January 2020 Florida Fire Service Magazine by ffca

THE PUBLICATION

OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

January 2020 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 1

Thank you Fire Chief Gerard “Jerry” Forte and the Palm Coast Fire Department! • E-ONE Typhoon Pumper • Cummins L9 400 HP Engine • Allison 3000 EVS Transmission • Officer Side Vertical Exhaust • Darley LDMV 1,500 GPM Pump • UPF 780 Gallon Water Tank • UPF 40 Gallon Foam Tank • FoamPro 2002 Foam System with Foam Refill System • FRC PumpBoss PBA 400 Series Pressure Governor

• VFD Text Display for V-MUX Electrical System • Whelen 12V Pioneer Plus Pole Lights Back of Cab • Whelen 12V Pioneer Plus Brow Mounted • Federal Signal LED Warning Light Package • TFT 18” Extend-A-Gun 3” • Booster Reel holds 200’ of 1” Hose in Rear Body Compartment • Severe Duty Dash Package • CIIX Stainless Steel Grille for Typhoon • Firecom Wireless and Wired Intercom System

Thank you Fire Chief William “Trip” Barrs and the Treasure Island Fire Department!

• Ford F-350 4x4 • Wheeled Coach 148” Module • Grill Guard with Warn M-12 Winch • 12 VDC/110 VAC Combo A/C System with Coolbar • Custom Aluminum Console • Whelen M Series Emergency Lighting • LED Hi-Brite Flex Lighting in all Compartments • Performance Load Cot Mount • Per4Max Seatbelt System in Patient Module

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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 Donna Chason - Administrative Assistant Liz Aperauch - Administrative Assistant FFCA Board of Directors Darrel Donatto - President Neal de Jesus, EFO - 1st Vice President Frank Babinec - 2nd Vice President John Miller - Immediate Past President Ty Silcox, MPA - Secretary/Treasurer Ryan H. Crawford - Northwest Region Director Carlos Aviles - Northeast Region Director Terry Wooldridge Jr. - East Central Region Director Julie Downey - Southeast Region Director Douglas Riley - West Central Region Director Michael Murphy - Southwest Region Director Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Cindy Morgan - Foundation Chair Ronald Parrish, MPA, CFO, EFO - Senior Member

Public Safety Recruitment: A Job for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tools of the Trade: Balance . . . . . .18 After the Fire is Out . . . . . . . . . . . .20

20 FURTHERMORE

The Speed of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 A Lasting Tribute to Fallen Wildland Firefighters in Florida . . . . . . . . .14

The Firefighter/EMT Community Scholarship . . . . . . .16 State Fire Marshal Visits Monroe . . . . County’s Hot Shots Program . . . .17

Fire-Rescue EAST 2020 . . . . . . . . .24 2019 Fire Service Awards . . . . . . .28

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

The New Executive Fire Officer Program . . . . . . . . . . . . .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.

Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Florida Fire Service January 2020, Volume 28, Number 1 USPS # 016-759

Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

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 author’s alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of FFCA. Copyright 2020 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

Leadership and the Lizard Brain. . . . . 6

FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . .20

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

FEATURES

January 2020

In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

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

uman brains are hard-wired for predictability. It makes us feel safe. However, when predictability is replaced with the unknown, we become uncomfortable. Oftentimes when our safe and secure predictability is replaced by change, we get frustrated and even hostile. Even if you are a person who thrives on change, there comes a point where change awakens your lizard brain. Our lizard brain is the part of the brain that keeps us alive as a species. It lords over our response to unpredictability and the danger it may create. Located deep in the brain stem, the lizard brain controls our breathing, heart rate, sleeping and waking. The lizard brain serves as a gateway to important areas of the brain that contribute to our survival, and to the feelings, memories and thoughts that make us human. When we are faced with a crisis, or confrontational behavior, our lizard brain awakens and floods our system with chemicals that take us to a state of “fight or flight.” When our lizard brain takes over, access to the

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January 2020

thinking, rational part of our brain is shut down. This helps to explain why ten minutes after a stressful situation we can finally come up with a solution to whatever caused the stress. Whether we like it or not, this primal response takes over regardless of your years of experience as a leader. Now the question becomes: How do I shut down my lizard brain and transition to the critical thinking area of my brain? 1. Take a deep breath and count to ten. As a leader, if you seek to respond to your subordinates well, if you want to make correct decisions and be open to opportunities, then you need to quickly get to the critical thinking part of your brain. It may sound incredibly simplistic, but pausing to take deep breaths helps to dissipate the chemicals that have flooded your brain and cut off access to logic and reason. 2. Embrace disequilibrium. In any organization, new challenges, decisions, and moving into the unknown automatically create

disequilibrium. Past ways of viewing things are no longer relevant. We have to reframe previous thinking into new problem-solving strategies. We have to move past our lizard brain and expand our ways of thinking. 3. Hold the tension of opposites. For many leaders, a source of stress and uncertainty comes from the tension of opposites, or the knowledge that two things can be true at the same time. As the leader, you are in the position to take seemingly opposing points of view and mold them into a working whole. Often, the tension between employee needs and organizational goals can kick the lizard brain into hyper-drive. There is good news, however. Our brains have evolved since the days we lived in caves. Modern humans have the ability to use complex language and higher thinking skills to solve modern problems. Much of this critical thinking ability is tied to the evolution of the brain’s pre-frontal cortex. However, before the critical thinking part of our brain evolved, our actions were ruled by the lizard brain. The takeaway from this brief look into how different parts of the brain contribute to our thoughts and actions should simply be that all our E ri c S m it h reactions to stress and chaos lie in different areas of the brain. A series of chemical actions in the brain • • determine our Ba rr y U n i v e r sit y response to everything in our lives. Understanding this and taking steps to minimize the lizard brain’s involvement will impact our ability to make sound leadership decisions.

