November 2020 Florida Fire Services Magazine by ffca

THE PUBLICATION

OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

November 2020 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 11

LIKE US on Facebook

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 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 TBD - Southwest Region Director Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Cindy Morgan - Foundation Chair Leland Greek - Senior Member

FROM THE SECTIONS Message from the FFCA Executive Director . . . . . . . .6

6 FEATURES

KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Unchaining Organizational Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Better Teamwork, Better Organization . . . . . . . . . . 18

Florida’s Technical Rescue Teams . . 24

FURTHERMORE More than Just a Day . . . . . . . . . .12 Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Meet the PIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

2020 Brotherhood Ride . . . . . . . . .20 Financial Mismanagement: The Other

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

Smoldering Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Winter Haven Fire Department

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

Bailout Training . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Department Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . .32 In brief . . . news from

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.

around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . .46 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Florida Fire Service November 2020, Volume 28, Number 11 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 2020 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

NEW 3.0 TOOLS ARE HERE!

Wm Ray Colburn, Fire Chief-Retired FFCA Executive Director

The Hindsight of 2020 They say, “Hindsight is always 20/20,” and as the year that shares that numeric reference is coming to an end, even now the events of this tumultuous time still may not be any clearer. Personally and professionally, this year has been full of unique challenges, fear, fatigue, and disappointment. However, great things can be born from adversity, and we must remember in times like these not to lose sight of, and recognize, the few good things that come as a result. Through these unprecedented times, we have forged new partnerships and charted a common direction as we battled, and are still battling, COVID-19. This is most evident in our work with the Florida Professional Firefighters in the development and distribution of joint policies regarding the fire service’s response to the health and safety of our members. The Association decided early on that we need to keep our members informed and as up to date as we could - to share any resources we had access to in order to promote awareness in the industry as a whole. Communication, collaboration, and coordination are essential to protecting our members and allowing service delivery to continue as effectively as possible. It is because of diligence, professionalism, and leadership that we will prevail. Of course, at times we may have been discouraged or hindered by fear

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

for ourselves and our families. Of course, we are tired of isolation and uncertainty. Most of all, we are saddened by the continual disparaging finger pointing and political conflict that widens the divide amongst us Americans. Despite the overwhelming amount of impediments we may face, we are not dissuaded and continue to report to shift day in and day out, always putting service over self. We are resilient, and that is why we will prevail.

accessible as possible. Each day offers something new, with topics spanning recent events such as COVID-19 response and Civil Unrest, to the fundamentals of early cancer detection, removing the stigma of mental health, PPE decontamination, injury prevention and nutrition. We have a robust program that will share insights and actionable strategies on how to optimize firefighter health and safety with live Q&A segments for key presentations. We must always keep in mind that although this time in our lives may be more challenging than others, it will not be the last hardship we face. The Fire Service, above all else, is a community and a resource. Do not hesitate to reach out for guidance or support. We are all in this together, and we will all get out of this together. Sincerely

Given the uncertainty of restrictions at the time, the FFCA polled its membership in July regarding the annual Safety and Health Conference and decided to deliver this year’s event as a fully virtual educational offering at no cost. Rather than attempt to simulate an in-person event virtually, our focus was to make valuable information and insights as easily

Wm Ray Colburn, Fire Chief-Retired FFCA Executive Director

By Rick Spence, FFCA Chaplain

ll of us have gone through trials of different kinds. I’ve heard it said that there are two types of people, those who are going through trials right now and those who are getting ready to go through trials. It is something that all of us have in common, even at a time like this, when we seem to focus more on our differences. Too often we tend to blame our difficulties on God or think that God is punishing us for something we have done or not done. All of us are going to face various levels of adversity throughout our lives. Whether it is something minimal, like not having our lawn mower start or something as devastating as learning about a life altering diagnosis, we all are going to have to deal with adversity in our lives. How we deal with this adversity is what is remembered more often than the actual issue itself. Too often we think we are the only one that is dealing with a difficult situation. People all around us, people on the other side of the world, people in past generations, and people in future generations have and will deal with all types of trials. Look at a lot of the people in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, they all had to deal with adversity. All of Jesus’ disciples, except one (John), were imprisoned and eventually put to death, for preaching the Gospel. Even though they knew their future was bleak, they continued on preaching the Gospel and building the New Testament church. The Gospel was spread throughout the Middle East and then throughout the world and over many, many generations to the point of where we now have the modern day church. 8

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

One person who truly stands out during this time was the Apostle Paul. He was a former Pharisee (Jewish religious leader) who aggressively persecuted Christians until his conversion on the road to Damascus. Paul believed that Christianity was a false religion and a cheap knock off of Judaism. But, as a follower of Christ, Paul was often beaten and imprisoned for expounding his faith, leading to his eventual arrest and detainment in Rome. While he was in prison in Rome and waiting to hear his fate before the cruelest of all the Roman emperors, Nero, he wrote letters. These letters were addressed to churches in the Roman cities of Ephesus, Phillippi and Corinth, along with a letter to Philemon, the leader of the church in Colossae. Each of these letters became an integral part of the New Testament, instructing Christians about how they are to conduct themselves. What would have happened if Paul had just resigned himself to the fact he was going to be put to death and sat on his hands while awaiting his fate? We would not have “Husbands love your wife as Jesus loves the church,” or writings that undermined the evils of slavery, pursuing Christlikeness and advice to “be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” These letters have endured and given direction and inspiration to countless people for over 2000 years. Paul was not the only person who faced adversity and yet continued to do what he was called to do. Many others throughout history have faced adversity and failure, but persisted on and have left a lasting impact. What would have happened if Michael Jordan had quit playing basketball after he was cut

from his high school team? How different would our country be if Abraham Lincoln had decided to quit politics after losing in his attempt to become a U. S. Senator from Illinois in 1858? Think about how different the landscape of Central Florida would look if Walt Disney had gone a different career path after being fired from the Kansas City Star for “a lack of creativity.” Children everywhere would have missed out if Theodor Geisel had not gone to 28 different publishers in an effort to get his books published. It would have been a tragedy if people did not have the opportunity to read Dr. Seuss. Each of these people experienced adversity and failure, but did not let it define them or deter them. They, along with so many others, continued to do what they were called to do. Look at the legacy each of them left behind. They were not p Rick S ence thinking about their legacy or the impact they would have on the people that came behind • • FF them, but God was. in CA C h a pla God was not mad at them, God was not punishing them and God was not apathetic toward them. God was testing them by fire. We are all going to be tested by fire and it is usually our response to that fire that determines who we are. Just because we cannot see God working, does not mean He is not working. Much of what God does in our lives goes on around us and in the background of our lives. Each of these people were just trying to KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

BAUER B-VIRUS FREE™

COMPRESSOR INTAKE AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR SAFETY WITHOUT COMPROMISE AMBIENT AIR

Contains impurities

UV LIGHT SOURCE

Inactivates viruses, bacteria and molds1

CLEANED BREATHING AIR

Optimally prepared for compression

PARTICULATE FILTER Removes dirt and pollen

B-VIRUS FREE™ removes up to 99.9 % of coronaviruses, bacterias and special molds out of the intake air.

PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

Science has shown that viruses and bacteria can spread rapidly over great distances through aerosol dispersion. Mixed in the ambient air, they can pass through any commercially available standard air purification system which is part of the typical breathing air compressor system. Even the high temperatures and pressures of a typical high- pressure breathing air compressor have little effect on viruses and bacteria because of their short- duration exposure to the process. The new BAUER B-VIRUS FREE™ breathing air filtration system (patent-pending) inactivates up to 99.9% of viruses including coronaviruses, bacteria, and molds at the air intake section of your BAUER breathing-air-compressor. The system is designed to protect firefighters, divers, hazardous-location-workers, military personnel, or anyone who breathes compressed breathing air through SCBA or SCUBA cylinders.

INTAKE PARTICULATE FILTER

Underpressure in the compressor draws in air through the intake filter opening. Normal dust particles and even pollen are removed from the air by the intake filter.

CONTROL AND DISPLAY

The control unit of the B-VIRUS FREE™ protective filter system monitors functions and controls the UV light source. Operational status information is provided by visual (LED) and acoustic signals.

UV PURIFICATION

The specially deigned UV light source emits highenergy UVC radiation that destroys the molecular bonds in the DNA of bacteria and molds and in the RNA of viruses. This prevents the pathogens from reproducing.

OZONE FREE

CONNECTION TO COMPRESSOR The B-VIRUS FREE™ protective filter system is connected to a specially sealed intake hose, which eliminates any potential new contamination from leaks between the protective filter and the compressor block.

The B-VIRUS FREE ™ filter system produces no harmful ozone.

www.BauerFire.com Connect with us.

Bill Dickson

Vice President of Sales - Breathing Air Products › (757) 855-6006 Ext.2290 › Bill.Dickson@BauerComp.com

FLORIDA FIREFIGHTER CANCER TREATMENT INSURANCE Custom insurance product designed to assist Florida Fire Service organizations with meeting various requirements of SB 426 (now codified as s.112.1816 Florida Statutes). Not intended to meet all requirements.

COMPETITIVE PRICING / INDUSTRY LEADING COVERAGE BENEFITS .

LINE OF DUTY CANCER INITIAL DIAGNOSIS LUMP SUM BENEFIT ($25,000)*

OPTIONAL RECURRENCE DIAGNOSIS BENEFIT (UP TO $25,000)*

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSIS BENEFIT (UP TO $25,000)*

OPTIONAL LINE OF DUTY CANCER EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT BENEFIT

OPTIONAL LINE OF DUTY CANCER DEATH BENEFIT ($75,000)

(up to $12,000 per covered individual per year)*

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS/ BENEFITS AVAILABLE:   

Allows employment with multiple Florida fire service organizations to meet five year, full-time firefighter continuous service requirement Ability to add civilian personnel Ability to expand types of cancers covered (beyond the statutory 21 cancers set forth in s.112.1816 Florida Statutes)

WHAT WE OFFER: 

Direct Claims Administration



Simplified Process for Proposal/Purchase/Enrollment A Rated Insurance Carrier



PRESENTED BY: ®

FOR INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: ALLEN DURHAM, UNITED BADGES INSURANCE SERVICES | 850-841-9992 | adurham@unitedbadges.com Subject to insurance policy terms and conditions. Product not intended to cover all requirements of s. 112.1816 Florida Statutes. *Items 1-4 collectively subject to $50,000 maximum lifetime benefit. Promotional material for overview purposes only. United Badges Insurance Services / Provident Insurance Programs. PBG-AH-018-AXI-0620

By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

we have to be thankful h A. La C ogna for is our se p ta Jo relationship with God and our ability to trust in Him completely. We Fir t must be able to eR or escue Supp look at the difficulties of life and put them into a bigger perspective; an eternal perspective. “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com. •

each year. This is the official day set aside for us to give thanks. But thanksgiving should be much more than a day of life; it should be a way of life. For most of us, our thanksgiving list is full of the good things that God has done for us and the bad things He has kept from us. But this seems to limit Paul’s instructions stated above to “give thanks in all circumstances.” What about when the good things don’t get done and the bad things don’t get stopped? Being thankful in all circumstances can be a challenge. Day in and day out, you see the tragedy and sorrow that is part of life. You are with people during some of their darkest moments and at times get drawn into their difficulties. So how can we be thankful in all circumstances? Ultimately, we must come to see that what

•

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Picture the day after Thanksgiving. The day before you were in a house that was full; today things are back to normal. The day before you sat at a table full of holiday food; today there are only leftovers. The day before you took time to recite what you are thankful for; today, well what about today? For many, the only thanksgiving they know is the fourth Thursday of November

DEDICATED TO SERVING PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL

(AND FAMILIES & FRIENDS)

PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS

(AGENCIES AND ASSOCIATIONS)

PUBLIC SAFETY VENDORS & MANUFACTURERS

INSURANCE PRODUCTS WE OFFER

PERSONAL

COMMERCIAL

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

SPECIALTY ACCIDENT

SPECIALTY CRITICAL ILLNESS

LIFE

CALL 800.566.5990 ASK US ABOUT SPECIAL PRODUCT FEATURES DESIGNED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL

Badges Insurance Services LLC partner agency. Applicants are individually underwritten by each respective insurance carrier. Some applicants may not qualify for insurance and/or all available discounts. Insurance coverage subject to policy terms and conditions of each respective carrier. Not available in all states. Promotional material for descriptive purposes only.

By Dr. Joe Pennino, DPA, EFO, CFO, Deputy Fire Chief, Largo Fire Rescue

he chain of command is as synonymous with the fire service as bushy moustaches and leather helmets. However, take a moment and ask yourself… “Are the processes and procedures in my organization designed to get the most out of our team members, or are they instead serving to stifle them?” Consider this insight from author and business executive Jack Welch. In his book Winning, he recounts a conversation with a middle-aged appliance worker. The gentlemen conveyed to Welch, “For twenty-five years, you paid for my hands when you could have had my brain as well— for nothing.” As Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini chronicle in their book Humanocracy, “While companies like Amazon and Intuit recognize the value of bottom-up innovation, most organizations don’t.” Now, before sending me hate mail, I will concede the chain of command is effective in many situations and does serve a purpose. However, it doesn’t serve every purpose. The bureaucracy, rigid chain of command, and overabundance of SOP/SOGs found in most fire service organizations seem to exist more out of tradition than because of their effectiveness. It is “the way we’ve always done it” and it hearkens back to a time (around the turn of the 20th Century) when “Taylorism” was at its peak. Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management model focused on

