Chaplain Wilcox previously served as a Firefighter for the Daytona Beach Fire Department in the 1970’s and has returned to proudly serve the department once again as Chaplain.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Seminole County Distributes Donated Sports Balls By Doreen Overstreet, APR, Public Safety Information & Education Officer

Seminole County Fire Department received more than 150 sports balls from GROW Central Florida. Seminole County Fire Department stations have been distributing them throughout the community to help promote healthy kids in healthy communities. Attached are photos and please let me know if you need more information or have any other questions. Thanks for your consideration.

East Lake Fire Rescue Hires Two New Firefighters

Volusia County Hazardous Materials Team Responds By Kate Lind

On June 13, Volusia County Hazardous Materials team responded to two separate incidents. The first call was for an anhydrous ammonia leak in New Smyrna Beach. Multiple units from Volusia County Fire Rescue and New Smyrna Beach Fire Department responded to the scene, which was under control in a few hours. Later that day, the team assisted Deltona Fire Department for a fuel offload with an overturned semi-truck on Interstate 4.

By Claudia Hernandez, Fire and Life Safety Educator

East Lake Fire Rescue is excited to announce the addition of two new Firefighters: Tyler Barr and Paul Padilla. The two new hires joined our team on Monday, June 7th, 2021. Tyler Barr completed the Fire Academy at St. Petersburg College. He served in the US Coast Guard for 5 years and then worked as an EMT and eventually became a Paramedic while working at St. Pete Beach Fire Rescue for a total of 6 years. Tyler is looking forward to serving the citizens of East Lake Fire District. We would like to welcome Tyler to our department. Paul Padilla completed the Fire Academy and obtained his Paramedic Certification at Lake Technical College. He is currently in nursing school at Pasco Hernando State College, where he also received his AA back in 2010. He comes with experience as a volunteer firefighter at Hernando Beach, then worked as a Firefighter EMT/Paramedic at Lake EMS, City of Mascotte Fire Rescue and Lake County Fire Rescue. We would like to welcome Paul to our department.

Lake County Fire Rescue Promotion Ceremony By Samantha Shylkofski, Lead Public Information Officer

Lake County Fire Rescue promoted Lieutenant Troy Braley to Captain in a small ceremony on July 8. Promoting one of our own is always a special occasion. Captain Braley has worked hard throughout his career to train the next generation of firefighters, and we’re proud he’s part of our team. Congratulations, Captain Braley! 44

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

July 2021

Fully-Involved Fire Destroys Daytona Beach Church By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer

Daytona Beach Firefighters responded to a large working structure fire at a beachside Church in Daytona Beach late in the night. The fire that started in the Calvary Baptist Church quickly spread throughout the building leaving multiple engines from Daytona Beach Fire Department, Holly Hill Fire Department and Ormond Beach Fire Department working throughout the night and into the morning to get control of the fire. When firefighters initially made entry into the church they were met with heavy flames and had to switch to a defensive attack mode and exit the building due to the extremely dangerous conditions. Firefighters continued to battle the fully engulfed church from the exterior working all sides and utilizing 2 aerial apparatuses to gain an overhead access to the flames. According to a contractor that arrived on scene, this church was not currently in operation and was already scheduled to be demolished. The power to the building had already been disconnected for some time. Traffic in the area had to be diverted and the streets surrounding the building closed as the roof collapsed and the structure became unstable presenting a danger for vehicles and pedestrians going by. Due to the suspicious nature of this fire and no immediate apparent cause, the State Fire Marshall was requested to conduct a preliminary investigation. Heavy equipment had to be brought in to attempt to make the building structurally safe until demolition begins while the investigation was underway.

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

July 2021

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LION By Thorogood Boots

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info@nafeco.com • 800-628-6233

NE W DELIVERIES GLADES COUNTY CHASSIS: Freightliner M2-106 BODY: Pumper ENGINE: Cummins L9 HORSEPOWER: 350 hp FRONT SUSPENSION: Spring PUMP: Waterous CXPA GPM: 1500 GPM TANK: 1000 gallons

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE CHASSIS: Velocity® BODY: 100’ Ascendant Aerial Tower ENGINE: Cummins X12 HORSEPOWER: 455 hp FRONT SUSPENSION: Spring PUMP: Waterous S100 GPM: 2000 GPM TANK: 300 gallons

JACKSONVILLE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT QTY: Three (3) CHASSIS: Enforcer BODY: Aerial, Tiller ENGINE: Detroit Diesel DD13 HORSEPOWER: 505 hp FRONT SUSPENSION: TAK-4® Independent Suspension PUMP: None

TEN-8 FIRE & SAFETY, LLC. is Florida’s premier distributor of fire apparatus, rescues, and firefighting equipment. Learn more at TEN8FIRE.COM. FLORIDA SERVICE LOCATIONS: Bradenton · Sanford DeFuniak Springs · Fort Myers · Pompano Beach