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By Gordon Graham, Co-founder, Lexipol

Editor’s Note: This article series is designed to introduce you to the concept of real risk management—an approach that goes way beyond a safety program to encompass the 10 Families of Risk and to demonstrate how better understanding these risk families can help you anticipate and mitigate the risks in your own organization. Whether this is your first introduction to Gordon Graham and risk management, or if you’ve been following his innovative approach for years, this series has something for every public safety leader. We encourage you to follow along as we publish additional installments. Gordon Graham here and welcome back. Earlier in these articles I introduced you to the 10 Families of Risk and we are now in family four, Organizational Risk Management. Today’s focus: getting and keeping good people in your organization. There are four principal components in the “people” pillar of success: 1. Recruitment 2. Background investigations 3. Probation 4. Performance evaluations We will explore these one at a time, with one goal: I want to validate a lot of what you are already doing, and simultaneously give you some ideas on how to improve your performance in each of these components. 10

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

Getting and keeping good people starts with recruitment, and I will kick off this piece with a thought: Your public safety agency hires from an “applicant pool.” If your applicant pool is an applicant puddle, you have a significant problem lying in wait. We must work diligently on increasing the size of this pool. The bigger the pool, the better. A wide, broad and deep applicant pool will allow you to pick and choose among good people so that you can select a workforce that is topnotch and reflects the makeup of the community you protect and serve. Both components are essential for continued success and public support. Today, in too many regions around America, the public safety recruitment pool (particularly on the law enforcement side of things) is very small and there is a lot of competition for qualified applicants. Not to digress (I tend to do that a lot), but I can recall as a kid growing up in San Francisco in the early 60s watching the evening news with Walter Cronkite and seeing a camera shot from a “whirlybird” (yes, that was what we used to call helicopters) of a throng of men in New York City that filled the sidewalk and was several blocks in length. These men were applicants lining up for the written test to become a New York City police

officer. I can still hear Cronkite’s voice explaining that some 30,000 men were taking the test that day—a story he repeated annually. Fast-forward a decade and I was testing for a job with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) at a huge auditorium at San Francisco City College along with thousands of other guys (it was all men back then). After we all filed into the testing area, there was an announcement that there were nine other sites throughout the state where the testing was taking place and a total of 40,000 applications were received. This test was the start of the process to ultimately select 1,000 new officers. More than 40 years later, from New York to California, those huge numbers are gone. There are many reasons why this has happened (violence against cops, anti-police commentaries, lack of physical fitness and drug abuse, to name a few) but that is not the focus of this piece. Our focus is “What can we do to increase the size of the applicant pool?” The good news is that there are a lot of things you can do. First, you need a recruitment unit—dedicated women and men whose sole mission is building the size of the applicant pool. Please take this seriously, and do not make the recruitment unit a dumping ground for the lazy people in your

organization who don’t do anything. Your recruitment unit needs to consist of your best people, who will have the skills and abilities to get to the churches, the colleges, the gyms, the military bases, and all the places where good people tend to congregate. My guess is that most of you have such a function in your department. But here is a second thought for you. If I were running your department, I would make everyone a recruiter. That’s right—part of every job description in every public safety agency would be “recruitment,” with language such as “While you are on duty”—and please make that very clear, I do not want to generate any Fair Labor Standards Act problems or worker’s compensation issues and trust me, I have seen this happen across America—“you should make at least one contact per day with the goal of getting that person interested in a career in law enforcement or the fire service.” Look at all the great people you meet every day. You meet them on calls, on interactions with people who need assistance, in restaurants and myriad other situations. Take the time to say, “You know, I have only just met you, but you seem like a good person, have you ever considered a job in public safety?” And give your people the tools

(packets of information, a card with a website address, pay and benefits information) so that the person you are chatting with can follow up if they are interested. Think about the numbers. If everyone in your department discovered just one good, solid recruit in their career, that would help you keep up with attrition. If everyone made it their goal to find just one person per year, you would significantly increase the size of your applicant pool. If they found just one person a month, you would have an applicant pool 12 times that size. And if everyone made it their goal to find one good woman or one good man per day, you would have that wide, broad, deep applicant pool that would allow you to pick and choose to get topnotch people who reflect the demographics of your community. I know most of you are aware of the public safety recruitment problem. Hopefully some of the thoughts I’ve shared here will spur some new ideas about how you can start to tackle the problem in your organization. In my next piece, I will get into the importance of comprehensive background investigations. Until then, please give some thought to better ways to recruit the next generation of public safety personnel. TIMELY TAKEAWAY—As I am writing this

at the Delta Sky Club in Jacksonville, I just had a great conversation with a young man who will soon be getting out of the Army and hopefully he will someday be part of the CHP. He now has some basic information on how to move forward and an “interest card” with the direct line of a CHP recruitment officer and a website where he can look at the opportunities offered by the CHP. If everyone in every law enforcement organization did this daily, we would be much better off. Each of us in public safety has an obligation to increase the size of the applicant pool. Gordon Graham is a 33-year veteran of law enforcement and the co-founder of Lexipol, where he serves on the current board of directors. Graham is a risk management expert and a practicing attorney who has presented a commonsense risk management approach to hundreds of thousands of public safety professionals around the world. Graham holds a master’s degree in Safety and Systems Management from University of Southern California and a Juris Doctorate from Western State University.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

The Speed of Life By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

•

new year is upon us. Can you believe it? They say, “time flies when you’re having fun.” It seems that, regardless of your frame of mind, the days, weeks, months and years go by with ever-increasing speed. At this pace, where does our relationship with God fit in? If we look back into the Old Testament, we find that God established a relationship with His people that would draw them close to Him on a regular, even daily, basis. As Israel wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt, they were dependent on God for their basic needs of food and water. In providing for His people, God chose to give them only what they needed for one day at a time. This created a situation where the people found themselves depending on God every day. But wouldn’t it be nice if God took into consideration our fast-paced world and met h A. La C ogna se p ta our needs in a more efficient manner? I Jo mean daily bread? Why not weekly, monthly or quarterly? Daily seems a bit much. I don’t even go to Wal-Mart that often. It is only through daily investing in our Fir t relationship with God that we can continue eR or escue Supp to develop in our understanding of His ways. It is only by spending time in His Word every day that we can grow in knowing how to live. And it is only by entering into His presence day-by-day that we can learn to hear His voice. I pray that 2020 will be a year marked by the time you spend with God. I pray that you would commit yourself anew to enjoying a personal, on-going, daily relationship with Him. And I pray that you will come to depend on Him every day. You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com.