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

standardization, time and motion studies, the elimination of waste, productivity, and a high level of managerial oversight. In the name of efficiency, employees were taught how to do a small number of things well and then were effectively pigeonholed into that function. The job of “thinking” was left up to management. While this may be efficient, it is easy to see the problems that might arise when treating employees like cogs in a machine. Policies, no matter how well-written, will never be able to counter an actively disengaged workforce created by ineffective organizational structures. It isn’t that no one has ever tried to change this. As early as the 1960s, New Public Administration (NPA) advocates began to condemn bureaucracy and there have been several proposed remedies including privatization, quality improvement, total quality management, and outsourcing (to name a few). Nevertheless, none of these strategies were effective in providing a sustained improvement in government performance. Let’s fast forward and look at a model that is quite contrary to Taylorism. The High Performance Organization (HPO) model is a conceptual framework that attempts to achieve improved and sustainable organizational performance. Led by some of the most successful organizations, many businesses and government agencies alike are

transitioning to the HPO model in order to harness the full range of talents, skills, and abilities possessed by their workforce. While there are many components to the HPO model, chief among them includes an operational flattening of the organization, the expectation of leadership at every level, 360degree communication, teamwork, and collaboration. Essentially, it is the stark alternative to the traditional sluggish, sterile, hierarchical, and red-tape wrapped chain of command. In this model, rank becomes less important, everyone’s ideas and input are equally valued, and time is spent engaging and developing members in an effort to increase organizational ownership. So, what does this actually look like in a modern, multi-hazard fire service organization? First, the department needs to have a shared organizational vision or destination. According to author Simon Sinek, “Average companies give their people something to work on. In contrast, the most innovative organizations give their people something to work toward.” Now, this next concept may seem obvious, but it is much easier to “share” in a common vision when you’ve had input in creating it. This is where the HPO philosophy uses microbusinesses. Essentially, a microbusiness serves to pull information and ideas together from all the

different parts of an organization that may be impacted by a decision. Now if this sounds a lot like a committee, you’d be right. There is an old aphorism that states “committees are cul-de-sacs where ideas go to die.” It is true that committees (if mismanaged) can suffer from infighting, mission creep, and be more languorous than the chain of command. However, if managed properly (with clear goals, objectives, rules of engagement, and with the best interest of the organization in mind), they can serve to provide diverse opinions and perspectives and give a voice to each member of the department. After a vision or “destination” is established and widely communicated, a road map is developed. During the journey each detour, each stop, each initiative undertaken, and each new idea is evaluated to determine if it moves the organization closer to the destination and aligns with its vision, or if is merely a distraction. However, this is not done by a select few at the top of the organization, but rather transparently, with input from a diverse representation of all the stakeholders within the organization. These microbusinesses or committees can be developed to work on almost anything including uniforms, apparatus design, policies, deployment methods, how new recruits are trained, purchasing priorities, and which new initiatives to tackle. In most cases, those who work closest to and are most impacted by the “thing” the committee is meeting about have the best insight to offer. In fact, Simon Sinek claims that “The responsibility of leadership is not to come up with all the great ideas, but to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.” I have seen great results when firefighters have input on items like apparatus design, equipment, uniforms, turnout gear, how to streamline processes, and who should serve on their peer support team. The ultimate goal is to have more problem finders AND more problem solvers. Employee engagement in the form of providing input, taking the initiative to solve problems, and participation on committees is one aspect of a healthy organization. Communication (as we all know) is another, and it is essential to the HPO philosophy. Without it, rumors become rampant and morale suffers. However, the chain of command can become an impediment to effective communication. Therefore, it cannot be relied upon solely. For the HPO model to work, it is important for all members to feel comfortable asking questions or communicating their ideas, concerns, and frustrations. In my opinion, phone calls, text

messages, and emails from any member of the organization should be encouraged. However, if a chief officer receives a phone call that is purposefully meant to undermine a supervisor, the chief officer should explain the proper protocol to the team member and redirect them to the appropriate person. Otherwise (just like in all relationships), healthy organizations should have open lines of communication. Additionally, chief officers of every rank should portion out a part of their schedule to visit with personnel in a casual and unhurried manner, and even jump a call or two with them if the opportunity presents itself. While there are plenty of things that vie for our time, this is a part of the job that can’t be overlooked. Again, this is a way to close the gap, flatten the organization, and hear about successes and concerns that wouldn’t normally reach the upper levels of the chain of command. Also, it humanizes our organization by allowing us to catch personnel doing something right, get to know our team members better, and for them to get to know us. Recent circumstances have uncovered another effective means of communication. Video conferencing allows department leadership to partner with city administration,

union leadership, and others in order to address the entire organization on a regular basis and talk about initiatives, current events, and to address concerns. Furthermore, it allows for those watching to ask questions either beforehand or in real time. Finally, members of the beforementioned microbusinesses can use all of these techniques to frequently address the organization and keep them apprised of their committees’ progress. At the end of the day, all of us want to have a say in the decisions that impact us and we want to be communicated with and kept informed. The HPO model is an inclusive approach to decision making and solving organizational problems. Some of the results include more engaged and productive team members as well as increased morale. Employee motivation (instead of being linked solely to pay and other self-interested motives) becomes based on an identity with the department, meeting team goals, and the amount of influence each team member has on the decisions being made within the organization. After all, as Mr. Sinek puts it, “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

APA Integrated Business Solutions is a customized equipment parts supply chain and warehousing program that leverages North America’s largest network of OE and aftermarket resources from automotive, heavyduty and fire-specific parts to safety equipment and shop supplies. NAPA IBS places the industry’s best parts professionals and inventory management technologies right inside your department’s shop, taking you out of the parts business so you can focus on keeping your fleet running. The program helps fire department fleet facilities reduce administrative procedures and transactional costs, increase on-demand parts availability and fleet technician performance, lower vehicle downtime, eliminate obsolete parts and shrinkage costs, and cut parts costs and inventory investment. Today, NAPA IBS serves more than 400 government and commercial fleets including cities, counties, states, DOTs, school districts, airline GSE, construction, utility, trucking, dealerships and more. NAPA IBS started supporting fire

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

departments back in 1993 in the City of Richmond, VA. Since then, we have grown our footprint and have learned from industry professionals exactly what departments need to thrive. With our priorities aligned with yours, we can be a true business partner, not just a parts supplier. Some of the priorities we focus on include: • Maximizing technician wrench time by having the parts they need when they need them • Minimizing equipment downtime so units can be on the road serving their communities • Managing a large supplier base and consolidating everything into one bill • Controlling technician p-card spend so all purchases are tracked and attached to work orders • Budgeting for increasing fuel costs • Reducing overall parts and operational spend

• Increasing the efficiency of garages with a limited workforce • Being prepared for emergency or after-hours situations NAPA supports its IBS locations and fire department fleets through both an internal supply chain of more than 6,000 NAPA stores and 52 distribution centers nationwide, as well as a diverse external vendor base of more than 1,400 suppliers. This means that we’re not just stocking NAPA parts in your garages, but buying everything you need from McNeilus, Pierce, E-One, Spartan, OE manufacturers, other aftermarket suppliers and more. Visit our website or contact us at the information below to learn more about how we can help your department’s fleet run more efficiently. We can even set up a business case for you to take to your purchasing department, or can take you on a tour of a nearby department that uses the NAPA IBS program today.

Meet

PIO

the

Summer Mahr, Public Fire and Life Safety Educator, Largo Fire Rescue

What is the most challenging issue facing the Fire and Life Safety Educator Function today? Teaching fire and life safety education to the residents of Largo is a gift that I truly enjoy. We try to use the best and most current data available to target our public education efforts in order to make the biggest impact. However, a challenging aspect of this career is the inability to physically count the number of potential lives saved or injuries prevented, because the injuries never happened in the first place (which is of course a good thing). As a former elementary education teacher, measuring a student’s growth could be achieved through improved test scores and report card grades. To some extent, you can measure the reduction of calls for particular incidents such as cooking fires and falls. However, it is much harder to determine when a resident chose to stay in the kitchen while cooking to prevent a fire, or when a resident cleared clutter from the floor to prevent a fall. These reallife examples regarding the impacts of prevention are not as straightforward to identify. 18

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Describe your PIO/Public Education philosophy. My philosophy on being a public information officer is to get the right information to the right people at the right time. Distribute facts only, never let emotions or opinion get in the way. It’s ok not to know every piece of information about a particular incident at a given time. It’s better to inform the public of your uncertainty, while also ensuring you will do your very best to keep them informed when information does become available. The media is your friend. Develop a positive rapport with your local media outlets. Be quick to respond, and always be polite and professional. My philosophy on public education is to be proactive, not reactive. Build relationships with the community and neighboring agencies. Evaluate your programs and events, and always identify ways to improve your outreach. Learn from past campaigns and events to make future campaigns and events even stronger. What is the most challenging issue facing the public information function today? A challenging issue facing the public information function is the inability to provide wanted information to media outlets while a particular incident is unfolding. For example, many news channels or outlets may want to know the specific cause or origin of a house fire, while we are unable to provide that information while the incident is still open and under investigation. I strive to give them as much information as I can, while maintaining the standard of only giving facts, not inklings or assumptions. How has public information changed? Public information has changed from the typical display on the 6 o’clock news to being streamed LIVE in present time through our everchanging social media outlets. Social media avenues such as Facebook and Twitter allow Public Information Officers to push real time content to their residents and viewers right as the incident is happening. What skills do you feel a PIO should possess? A public information officer should be calm, patient and factual. Above all else, a public information officer should always represent and showcase their department in a positive and professional manner.

What are some unique aspects of your PIO function? I love my position as public information officer and educator! I would say my favorite and most unique aspect of being a PIO is the opportunities I have to run on incidents with my firefighting colleagues. I am not a sworn firefighter, as my background is in Elementary Education. However, I still get the opportunity to work on scene with the crews, taking photos and providing content and information to our social media avenues and news outlets. What is your favorite aspect of your job as fire and life safety educator? I love interacting with the community and sharing the safety services we have to offer. Having the ability to provide residents in need with working smoke alarms is such a fulfilling part of my job! The best part about being a fire and life safety educator is witnessing an act of safety or a preventative measure taking place as a result of the education I have provided. I teach in a lot of manufactured home communities that have very small windows, causing a challenge when it comes to exit planning. One resident contacted me after a presentation I gave and let me know that because of my lesson, she had a company come out and install an emergency escape door in her bedroom which made me extremely proud of what I do. What changes do you think are coming to fire and life safety education? Community outreach and education has changed significantly over the course of 2020. We, as educators, have been challenged to adapt to our new environment, and produce dynamic ways to continue educating our

residents. The concept of virtual presentations, virtual station tours and drive-through events have become a staple of fire and life safety education this year. Our department has been able to reach more residents during these types of events versus the traditional face to face presentations. For example, we were able to host a drivethrough hurricane expo where we supplied gift bags which included hurricane guides and fire safety information. We asked each person if they had working smoke detectors and took their information and followed up with them if they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. I believe these modes of outreach are here to stay and have been a positive product of the unique environment 2020 has given us.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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

sk a roomful of people for their definition of teamwork and you will likely get numerous different answers. However, one thing everyone should agree on is that teamwork is a crucial component of a successful organization. Every organization has (or should have) clear-cut goals and strategies to attain those goals. This task becomes exceedingly difficult without a competent wellfocused team tackling organizational issues and problems. Building a culture of teamwork should be an organizational priority. A logical first step in

Please check us out on social media

https://www.facebook.com/FlFireChiefsAssociation/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/florida-fire-chiefs

@FlFireChiefs

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

team building is to answer the question, what exactly, are the benefits of teamwork? A successful team: • Creates synergy, where the sum is greater than the individual parts. • Removes barrier to employee success. • Encourages cooperation across all divisions of the organization. • Promotes flexibility and responsiveness, ESPECIALLY the ability to respond to change. • Leads to a sense of achievement, equity, and camaraderie. Interestingly, organizations are not the only ones to prosper from solid teamwork; employees will often flourish in situations where teamwork is highly valued. Previous research has shown that a strong teamwork environment will result in employees believing that they can contribute to organizational efficiency in a meaningful way. Additionally, a focus on teamwork allows employees to become more a part of the decision-making process. There is really no mystery as to what makes teams effective. The most effective teamwork happens when individual team members share their knowledge and ideas with the rest of the team, and work together in order to achieve a common goal. Team success does not happen by accident. It requires hard work, commitment, and the ability to overcome personal agendas in order to reach the desired goals. Some of the specific factors that generally lead to a good team effort are: • A shared belief in the value and viability of the team’s goals. • An awareness of the value of the contribution of each team member.

• A desire to collaborate; sharing thoughts, ideas and possible strategies. Many times, team failures are caused by the strength of one personality hijacking the team effort. Team building requires that egos take a back seat to shared goals of both the team, and ultimately, the organization. Developing a team-oriented organization may require an overhaul of past and present organizational culture. Without buy in from top decision makers, team-building efforts will likely be for naught. One of the best ways to create a team atmosphere is to encourage mentoring relationships. This type of relationship enhances employee engagement by offering both mentors and mentees the opportunity to give and receive regular feedback. Mentoring also supports learning between individuals and groups, often significantly reducing the transfer of knowledge time between veteran employees and those employees who are just beginning their careers. Additionally, mentoring encourages a diverse range of employees to share their opinions and offer their E ri c S m it h ideas. Creating an atmosphere based on teamwork is not difficult to accomplish. However, it • • Ba rr y U n i v e r sit y requires a very special leader to relinquish a measure of control. This feat is often easier said than done. Nevertheless, if you are looking to create an organization that is capable of meeting present and future challenges, teamwork building is something you would be wise to try.