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ALLEN DURHAM, PRESIDENT/CEO OVER 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY 850.841.9992 | ADURHAM@UNITEDBADGES.COM

By John K. Fish, Fire Chief, Forest Protection Bureau, Florida Forest Service

lorida has many special places that have been constructed to honor the service and sacrifice of our fallen firefighters. One is the Florida Wildland Firefighter Memorial which is located on the grounds of the Florida Forest Service’s Withlacoochee Training Center near Brooksville. The Florida Wildland Firefighter Memorial was originally dedicated in 1986 following the third fireline death in the agency’s history. In 2011, the memorial was enhanced by Florida Forest Service personnel and re-dedicated. At that time, the memorial included the names of eight brave Florida Forest Service firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the lives, homes and natural resources of Florida’s citizens. On November 14, 2019, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, Florida Forest Service Director Jim Karels and fire service agency officials gathered to dedicate the second phase of the memorial. Director Karels read the name of each fallen firefighter followed by a single and resonating strike on the apparatus bell of a 1923

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

American LaFrance fire engine. The following Florida Forest Service firefighters, whose names were already on the memorial, were honored during this ceremony: • Albert Newton, Forest Ranger, Lake City District, 12/3/1960 • Cecil Irey, Forest Ranger, Lakeland District, 4/23/1968 • Marco Miranda, Forest Ranger, Fort Myers District, 1/30/1985 • George “Bo” Burton, Firefighter/Helicopter Pilot, Caloosahatchee District, 6/4/2000 • Edward Peters, Forest Ranger, Waccasassa Forestry Center, 3/3/2004 • Henry Hobbs, Senior Forest Ranger, Jacksonville District, 2/21/2005 • Brett Fulton, Forest Ranger, Suwannee Forestry Center, 6/20/2011 • Joshua Burch, Forest Ranger, Suwannee Forestry Center, 6/20/2011 Four wildland firefighters from partner agencies who gave their lives in the line-of-

duty in Florida were added to the wall with full honors. “Our vision for this memorial is to honor the service and sacrifice of wildland firefighters across all fire service organizations,” said Karels. “With this spirit in mind, we add these brave men to the Florida Wildland Firefighter Memorial”. The following firefighters were added with distinction during the ceremony: • Scott J. Maness, Biological Technician, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 6/8/1981 • Beau W. Sauselein, Biological Technician, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 6/9/1981 • Robert D. Tabor, Crewman, ITT Rayonier Corporation, 5/16/1985 • Randy R. Henderson, Safety Officer, U.S. Forest Service, 5/13/2004 A new feature of the wildland firefighter memorial was also unveiled during the ceremony. The one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture by Michael Jernigan depicts a tractor-plow unit, which is the primary initial attack equipment of many southern wildland

Above photo: Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried and Florida Forest Service Director Jim Karels with members of their staff, the Florida Forest Service Bagpipers, Joint Honor Guard members and cooperating agency representatives of the fallen firefighters. Also present to honor these brave men (not pictured) were representatives from the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal, Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, Florida Professional Firefighters, and the Florida Forestry Association.

Members Members of the of Wildland the Wildland Fire Fire JointJoint Honor Honor Guard Guard that that participated participated in the in ceremony the ceremony including including Florida Florida Forest Forest Service, Service, US Forest US Forest Service Service and and US Fish US Fish & Wildlife & Wildlife Service Service along along withwith Florida Florida Forest Forest Service Service Bag Bag Pipers. Pipers.

fire agencies fire agencies and cooperators. and cooperators. This This special special tribute tribute was made was made possible possible through through a a donation donation by the byBurnover the Burnover Foundation, Foundation, Inc. Inc. in support in support of wildland of wildland firefighters firefighters and their and their families. families. The Florida The Florida Wildland Wildland Firefighter Firefighter Memorial Memorial stands stands as both as both a tribute a tribute to those to those who have who have mademade the ultimate the ultimate sacrifice sacrifice in in service service and as and a tribute as a tribute to thetocurrent the current and and future future wildland wildland firefighters firefighters who carry who carry on the on the noblenoble tradition tradition of protecting of protecting Florida’s Florida’s citizens citizens and visitors and visitors fromfrom the dangers the dangers of of wildfire. wildfire.

FFS Director FFS Director Jim Karels Jim Karels (center) (center) explains explains the significance the significance of the of the tractor tractor plowplow unit unit sculpture sculpture just unveiled just unveiled during during the ceremony the ceremony by L by to LR;to R; KeithKeith Mousel, Mousel, Withlacoochee Withlacoochee Forestry Forestry Center Center Manager, Manager, Michael Michael Jernigan, Jernigan, Sculptor, Sculptor, Karels, Karels, Florida Florida Commissioner Commissioner of Agriculture of Agriculture Nikki Nikki Fried, Fried, and and Thomas Thomas Coletti Coletti representing representing the Burnover the Burnover Foundation, Foundation, Inc. Inc.

Firefighters Firefighters added added to the to the memorial memorial during during the ceremony the ceremony

Close-up Close-up viewview of the of bronze the bronze tractor-plow tractor-plow unit unit sculpture sculpture and and commemorative commemorative plaque plaque located located nearnear the memorial’s the memorial’s entrance. entrance. 15 VisitVisit us atusWWW.FFCA.ORG at WWW.FFCA.ORG

lorida Fire Chiefs' Foundation is pleased to announce the foundation has been awarded $25,000 from the Motorola Solutions Foundation. These monies will be used to increase community scholarship opportunities related to public safety education for those individuals who may not otherwise have the means to do so. Employment as a career firefighter provides stability, structure, a second family and the ability to give back to the community in a very real and direct way. The foundation recognizes how important the chance at a financially stable life can be to a person who is economically

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disadvantaged. Because of its continued commitment to the education of Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Foundation has created a scholarship program that is specifically intended to provide financial support for individuals who cannot otherwise afford to attend an approved Florida Firefighter Minimum Standards and related Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification program. Eligible scholarship recipients must be considered at-risk and/or economically disadvantaged at the time of application. The community scholarship applicant must be recommended, in writing, by a community leader such as a State of Florida or local elected official, community leader or fire chief, and must meet the established eligibility

requirements to attend the college or vocational school Firefighter Minimum Standards/EMT program. The Firefighter/EMT Community Scholarship may only cover the cost of tuition, books, uniforms and the rental of required protective clothing. This scholarship is intended to bridge the required cost of the program not funded by other financial assistance being offered at the educational institution. We request that you please share this information with your cadet/explorer leaders and any community group looking for educational opportunities for youth within the community. For information on the Florida Fire Chiefs' Foundation's Firefighter/EMT Community Scholarship Program, please visit www.ffca.org.

State Fire Marshal Visits Monroe County’s Hot Shot Training Program By Kristen Livengood, Public Information Officer, Monroe County

he Monroe County Fire Rescue Hot Shot program received a special visit from State Fire Marshal Division Director Chief Julius Halas at the Joe London Fire Academy. Halas was in the Florida Keys attending the Florida Fire Sprinkler Association annual meeting at Hawks Cay. Halas stressed the importance of education when he spoke to the fire academy trainees. He gave his personal history, which included being a high school dropout. He worked hard for his GED and continued his way through the ranks at the fire academy and through the fire department. Halas now holds a master’s degree. “Having the state fire marshal come by and tell his background really resonates with the trainees,” said Craig Marston, Monroe County Deputy Fire Marshal. “He is very accomplished and his impromptu speech for the Hot Shots was motivating.” In Florida, the Division of State Fire Marshal oversees 35 fire training colleges in the state and is charged with the inspection of over 14,000 state buildings and another 16,000 public structures. Halas also serves as president for the National Association of State Fire Marshals. Regulatory Licensing Safety Program Manager Keith McCarty also visited the academy. His office is responsible for enforcing all laws relating to the licensing and regulation of the following industries: fire equipment, engineered fire protection systems, explosives and sparklers. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

By J. Marvin Hart, Retired Chief Officer, City of Pembroke Pines Fire Department, Indian River State College Fire Academy

e are no longer looking forward to the year 2020; it is now here staring us straight in the face and the new year promises to bring innovative vision to those who not only seek to make a difference in their own life and the organization they represent, but in the lives of those who follow in their steps as well.

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January 2020

With the possibility of doing even greater things in the days and months to come, the fact that you and I will be in the center of the arena where all the action is demands that we remain on guard, disciplined and focused on the responsibilities entrusted to us. Leadership is one of the most critical elements in the life of any organization. If we are to be successful in what we do, there can be no question regarding our integrity or the manner in which we oversee, control or guide those who are subordinate to us. If there is vision and passion in our mission, if we have the organization’s best interest at heart and if our people have a sense of purpose and partnership, then success will follow and everyone associated with you and your organization will rise to a higher level of excellence. Now let me be forthright when I say that there are many people today who have the potential of becoming good, if not great, leaders. However, my observation over the past six months is that if we believe that supervision through coercion is acceptable and that flexing an autocratic muscle every now and then in someone’s face is an alternative method for corrective action, then we are deceiving ourselves. I am not an advocate of a kinder and gentler approach when it comes to management, training, performance or accountability, but I do believe in fairness and

most assuredly the process of “Lead by Example.” It is essential that you and I remember that the preservation of integrity can only be achieved when those who lead have earned the respect and trust of those who follow. If our intentions are less than applaudable, then we should not be surprised when we find ourselves in the center of someone’s crosshairs with a vote of no confidence. Most employees want to be held in high esteem, especially when it comes to their performance, but when skepticism and resentment are manifested between labor and management, the demarcation point between them can become unmanageable at times and quite difficult to navigate. A great deal of time and effort has been invested in us as supervisors to ensure we manage our resources appropriately, and at this point in our careers it is essential that we do things right the first time. If by some chance we do make a mistake, and we will, then it is our responsibility to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Management is not for everyone, but if you have chosen to step up into that position then you must accept the responsibilities that come with it as well, and that includes treating others with the dignity and respect that they are due. If you are a professional in every sense of the word, you must weigh what others say carefully and try not to second guess them. When faced

with controversy, with controversy, you must youremain must remain calm and calm and what they what do. they Treat do.everyone Treat everyone as though as though they they want me want to be methe to be the n aartr vin Hart Mar vi H M focusedfocused on theon facts, thetaking facts, taking into consideration into consideration were the were most theimportant most important personperson on youronstaff your staffhammer, hammer, show me show me that you that areyou held aretoheld a higher to a higher standard. standard. With With and treat andthem treatwith them the with dignity the dignity and theand respect the respect when and when how andtohow to wisdom, wisdom, poise, restraint poise, restraint and resolve, and resolve, show them show them that they that are they due. areGive due.them Giveevery themreason every reason why whystrike.”strike.” Of course, Of course, what you what areyou really aremade really of. made of. they should they should excel and excel become and become a model a model I am referring I am referring to to There There are times arewhen timespeople when people have difficulty have difficulty employee. employee. You have Youthe have power the power to make tothat make that the wisdom the wisdom that that balancing balancing facts, reason facts, reason and compassion and compassion with with possible. possible. comes comes from God from God R Re e e e whatever whatever role they role are they playing are playing in life for in life fearfor fear And if And you choose if you choose to speak to softly speakand softly carry andacarryand a noand oneno else. one else. t i r e d C t i r e df O f fi c f fi c hie C hief O that someone that someone will mistake will mistake their strength their strength for for big stick bigconsider stick consider this – when this –Iwhen wake Iup wake each up each If you will If you keep willthat keep inthat in weakness. weakness. On occasion On occasion they will they take will a position take a position morning morning I makeIitmake a habit it aofhabit ending of ending my my mind, mind, then you then willyou soon willdiscover soon discover how tohow to that is less thatthan is lessdesirable than desirable – forgetting – forgetting who they who they conversations conversations with God withthis God way: this“Ifway: you“If want you wantbalance balance your skills yourand skills abilities and abilities when dealing when dealing are andare from andwhere from where they have theycome. have come. Thinking Thinking me to take me tothe take pounding the pounding blows that blows mythat my with other with people other people and then andyou then willyou also will also that they that are they tougher are tougher than they than look, theythey look, often they often adversaries adversaries are outare to out inflict to on inflict meon then meI then ask I ask realizerealize the secret the behind secret behind steel and steel velvet. and velvet. have very have little verycredibility little credibility amongamong the the of you,ofturn you,me turn into me aninto anvil, anbut anvil, when but you when you HappyHappy New Year. New Year. membership membership and, unfortunately and, unfortunately for them forand them and the organization the organization they represent, they represent, they will they only will only reap what reapthey what sow. they It sow. is essential It is essential that you that doyou do not fallnot intofall this into trap. thisYou trap. areYou much are better much than better than that. that. Abraham Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln, statesman statesman and lawyer and lawyer who who served served as the 16th as thepresident 16th president of the United of the United States, States, was a relentless was a relentless man ofman steelofwho steel stood who stood by his convictions by his convictions in the face in the offace civil of war, civil and war, and yet there yetwas there a side was to a side himto that him was that as soft was as soft as velvet when velvetitwhen cameitto came the less to the fortunate. less fortunate. Be a Be a personperson of steelofand steel velvet. and velvet. The true The heart trueof heart of humanity humanity is whenisawhen man aorman woman or woman can bear can bear their heart theirin heart one in hand oneand hand show andstrength show strength and and power power in the other in thewhile othermoving while moving forwardforward with a with a clear conscience. clear conscience. I want Itowant encourage to encourage you in you 2020into2020 make tothis make this new year new your yearfinest yourhour finestbyhour stepping by stepping up to the up to the plate and plate seizing and seizing the opportunity the opportunity to become to become the most thepositive most positive employee employee within within your your organization. organization. PeoplePeople are looking are looking for quality for quality leadership leadership and a sense and aof sense purpose of purpose and pride andin pride in