ETR IS THE EXCLUSIVE HORTON DEALERSHIP IN FLORIDA PROVIDING SALES, PARTS, SERVICE, AND WARRANTY

REMOUNT

FEATURES: • Horton I4G Multiplex Electrical System • ZeroRPM Idle Mitigation System • Horton Cool-Tech II HVAC system • Horton 360 Brigade camera system • Horton Occupant Protection System (HOPS)

1-844-612-8148 19 YEARS OF RESPONDING TO YOUR NEEDS

By Jeff Morse, Founder/President, Brotherhood Ride

he Brotherhood Ride was formed in 2007 by a small group of North Naples firefighters (now North Collier Fire) after the tragic deaths of nine Charleston SC firefighters on June 18, 2007. All nine firefighters had died in the Sofa Super Store fire attempting to rescue a trapped citizen. To honor these brave firefighters, the Brotherhood Ride planned to ride BICYCLES from North Naples Florida to Charleston SC. The ride took place a year after the incident to show the families that first responders across America still cared about their loss and still wanted to honor their heroes. The sole purpose of the ride was to provide emotional and financial support to the families and coworkers left behind. Brotherhood Ride cofounders, North Collier Capt Jeff Morse and South Trail Fire Administration Candy Morse spent the next year planning and organizing the ride. The team was made up of firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel, either active or retired. No one on the team was paid, and most of the team used their vacation time to attend the event, spending time away from their families to honor someone they had never met. The teams very first ride was named Nine Days for Nine Heroes. Each day was dedicated to one of the fallen Charleston Firefighters. The team of riders and support personnel

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

covered 732 miles in nine days to reach Charleston SC. The team received a police & fire escorts along the entire route by the local first responders. We were met at the Charleston City limits by a large contingent of Charleston Fire Apparatus which escorted us to the site of the incident and then to Charleston Elks Lodge for a final closing ceremony. The team was able to meet with the families and coworkers. It was such a rewarding and emotional experience that the team thought it could never be recreated, so we returned back to Naples assuming it would be a one time ride. Unfortunately, approximately one month after our return Forth Myers Police Officer Andrew Widman was shot and killed in downtown Fort Myers. The Fort Myers Police Department had provided us with an escort as we passed through their city for the Charleston 9 Ride. Fort Myers Police requested the Brotherhood Ride to honor Officer Widman also. So the following year our team rode 413 miles around the State of Florida to honor Officer Andy Widman. Andy’s badge number was 413. Our team was formed to honor nine firefighters, but a police officer made sure we continued the tradition of honoring our own. Since then we have not looked back and the team holds an annual memorial ride for every line of duty death in the state of Florida.

This years ride honored twenty-five first responders who gave their lives protecting the citizens of Florida in 2019. The team departed Florida Highway Patrol Office in Ft. Myers and traveled for seven days through the state covering 566 miles. The ride concluded in Live Oak on Oct 7. During this years ride, we were able to stop at the Florida State Firefighter Memorial in Ocala. The team was escorted by Marion County Fire and Police agencies into the site. Marion County Honor Guard Commander Pam Driggers was standing guard at the site as the team ceremonially walked their bikes to the memorial. The team assembled at the memorial and were welcomed by Florida Fire College Superintendent Mike Tucker, Student Services Angie Cain and an Academy Class. The team’s primary mission is to support the families of the fallen, but we were honored to address the young firefighters who are just starting their careers. Superintendent Tucker expressed how important the tradition of the Brotherhood is to the students and how hopefully seeing the dedication of the team would have an impact on their careers. Brotherhood Ride Founder Capt Morse was able to read the Brotherhood Ride Ethos “Why We Ride” to the students in attendance. It is the hope of our team that those words will carry on with some of the future firefighters.

OCALA, FLORIDA

Jason Reese | Sales P 352-629-7712 E jreese@breathingair.com www.breathingair.com

REGIONAL OFFICES

FLORIDA .................. 352-629-7712 ILLINOIS .................. 217-768-4408 MICHIGAN ............... 517-783-4060 NORTH CAROLINA.... 336-674-0749 OHIO ........................ 614-864-1235 PENNSYLVANIA ....... 412-896-5186 TENNESSEE ............ 423-634-3184

CHECK OUT OUR ALL NEW WEBSITES...CONTINUALLY UPDATING!

THE NATIONS LARGEST DISTRIBUTORS OF

Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia

Florida’s Technical Rescue Teams

Building Capabilities in a Disaster Prone State By Scott H. Chappell, US&R/Haz-Mat Program Coordinator, Division of State Fire Marshal

hile Florida’s Technical Rescue Teams (TRT) began organizing in the early 1980’s, momentum grew through the 1990’s as NFPA defined the performance requirements for technical rescue, personnel were trained, and more teams were established. The years following the September 11th terrorist attack saw an increase in funding to assist dozens more teams to build up their rescue capabilities as they trained and equipped their personnel to meet the standards for a TRT. As time passed, outside funding decreased but most of the TRTs maintained this capability and were ready and able to respond locally or deploy regionally if called upon. While some TRTs faded away as they were not able to maintain the equipment and/or training required to support a team, no new TRTs were added to Florida’s TRT roster since 2005…that is, until last year.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

For the first time in almost 15 years, Florida added a new technical rescue team, The Villages Fire Rescue – TRT-424. The Villages Fire Rescue completed their final assessment qualifying them as a TRT in September 2019. The process took a couple of years as they increased their technical rescue capabilities beyond that of a heavy rescue to a self-sufficient TRT. This team is able to deploy outside of their region to execute technical rescue missions including rope, confined space, trench, vehicle and machinery, and structural collapse rescue (among other specialty rescue disciplines). Since then, two other fire departments completed this same process. North Collier County Fire Rescue – TRT-646, July 2020, and Sunrise Fire Rescue – TRT-758, was reestablished in September 2020. In addition to these recent success stories, other fire

departments have expressed an interest in becoming a state recognized TRT and are currently in the process of completing the required documents. While there are two types of TRTs, Type I and Type II, achieving Type II TRT status earns a team the coveted TRT number as well as the ability to be deployed regionally or statewide under the State Emergency Response Plan (SERP) Departments that are interested in pursuing the transition from heavy rescue or local technical rescue capabilities to those of a TRT can utilize the Florida Urban Search and Rescue (FLUSAR) TRT Self Evaluation tool as a guide. Using this tool allows perspective to see

•

what is needed to build a TRT as well as the process by which they will be evaluated and assessed. Once personnel are trained, equipment is purchased, and apparatus are equipped for deployments, teams can contact the TRT Working Group under the Florida Association of Search and Rescue (FASAR) to request a team assessment to verify they meet the standards set for TRT. A site assessment will be scheduled where a team of two or more assessors will review everything from training records, rosters, equipment, and standard operating guidelines. Upon successful completion of this assessment, recognition will be granted as a TRT and that team will be added to the SERP. In addition to the three new TRTs that have been . Chapp ott H ell added to Florida’s Sc capabilities in the last year or so, there are another four departments that are currently engaged the i a process outlined above. As o n o f S t a t e F ir e M our population continues to increase and hurricanes keep coming our way, Florida’s well trained and well equipped TRTs are ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Note: FASAR is a section under the FFCA, and Captain Matt Brown (Matt.Brown@Lakelandgov.net) with Lakeland Fire Rescue – TRT 421, is currently the TRT Working Group Chair. Additional information can be found at www.ffca.org/fasarsection.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Please Join Us!