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“Dispatch, Engine 1 on scene, single story wood framed dwelling, heavy smoke and flames coming from the front door, Engine 1 has command.” Probably not the exact way your units would communicate what they have upon arrival to a structure fire, however, the purpose of this radio transmission is to make everyone aware of the situation. From this point forward, three principles come into play for those responding: life safety, incident stabilization and property conservation. All three are important to us; however, for the fire investigator, the last one has different meaning and without proper conservation of the scene, evidence of the origin and cause can be lost. The National Fire Prevention Association (2017) defines it as “A firefighting term involving the process of final extinguishment after the main body of the fire has been

Stewart Ahearn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Clint Belk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madeira Beach Fire Department Brent Bloomfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Gary Boullion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DBA Trauma One, ShandsCair John Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant City Fire Rescue Michael Cassano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pasco County Fire Rescue Josh Clements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North Port Fire Rescue Stephen Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flagler Beach Fire Department Raymond Coyle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North Port Fire Rescue Jeremy Dunn . . North Ft. Myers Fire Control and Rescue Serv Dist Jenn Elston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ormond Beach Fire Department Daniel Faviere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lakeland Fire Department Analdy Garcia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hollywood Fire Rescue Stephen Gollan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Janie Gunnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eddie Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suwannee County Fire Rescue Thomas Jakubisin . . . . CORE Construction Services or Florida, LLC Aaron Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IROL Payton Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbourne Fire Department 20

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

knocked down” (NFPA 921, 2017). I feel like most of you already know the topic. You probably also know this can be a touchy topic on the scene of a fire. Do you recognize what the term is yet? You guessed it: “overhaul.” The search for the fire when you cannot see it. The removal of contents and structural components looking for the origin of the small flow of smoke. Two entities (firefighters and investigators) trying to ensure the three principles (life safety, incident stabilization and property conservation) coincide, all approaching the topic of final extinguishment from different perspectives. Property conservation can have multiple meanings to those responsible for the incident. Overall, the idea is to protect the property from any further damage. This is one of the reasons why fire departments carry large

Eric Klos . . . . . . North Fort Myers Fire Control & Rescue Serv Dist Phillip Lloyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barrier Waterman LLC Jeffrey Lucas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Justin Lundquist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North Port Fire Rescue Tracy McMillion. . . . . . . . . . . . City of Fort Myers Fire Department Patrick Moore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Hollywood Fire Rescue Daniel Oatmeyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Timothy Orenic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . South Walton Fire District Alan Perry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Alexander Poli . . . . . . . . Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety Tracy Rowland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Okeechobee County Fire Rescue Erik Sanchez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Miami Fire Rescue Steve Sciotto . . . . . . . . . Jacksonville Beach Fire Marshall’s Office Matthew Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lakeland Fire Department Douglas Stanley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Graham Tolbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Panama City Fire Department Thel Whitley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Zielonka . . . . . . . Orange County Fire Rescue Department

tarps on their engines or trucks. If you can protect an item from water or an overhaul process, then there is a chance for salvage or repair for the owner or occupant. But for the fire investigator, property conservation means preservation of the scene post extinguishment. So, why talk about property conservation or even bring up a term such as “overhaul?” For the fire department, this means no second response for a rekindle. For the fire investigator, it means less disturbance to an already disturbed area. The dynamics of a fire can cause havoc on the property in which no amount of salvage or repair can bring back the original shape or size. However, the damage caused is unique to the item’s make-up or content. The loss of mass or the patterns emerging from the actual fire impinging on the item are important to the overall tracking of the fire’s flow. As the fire moves through the structure, it encounters various components of the structure and contents through the transfer of heat, flame impingement and the byproducts of incomplete combustion. These patterns provide a wealth of knowledge and assists the investigator with their job responsibilities of origin and cause determination. There is a unique difference between extinguishment and minimizing disturbance to the scene. However, there can, and should, be a happy medium between the two. How can this occur, you might ask? Knowledge and education of job responsibilities of both firefighter and fire investigator would be a great start. The fire investigator needs to understand the role of the firefighter. The act of “putting the wet stuff on the red stuff” is extremely important. Without the fire being extinguished,

incident stabilization cannot be completed. For the firefighter, the understanding of what degree of overhaul should occur can be useful to the fire investigatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to salvage critical information. So, here are a couple of suggestions from the fire investigatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. First, less (e.g. water, pulling of sheetrock, etc.) is sometimes better. I have been on several structure fires where there was a heavy flow of water going down the side of the driveway with just steam, no flames or smoke, present. Second, removal of components or contents is not always necessary. Years ago, I responded to a single-story wood framed residential fire. When I arrived, all the furniture for the bedroom (which turned out to be the room of origin) was sitting outside of the roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s window. I understood it was brought out to avoid a rekindle, however, the fire was on the top of the mattress and most of the furniture had only minor to moderate damage. Luckily for all of us, we (the firefighters and myself) were able to reconstruct the room of origin by taking the items back inside. One last suggestion to help in preservation and conservation: secure the fire scene and the immediate area around the scene. Limit entry in and out of the scene to just those who need to go inside. Everyone would like to see, but the more who enter, the more the original shape of the scene changes. We totally understand the need to extinguish a fire now more than ever. Allowing the scene to ventilate helps provide a safer working environment; with smolder and smoke still present the scene is unsafe. So please extinguish the fire and complete your work, but remember we are coming behind you. Stay safe! References: National Fire Protection Association (2017). NFPA 921: Guide for fire and explosion investigations. Quincy, Mass: NFPA.