BUILT FOR ONE PURPOSE SAVING LIVES AS SAFELY, EFFECTIVELY, AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. Medix ambulances deliver the industry’s highest possible performance value. Go safely, effectively, and efficiently with zero configuration fatigue.

medixambulance.com MEDIX SPECIALTY VEHICLES LLC | Elkhart, IN

1050 Innovation Avenue #B-111, North Port, FL 34289 941-536-8172 • hunterapparatus.com

By Scott Eskwitt

hen we think about mitigating risk for firefighters and fire departments, our mind typically goes to fireground safety, rapid-intervention teams (RITs), mayday training and other emergency issues where we seek to protect firefighters from the risk of injury and death. Exciting, right? But there’s one glaring issue missing from this list that poses a significant threat to fire departments: financial mismanagement. Sure, not as sexy a topic, but grab another coffee and take a few minutes to focus on this incredible risk blind spot facing all fire departments. EYE ON EMBEZZLEMENT If you didn’t think this was a pervasive issue, check out these examples from FireRescue1.com and Curt Varone's Fire Law Blog: • The treasurer for Akron Firefighters, IAFF Local 330, was indicted for stealing $600,000 from the local. • The Chief Administrative Officer at the Virginia Department of Fire Programs charged with four felony counts of obtaining money under false pretenses. • A firefighter was charged with stealing $25,583 from the San Bruno Professional 28

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Firefighters Association. The thefts were from a fund earmarked to purchase toys for disadvantaged youths. • The president of a volunteer fire company in Virginia charged with embezzling more than $373,000 over three years. • A treasurer embezzled $26,000 from a Pennsylvania fire company relief fund. • South Carolina fire chief and his wife accused of embezzling thousands from the volunteer fire company they oversaw. • The treasurer who wrote more than 130 fire department checks to two of his businesses, ultimately embezzling $1.1 million from the fire department. Need I go on? The problem is so big, there’s an entire page dedicated to fire service embezzlement here. LACK OF POLICY OPENS THE DOOR TO BAD BEHAVIOR Fire agency financial risk comes from a few areas, and it all starts with a lack of good policy. Without sound financial control policies, mismanagement becomes the standard operating practice. And financial mismanagement can open the door to embezzlement, fraud and theft of funds from municipal, fire department, district or union

local accounts. Financial control policies are written, implemented and trained on to mitigate the risk of financial loss to a fire agency. They save members from themselves, and they keep the department from economic loss, public relations nightmares, litigation and a damaged reputation. Ever try to run a fundraising campaign after your fire chief gets arrested for stealing from the fund? Don't. As for saving members from themselves, it’s safe to say most members observe rules and controls – when they are in place. Where there are no controls, some members may take advantage of gaps. This behavior is especially true when it comes to the opportunity for financial gain. Our brothers and sisters in the fire service, generally, have the best of intentions; however, combine a lack of financial controls with adverse personal circumstances, a misplaced sense of entitlement or flat-out greed, and the result is predictable. BASIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT AND AUDITING While the issue impacts volunteer departments, fire districts and union locals

more frequently, don't forget about career agencies. Any time a fund or account exists, controlled by an individual, with no associated financial control, the opportunity for theft exists. Regardless of what you call it, financial control policies exist to control agency and local union finances. These policies break down into two main parts: account management and account audits. Following are the key components to consider: 1. Account management a. Who can access the account: Limited access, preferably the treasurer b. Reasons for access: i. Allowable/proper sources of funds in the account ii. Allowable purposes for disbursement c. How to access d. Obtain designated approvals before disbursing funds: i. Report and have the membership approve all income and deposits from any source at regular meetings. ii. Announce and have the membership approve all disbursements before checks are cut, at regular meetings.

iii.Standards should exist for necessary expenditures between regular meetings, and report all such spending at the next regular meeting. iv. At a minimum, the executive committee's approval for all the above should be required and then reported at the next regular meeting. e. Reporting and recordkeeping 2. Account audit a. Who audits? Preferably a financial and audit committee should be established and have the specific responsibility for the inspection of accounts. b. Audit schedule: i. Preferably the audit committee should perform a quarterly audit. ii. There should be an annual, independent audit performed by a certified public accountant who is not a member of the agency. c. Audit procedure d. Reporting When working through the audit, it’s important to pay special attention to: • The chief's discretionary accounts; • Petty cash accounts; • Credit/charge card accounts; and

• Accounts used to reimburse members for expenditures related to agency business or travel. STAY FINANCE-FOCUSED Putting proper financial controls in place, then implementing, training and observing them is the best way to mitigate the most common risk experienced by fire agencies. As budgets get tighter, and members come under a more considerable financial strain, the importance of these policies only increases.

Scott Eskwitt is Director of Fire Policy and Training Content for Lexipol. He is an active member of the Fair Haven (NJ) Fire Department, serving as Chief from 2012 to 2015. He is also a member of the Fair Haven First Aid Squad and the Red Bank (NJ) Fire Department. Scott is also an attorney and has spent his legal career advising municipalities and fire departments on risk management, human resources and labor relations issues. His undergraduate degree in Industrial & Labor Relations was received from Cornell University and his law degree from SUNY Law at Buffalo.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Winter Haven Fire Department Bailout Training

By Erika Orozco, Firefighter, Public Information Officer, Winter Haven Fire Department

t the Winter Haven Fire Department, the safety of the firefighters is considered the number one priority. Consequently, the department is always looking for ways to keep the fire suppression personnel safe. The city of Winter Haven is located in central Florida and it has the highest number of high-rise buildings in Polk County. In case of a fire, the department wants to ensure the personnel have all the appropriate equipment to respond to emergencies in these buildings and successfully escape when necessary. For these reasons, the department recently 30

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

acquired NFPA-approved Arapaho escape belts and bailout systems from Fire Innovations. The Arapaho belt is very lightweight. It is manufactured with 100% Kevlar webbing and has an aluminum Cobra buckle. It has the advantage that it features an A-Frame attachment point that can be stowed when not in use. It can also be upgraded to a Class-II harness by adding two leg loops. The bailout system includes a 40’ NFPA Tech2Fire escape rope, a PB5 turnout pocket bailout bag, a Core 7.5 NFPA descender, a Talon NFPA escape anchor, and an auto-lock aluminum offset “D”.

Our fire personnel have been training for the last few weeks on how to use the systems properly. Everyone had the chance to get practical experience by using the systems on a 10-foot prop that is located at Winter Haven Fire Department Station 1. Once all the personnel were comfortable in how to use and deploy the systems, the department went to Ridge Fire Academy to train on bailing out from a third-floor window. The training was very successful and the safety of our personnel has been improved as a result.

eginning as North Port Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department in 1964 with one 1927 La France fire truck, North Port Fire Rescue is now an ISO-1 rated department with more than 100 staff and growing. NPFR personnel cover one of the largest cities in the state by land mass. With a population of more than 75,000, our stations are busy and continue to get busier. From October 2019 to October 2020, the Department ran 10,055 calls. Currently, the Department has six stations,

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

111 line personnel, and 19 non-line personnel. There are 37 line personnel per shift. NPFRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current Fire Chief Scott Titus knows the City well. He has more than 25 years of service with NPFR, beginning his career with the Department as a Firefighter in 1993 and becoming Fire Chief in 2018. His knowledge of the Department and the City is invaluable. The City Chief Titus oversees is rapidly growing, and NPFR is working to keep up. Station 85 was built in 2017 and dedicated in memory of Firefighter/EMT Christina Doyle,

who died at age 36 of leukemia in 2015. In the fastgrowing Wellen Park area of the City, a Public Safety Building is under construction. The 24,000-square-foot structure includes Fire Station 86, which will house 11 personnel in the four-bay building. It will also serve as a police substation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expected to be completed in 2022. The City of North Port has a varied terrain, making it important for personnel to know how to react in all situations. The Myakka State Forest lies entirely within the City limits, and (fun fact!) North Port has more canals than Venice, Italy. NPFR helps provide opportunities

to be prepared for any situation by creating various teams and programs to help pave the way for efficient and knowledgeable response. NPFR’s Technical Rescue Team (TRT) is an important asset to NPFR and the State. The TRT is always training and running scenarios for various situations including confined space rescue, high angle rescue, trench/excavation rescue, and more. Having the TRT available and well-informed in these situations makes a difference when those emergencies arise. Similarly, NPFR Lieutenant Kyle Dent put together the Department’s first Engineering Program in 2018. It’s a rigorous 12-month program focusing on key components such as

engine company operations, apparatus maintenance, hydraulic engineering, and more. As of October 2020, 11 members have completed the program. The Department’s social media presence has shot up in the last few years, featuring posts of different training, PSAs, and more. Shameless plug – find us on Facebook @TheCityofNorthPort. NPFR continues to enterprise and find new ways to provide exceptional customer service to the City of North Port. As the population of the City rises, NPFR will rise to the occasion.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Congratulations on Your Retirement, Chief Schobel! By Bethany Alex, Public Information Officer

Pasco County Fire Rescue Merges with Zephyrhills Fire Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

The morning of September 28 marked the switch from Zephyrhills Fire Rescue to Pasco County Fire Rescue. Over the last few months, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes. Firefighters have trained on new protocols, facilities, and vehicles changed from the city to the county, and I.T. has been busy changing over computer and radio systems. We recognize the contributions that Zephyrhills Fire gave to their community for over 100 years and thank Zephyrhills residents for their trust in Pasco County Fire Rescue. Starting as an all-volunteer department, ZFD saw a large amount of growth over the years. September 28 marks a new chapter in the cities history. Zephyrhills’ residents now have increased staffing levels in their fire stations, and two ambulances stationed inside the city limits. The increased staffing will help with response times inside Zephyrhills and response times on the East side of Pasco County. Pasco County Fire Rescue feels honored to carry on the esteemed reputation and service level to Zephyrhills residents. Thank you to everyone who worked tireless hours to ensure the merger of our departments went smoothly. We are #PascoProud to welcome our new family members to Pasco County Fire Rescue!

Polk County Acquires New Portable Ventilators By Chris Jonckheer, Public Information Officer

Polk County Fire Rescue has equipped all 43 of its medical rescue units with new Z Vent ™ portable ventilators that will help save lives not only during the coronavirus pandemic, but for many years to come. The use of ventilators in healthcare has received more attention lately as they are important in keeping patients alive while they fight an infection, such as COVID-19, or from impairment caused by injuries. “Pre-hospital care of critically ill patients often requires airway management,” said Polk County Fire Rescue Medical Director Dr. Paul Banerjee. “Using a mechanical ventilator frees up our advanced care medics so that they can perform other necessary patient care activities.” Another benefit from using the Z-Ventilator is that it improves cardiac arrest outcomes for both pediatric and adult cardiac arrest patients. Training with Polk County Fire Rescue crews on the proper operation and benefits of the Z Vents will take place throughout the month of October. 34

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Fire Chief William Schobel has retired after 36 years in the fire and armed services. His fire service career began in 1984, where he served as a firefighter/EMT with the City of Seminole Fire Rescue Department. Just seven years into his public safety career, Chief Schobel enlisted in the armed forces, serving in the capacity of an army medic from 1991 to 1996, then returning to Seminole Fire Rescue Department where he rose through the ranks, retiring in 2010 as the district chief of training. A few short days later, he began a ten-year career with Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR), where he accepted his appointment from bureau chief of training to the department’s fire chief in 2016. Chief Schobel values the last decade of loyalty from MCFR and Martin County government personnel, as well as the dedication to a vision continuing to advance services for the Martin County community and emergency services profession. He said, “this experience in public safety has made me appreciate all of the men and women who are true champions for the fire service and what we do. You will always have my love, support and admiration.” Chief Schobel’s last day with MCFR was October 2, 2020, and when asked what retirement looks like, he said, “now, it is time that I take a step back and focus on serving my family in the roles of son, brother, father, and grandfather.”

New HCFR Stations Open Virtually By Eric Seidel, Public Information Office

A unique deployment took place in October for personnel of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR). On the morning of October 1, personnel, apparatus, and equipment for HCFR’s two newest fire stations, 45 and 46, were dispatched into some of the fastest-growing areas of Hillsborough County. What’s unique in this deployment is that the stations themselves aren’t even built yet. The County calls them “virtual stations.” The crews will work out of nearby stations until the brick and mortar construction is complete. The actual buildings are scheduled to be finished next year, but temporary facilities on the sites will be ready in a few months. New Station 45 will be added to the Brandon area and house 24 personnel including a Battalion Chief, engine company. and rescue crew. It receives three new apparatus, including an engine, a rescue vehicle and a Battalion Chief vehicle. New station 46 will join others in the Riverview area with 42 personnel, including a truck company, engine company, rescue and tanker crew. New apparatus includes a ladder truck, engine, tanker, and rescue truck. Even without the new buildings, the extra personnel and apparatus in the Brandon and Riverview areas will help lower response times in these expanding communities. A master plan calls for 24 more fire stations to be added countywide over the next several years, with these two becoming the first of that group.