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

The New Executive Fire Officer Program

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January 2020

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

The EFO Program application period will open in January 2020, for placement in fiscal year 2021 (October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021). The online application process includes new prerequisite courses and a new application package. Prerequisite courses will be announced when the application period opens. Core program requirements, such as a bachelor’s degree, remain in place. All EFO Program alumni are invited to attend the EFO Symposium on April 17-19, 2020. n n L o r b er Jo - A Registration opens on January 2 (Course code R0120). The symposium is also open to fire service executives and their Fo -R rt L re colleagues in a u d er d ale Fi government management. This year’s keynote speaker is Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Theil. Until next time, be safe! •

for a student to complete. The new format will require students to complete the program in two years. The new program includes four oncampus resident sessions, two per year. Residential sessions will be six to ten days in length. Each year of the program includes intersession work done through the NFA’s mediated learning platform. Mediated learning will require between six to ten weeks of active participation. Page 33 is a draft version of how the new program will look. The second most significant change to the EFO Program is that students will be assigned to a cohort that they will stay with throughout the program. The third change is that students will no longer need to write four Applied Research papers. Beginning with the cohort that started December 1, 2019, in order to complete the program, the students will be required to complete a graduate-level thesis. Toward the conclusion of their two-year program, each student will present and defend their thesis.

or a program to remain relevant for decades, it must evolve. The Executive Fire Officer Program (EFO) Program at the National Fire Academy (NFA) has existed for over 30 years. During this time, it has undergone several changes that continuously provided students with relevant course topics and academic challenges. The (EFO) Program underwent one of its most significant evolutions in FY2019 since its creation over 30 years ago. Why is this important to you? First, it is good for all of us to be aware when significant changes are made to any program that has the potential to impact most agencies over time. The EFO Program certainly has that capacity. Second, whether you have completed the program, or have staff members interested in applying to become a student, it is important for you to understand what their academic pursuit will consist of and what your agency’s commitment will be. One of the most significant changes is that the EFO Program will no longer take four years

•

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their needs, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also had to serve beside them. Many of our VFIS associates are active or former emergency responders, and our clients are much more than just clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they are our brothers and sisters. Over the years, VFIS has worked tirelessly to help ensure that emergency responders are better prepared for each and every call they receive. We have stood beside them to help reduce the risk of injury or loss to the people that they serve, and have provided them with education and training programs that have inspired important change and even helped to save lives. Most importantly, we have provided emergency service organizations across the nation with ways to properly protect their property and their most important assetsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; their teams. Our accomplishments of the last half-century serve as a true testament to our dedication and commitment to the industry. There is no doubt that these successes will continue to push us into the future. We look back and ahead with much pride. The legacy that has been developed is one that we will continue to honor in all that we do; an honor that we will pass down through the generations. We recently launched a free resource website at www.ResponderHelp.com that we encourage you to explore. Thank you to all who have been an integral part of our incredible journey. We look forward to 50 more years of being first on the sceneâ&#x20AC;Śand still responding.

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

Hillsborough County Supports Sincerely Santa Program By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

Palm Coast Hosts “A Very Merry Christmas” By Patrick Juliano, Fire Public Information Officer

The Palm Coast Fire Department, along with Professional Firefighters Local 4807, hosted the first ever “A Very Merry Christmas” event, which was a tremendous success. The event was held on Saturday, December 21, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center and was hosted by the Palm Coast Professional Firefighters Local 4807 and their local charity, Palm Coast Firefighters Benevolent Fund, Inc. The event was coordinated by Firefighter Julie Rivera and Driver Engineer Patrick Juliano—both officers of Firefighters Local 4807. “We wanted to bring some joy and spread the love we have for our community to our community,” said Rivera. “We wanted to uplift the spirits of the children in the community and give them something to remember when they are older.” This year’s event was jam-packed with over 500 children and adults in attendance. Funding was provided by a grant from Target and the amazing staff at Super Target of Palm Coast. “Our friends at the Super Target of Palm Coast were like our Guardian Angel, who came in and helped make this possible,” said Driver Engineer Juliano. “The Palm Coast Professional Firefighters recognizes the importance of being involved in the community, ensuring that we have developed community relationships and understanding the needs of the community before the call,” said Juliano. “Opportunities like ‘A Very Merry Christmas’ build a community, fasten relationships and, by meeting with the community, it allows us to be better at preparing to meet their needs.” This inaugural event had all the promises of making incredible Christmas memories for the community. The event kicked off with reindeer games and fun, including building your own gingerbread firehouse, music and more. “Doing without asking,” said Fire Chief Forte. “These inspiring folks looked outward to the community to meet their needs and not their own. Their selfless acts and willingness to make Palm Coast a better place, every time is encouraging.” “I want to commend our Palm Coast firefighters who selflessly serve our community every day for their efforts in going above and beyond,” said Mayor Milissa Holland. “They are enhancing the spirit of our great community and making memories for families to cherish for a lifetime.” This year’s event has sparked so much interest the Palm Coast Professional Firefighters have already started planning next year’s event. Save the date for the 2nd Annual ‘A Very Merry Christmas’ on Saturday, December 19, 2020. 38

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

All through the month of December, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) crews joined other volunteers in their off-hours to gather toy donations and sponsorships for the Sincerely Santa Tampa program. The program ensures that kids whose families can't afford presents for them receive gifts for the holidays. Some of the requests are heartbreaking, such as a bed, or clothes for their parents. “Please, please, please, please can I have some shoes,” wrote one child. “Me, my sister and my brother have been living with my grandma. She has three children of her own. She don’t have much but she has love. She is doing the best she can. All we want is to have a good Christmas,” wrote an 8-year-old. HCFR crews spent weeks at malls and community events fulfilling these important lists, then distributed the bags of gifts to fire stations to be matched up and delivered to each child's home by our firefighters. “A lot of them are asking for pillows, blankets, hygiene-type products. They will get those items, but they will also get some other stuff that the kids, you know, enjoy, some of the toys that they would not normally have,” said HCFR Captain David Raasch. He has been working with Sincerely Santa for 25 of the 32 years of the program’s existence. He notes that first responders often see children from underprivileged families under tragic circumstances. “This program allows us to come back under different terms. We get to call the shots. Most of these families don’t know we’re coming. The children write the letters to Santa Claus, they have no idea that each letter will get answered and they’ll get a delivery.”

St. Lucie Firefighters Deliver Toys On Christmas Day By Brenda Stokes, Executive Aide/Public Information Officer

On Christmas morning, while most were at home opening gifts and celebrating with family, St. Lucie County firefighters, family and friends delivered toys and clothing to those less fortunate for the twelfth consecutive year. A caravan of emergency vehicles, box trucks and cars led by Santa and the Grinch in a fire truck made its way through the narrow streets of the mobile home parks in north Fort Pierce. The convoy is always welcomed by squealing children and grateful parents. Throughout the month of December, St. Lucie County Fire District collected toys and clean, gently used clothing while off-duty firefighters and volunteers were busy sorting and wrapping in preparation for Christmas morning.

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Orange County - Adopt a Fir e Station By Ashley Gipson, Public Information Officer

For the fourth consecutive year in a row, all 42 of Orange County Fire Rescue’s stations were adopted for the holidays through Adopt a Fire Station, an initiative of the office of Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. The tradition, which began in 2012, has become a highlight of the holiday season for both the community and first responders. It provides the public an opportunity to visit with crews who are on shift throughout the holidays and to be creative in expressing their gratitude. Many participants provide meals or baked treats, others sing Christmas carols or bring board games and snacks. As in previous years, community support was overwhelming, with hotels, hospitals, schools, businesses and families all signing up to adopt stations.

Ocala Breaks Ground on MLK First Responder Campus By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer

On December 20, 2019, Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) and the Ocala Police Department (OPD) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the MLK First Responder Campus – the city’s second campus of its type. The morning ceremony was held at the project site, located at the 500 blocks of NW MLK Jr. Ave. With approximately 100 community members in attendance, the event began. An invocation and presentation of colors were followed by remarks from OFR Chief Shane Alexander, OPD Chief Greg Graham and several city officials. Once the vision for the project and gratitude for the community’s support were expressed, the groundbreaking ensued. "We are excited to have broken ground for the MLK First Responder Campus," said Fire Chief Shane Alexander. "This site will not only house the new Fire Station #3 and administration buildings, but it will also be home to a centralized fire rescue logistics office, a police department substation, a community room, a fuel island, and a basketball court for the community's use." Construction of the MLK First Responder Campus project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020, with operations fully functional by 2021. 40

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

Longboat Key 1st Annual Medal Day By Tina Adams, Public Information Officer

In past years, our team members would be recognized during their on-duty shift for their accomplishments. Fire Chief Paul Dezzi wanted to make this event a more 1 memorable one in which all team members of the department, along with family and friends, had the chance to share in each person’s accomplishments made throughout year. The department has dedicated to hold an annual medal day every November to honor all employees, and November 7, 2019, was the Town of Longboat Key Fire Rescue 2 Department’s first Annual Medal Day. Chief Dezzi was honored to recognize not only members of his own department, but other town 3 employees along with citizens within our community. The following are just a few of the amazing employees recognized for a job well done: Fire Marshal Jane Herrin, Chief’s Award; Chase Opela, Firefighter of the Year; Deputy Chief Sandi Drake, Officer of the Year; Firefighter/Paramedics Nick Jaynes, Trey Bowlin, and Josh Moss received pinning of their badge; Firefighter/Paramedics Missina Cutting, Trey Bowlin, Tirso Guerrero, Matt Taylor, William Lewis, Brian Kolesa, Jay Gosnell, Josh Falcon, Ron Koper, Jeff Bullock, Jamison Urch, Deputy Chief Sandi Drake, LT Daniel Heath, and LT Alan Jenkins all received the Phoenix Award. We are thankful for the dedication and teamwork of each member of this department in their continued success in providing the best service to the Town of Longboat Key residents and guests. Photo 1: Pinning of New Firefighters - L-R: Nick Jaynes, Trey Bowlin, Josh Moss, sworn in by Fire Chief Dezzi Photo 2: Chiefs Award – Fire Marshal Jane Herrin and Chief Paul Dezzi Photo 3: Phoenix Award – left to right, Sandi Drake, Trey Bowlin, Tirso Guerrero, Daniel

Mutual Aid Response By Kate Lind

Volusia County Fire Rescue's Station 45 provided mutual aid to a residential fire, which was fully involved. There were no injuries associated with the fire.

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Patient Thanks Hillsborough County after Crash By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) was honored to host one of its former patients who wanted to give a very public thank you to all the first responders she credits with saving her life. Seven years ago, Carly Morgan was hit by a drunk driver and left in a crushed vehicle. HCFR crews extricated and treated her on the scene, and transported her to the hospital. Left with shattered bones, internal injuries and having to endure more than 50 operations, Morgan still had one wish – to thank those who helped her. Besides our crews from that day, most of whom still work in the department, Morgan asked HCFR to gather the Bayflite helicopter crew, dispatchers, medical staff, Hillsborough Sheriff’s deputies, therapists and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) members who helped and supported her. More than 50 people gathered in our Public Safety Operations Complex for the event. “The combined effort of every single one of you, it’s the only reason I’m standing here now,” Morgan said. “It reaffirms the reason that we do this job,” said Robert Collins, now Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Special Operations Chief, who was a Captain on the Heavy Rescue team and worked the scene at the time of the accident. “All the hundreds and thousands of hours of training that we do to prepare for this.” Morgan made gift baskets for everyone, but her heartwarming thanks during the holiday season means more than anything she could bring. Thank you so much, Carly, for remembering us.

Volusia County HazMat Response By Kate Lind

A motor vehicle accident involving a semi-trailer truck elicited a hazardous materials response by Volusia County Fire Rescue HazMat 15, as well as the following Volusia County units: Engine 41, Engine 42, Fire Police and Battalion 40. In addition, Volusia County Public Works, the Sheriff's Office and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the incident.

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. 42

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

2019 Lakeland Fire Department Toy Drive By Janel Vasallo, Public Relations and Information Manager

The Lakeland Fire Department’s 2019 toy drive was a success thanks to generous donations from community members, firefighters and organizations in the Lakeland community. Several hundreds of toys were collected, including 15 new bikes, which were donated to the Children’s Home Society and the Lakeland Dream Center. Toys were dropped off by department staff and firefighters on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at the Children’s Home Society, located at 1010 E Rose Street in Lakeland. Directly after, toys were taken to the Lakeland Dream Center, located at 635 W 5th Street in Lakeland. Fire Chief Doug Riley shared, “Out of the many events our department sponsors and participates in, this is one we all look forward to every year. The holidays are a time to reflect on our blessings and to give back to those in need. This annual toy drive helps hundreds of children in Lakeland by allowing them to enjoy the holidays with a toy someone provided specially for them.”

St. Lucie Fire District Adds Seven new Rescue Trucks By Brenda Stokes, Executive Aide/Public Information Officer

The St. Lucie County Fire District recently added seven new Braun Express rescue trucks with Stryker power lift and power load stretcher systems to the line. These trucks are mounted on a Ford F450 chassis with gasoline engines that will greatly enhance the modernization and reliability of our fleet.

Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue Promotions

Pinellas Park 2019 Firefighter of the Year

By James Ippolito, Deputy Fire Chief

By Suzanne Boisvert, Emergency Management Coordinator

On December 10, 2019, Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue celebrated the promotions of several members to the ranks of battalion chief, district captain, captain and lieutenant. Fire Chief Keith Bryer and command staff hosted family and friends of the newly promoted during a traditional badge pinning ceremony and official swearing-in by the city clerk. Pictured from left to right and identified by their new positions: Lieutenant David Hubert, Lieutenant Xavier Rivera, District Captain Alex Lamb, Captain Kyle Lemon, Captain Brian Wolnewitz, Battalion Chief Robert Pieris, and Battalion Chief David Markle. Not pictured are newly promoted Lieutenants Dameion Miller and Cody Wohlitka.

Lake County Presents Colors at Orlando Magic Game

A hearty congratulations to Firefighter/EMT Michael Fortenbery on being selected the 2019 Firefighter of the Year for the Pinellas Park Fire Department. This award is presented to an individual who has given selflessly of themselves in support of the department and the community. Recipients of the award have demonstrated the dedication, loyalty, productivity and professionalism that reflects the highest standards of the Pinellas Park Fire Department. Fortenbery was hired by the department in 2014 and immediately set his sights on the future. He worked tirelessly to complete all officer training, become a truck, squad and engine operator, an acting lieutenant and CPR Instructor. He recently earned the #1 spot on the department’s lieutenant promotion list. Lt. Erick Despirt nominated Fortenbery for the award and stated in his letter that “Michael is extremely dependable and very hard working. His work ethic is second to none and he works very diligently to make sure those around him have what they need and is a big part of making the department a great place to work. I feel he is a great representative of the department and what Pinellas Park Fire Department’s future is striving for.” Congratulations to our 2019 Firefighter of the Year, Michael Fortenbery!

St. Johns County Welcomes New Firefighters By Greta Hall, AED Program Coordinator

By Kate Jarocki, Public Communications Coordinator

The Lake County Honor Guard presented the colors during the opening of the Orlando Magic home game on January 6, 2020, at the Amway Center. It was the second time that Lake County has presented colors for the Orlando Magic, the first time was in 2015. The Orlando Magic invited the honor guard, which included the following presenting members: Battalion Chief Jeff Hurst, Lieutenant Eddie Johnson, Firefighter Jason Smith and Firefighter Valarie Ligi. The honor guard consists of 14 members in total and was formed in 2002. It conducts various presentations throughout Lake County. “It was a great honor to present the colors and represent Lake County during the opening ceremony of Monday night’s Orlando Magic game,” said Fire Chief James Dickerson. The presentation embodied the Lake County Honor Guard’s mission statement: “Our mission is to honor firefighters in life, as well as death, and to exhibit the best possible image to the entire community. We strive to accomplish this with the highest degree of professionalism, dedication, loyalty, honor and dignity possible. Our purpose is to represent Lake County Fire Rescue by projecting a positive image and performing as a welltrained team at events and formal occasions as directed by the Fire Chief.” 44

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

January 2020

St. Johns County Fire Rescue (SJCFR) is proud to introduce and welcome 13 new firefighters to the department. These firefighters just completed the 6-week orientation program and graduated December 13, 2019. On behalf of SJCFR, we welcome these new firefighters to the service of protecting the citizens and visitors of St. Johns County.

Panama City Fire Department.Promotion By Alexander R. Baird, MPA, EMT-P, Fire Chief

On January 7, 2020, Fire Chief Alexander R. Baird had the pleasure of promoting Firefighter-EMT Martin “Marty” McFaul to the rank of engineer for the Panama City Fire Department. Firefighter-EMT McFaul has worked diligently to prepare himself for the promotion to engineer. Marty began his tenure with the Panama City Fire Department on July 19, 2016 and has worked his way to the rank of engineer. Chief Baird stated, “Marty is truly a dedicated and loyal member of the PCFD Team and represents the future of this great department.”

Curlew Creek Elementary Station Tour

St. Petersburg “Replacement Rescue Units”

By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator

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

When Lieutenant Lane heard that a few students from Curlew Creek Elementary School had a last-minute cancellation for a field trip they had been excited to go on, he took matters into his own hands and invited them to stop by Station 56 for a station tour. Our crews had an absolute blast providing the students with a tour of their station and letting them check out our units. We look forward to seeing these students once again next year!

Delray Beach Fire Rescue Events

Photo 1: Firefighters from Delray Beach Fire Rescue got a glimpse of the rooftop pool of the new Courtyard Marriott during a recent aerial operations training. Firefighter/paramedic Cecelia Rabaza and driver engineer Tia Kyotikki keep an eye on firefighter Richard Merrill atop the ladder. Photo 2: Delray Beach Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedics Andrew Mangini, Jacob Peterson and Sean Humann climb atop the wreckage of a vehicle to begin extrication of an elderly man from the driver’s seat of a pickup. Three cars were involved in the afternoon pileup on a recent afternoon, and multiple people were injured. Photo’s by Dani Moschella, Public Information Officer

Members of our vehicles specifications committee are in Van Wert, Ohio at Braun Ambulances along with Ten-8 fire equipment. They are doing the final inspection on two 2019 Ford F550 Chief LX rescue units. They feature 169” all aluminum interior cabinets body, Stryker performance load stretcher and hydraulic liquid springs suspension for smooth patient transports. These rescue units will be housed at Palmetto Park Fire Station #3 and Central Oak Park Fire Station #6. These units will be servicing the citizens of St. Petersburg in the coming months.

Hillsborough County Visits with “Miracle Baby” By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

A Hillsborough family has plenty to be thankful for after making a horrible discovery just before Thanksgiving – finding their one-year-old daughter unconscious in the pool. The family and responding deputies had already begun CPR by the time Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) crews arrived to take over. They transported the tiny patient to the hospital while continuing advanced life support protocols. Thanks to some immediate quick-thinking efforts by our personnel, this little girl survived and was even able to hold a reunion with her rescuers a week later. As you can see, HCFR crews were thrilled to see her walking around and fully recovered after such a close call.

Daytona Beach Structure Fire By Sasha Staton, Community Relations and Emergency Preparedness Specialist

Daytona Beach firefighters responded to a structure fire at 541 Wallace Street one morning. The fire started on the stove while a male occupant was cooking. He attempted to put out the fire himself with a fire extinguisher, however the fire grew out of control. The male was able to exit the house on his own without injury. Firefighters were able to put the fire out that had spread through 50% of the house. No other houses were affected.

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