Lakeland Firefighter/Rescued Pets Greeting Cards By Janel Vasallo, MPH, Public Information/Education Officer

The Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) and SPCA Florida have had a fruitful partnership for over six years. For the past five years of the working partnership, a major highlight of the relationship was the annual Rescued Pets Calendar. The calendar was a fun and philanthropic cornerstone of the partnership however, in an effort to offer something new, both organizations have come together in 2020 to offer a different fundraising product in its place, holiday greeting cards! Much like calendars have in the past, the greeting cards feature Lakeland Fire Department Firefighters and rescued pets from SPCA Florida. 100% of the proceeds go towards SPCA Florida’s mission of improving the lives of pets in Polk County and its surrounding areas, to ensure no animal goes hungry, and to provide medical and emergency assistance for pets and the families that love them. The greeting cards are available in bundles of five for the low price of $10.00. The bundles include five cards (all unique and different), five premium envelopes, a bonus postcard featuring Firefighter Santa Claus, and more information, for both the sender and the recipient, on how choosing to send these holiday cards directly help save animals in Polk County.

Navarre Beach Rescue Boat By Danny Fureigh, Fire Chief

October 23 at 10 am Navarre Beach Fire Rescue placed Zodiac 49 in service. “miss Irma” is a 15’ Inmar inflatable boat with a 30 hp Suzuki 4 stroke capable of hauling 10 people. Zodiac 49 was made possible by a generous donation from Navarre Beach residents Harrell and Irma Schaeffer. Lessons learned with Hurricane Sally proved our waverunners ineffective due to debris. NBFR sacrificed yhree pick up trucks to rescue 27 people who were in need of rescue once Hurricane Sally subsided. Not only can Zodiac 49 be utilized during hurricanes, but also The Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay and other rivers in Santa Rosa county.

Daytona Beach Debuts a Fleet of Six E-One’s By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer/Community Relations

For the first time in 68 years, the Daytona Beach Fire Department has a full fleet of engines that are no older than 5 years old. With the exception of their Quint, the other 6 fire trucks that staff 6 of their 7 stations are all manufactured by E-ONE. Engine 4 and Engine 6 are the newest trucks, going in service at the end of September 2020.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Lord Stanley Called…Wants Cup Back By Eric Seidel, Public Information Office

On October 8, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) welcomed a very special visitor to our headquarters: Lord Stanley’s Cup! After the Tampa Bay Lightning got the job done, beating Dallas and winning the Stanley Cup Finals, we were thrilled to be able to share in the celebration with this special visit. HCFR firefighters, telecommunicators, administration, and even our newest hire class, were able to stop by for an incredible visit and photo opportunity. The trophy is so unique because, unlike those awarded in most other sports, there is only one Stanley Cup. A duplicate is not handed out every year - so it brings with it not only the spirit of success and triumph, but the history of all the past championships. Every winning team, along with the coaches and staff members, have their names inscribed on it, including Tampa Bay’s previous winning team in 2004. It is that spirit of triumph we are proud to share, just as all of us here at HCFR are proud to support our 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning!

Lake County Automatic Aid with Marion County By Kate Jarocki, Public Communications Coordinator

Lake County Fire Rescue has entered into an automatic aid agreement with Marion County Fire Rescue that will benefit residents and businesses of both counties that reside along the Lake and Marion County line. The agreement will provide faster response times to properties in the area for all structure fires, mechanical fire alarms and critical medical calls. The agreement allows the closest unit to respond regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, providing faster emergency response for residents and businesses near the Lake and Marion county line. “Marion County Fire Chief James Banta has been instrumental in moving this agreement forward,” said Lake County Fire Rescue Chief Jim Dickerson. “This is a win-win for both agencies and the residents served in the bordered areas, both in providing the necessary emergency services for these communities and saving taxpayers money.” Another benefit of this agreement is a possible reduction in insurance premiums for some property owners. Property owners in the affected areas are encouraged to contact their insurance companies to inquire about potential savings. Additionally, properties that may have previously been unable to obtain insurance may now be able to do so. “Marion County Fire Rescue is pleased to announce the approval of this new automatic aid agreement with Lake County Fire Rescue,” said Marion County Fire Rescue Chief James Banta. “The goal of this agreement is to provide the most appropriate help in the quickest amount of time. Now our two departments can utilize shared resources in order to proudly protect life and property with honor, compassion, and respect.”

FLUORINE FREE FOAM

MOST COMPLETE & USER FRIENDLY

FIREFIGHTING AGENT IN THE WORLD NEW

F3 Fluorine Free Foam Model #FB-FF-005

• Low Viscosity Formulation • Great for Class A or B Fires • Rapid Cooling Properties

Class A Wetting Agent Model #FB-A-005

• Unlimited Shelf Life • Does No Clog, Gum, or Gel • Usage from .01% - 1%

NEW

©ON-FIRE MARKETING

Enforcer 10 Gallon CAFS Firefighting Foam System

F201101_FLO150_FSP050_POM_RW_rev3

Model #ENF-10

• 10 Gallon unit produces 200 gallons of finished foam • 2 1/2 minutes constant discharge over 45ft • Powered by Nitrogen or SCBA

NAFECO.com/Specials/Fir eBull info@nafeco.com

•

800-628-6233

Lake County Hires Firefighters with SAFER Grant

Palm Beach County Driver/Operator Rescue

By Kate Jarocki, Public Communications Coordinator

By Tara Cardoso, Community Education & Communications Team

The Lake County Office of Fire Rescue has just hired 12 new firefighters, nine of which were obtained with $1.76 million in grant funding received from the Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER). The new positions reduce mandatory overtime and support the department’s multiyear strategic plan for staffing and vehicles. “These new firefighters will help support our long-term goals by improving response times, which in turn increases the safety of Lake County residents and visitors,” said Lake County Fire Chief Jim Dickerson. The grant also supports Fire Rescue’s efforts to reach the recommended standards set by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) that specify requirements for deploying fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations and special operations to protect residents. The 12 new firefighters have begun training this week and, upon completion, will be assigned to a shift on December 4.

Wish Come True By Charlee Dascani, Office of the Fire Chief

Greater Naples Fire Rescue District (GNFD) was honored to partner with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida to create a special moment for Adrian, a 4-yearold battling leukemia. Adrian wished to have a bedroom makeover fit for a car and truck enthusiast. GNFD Firefighters presented Adrian with some real fire equipment from the station to finish off his bedroom. It was a privilege for GNFD to show support for this family and make Adrian’s wish come true.

Special Operations Professional of the Year Award By Lt. Steven Lawrence, CFEI, IAAI-FIT, Deputy Fire Marshal/PIO

This week we congratulated Lt. Randall Kahle for achieving the 2020 Pinellas County Special Operations Professional of the Year Award. Lt. Kahle received this honor for his hard work and dedication to the SPFR and Pinellas County Hazardous Materials Response Team. His continued leadership has been a strength to our team and aids in servicing the citizens we protect. We are very proud! 38

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

She’s a one-woman show! Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Driver/Operator Kathleen Fahrer is the first firefighter in Department history to receive a Unit Commendation as a Singe Resource Unit. She was driving alone in Tender 42 when she pulled up on a car that had caught fire with one person trapped inside. Driver Operator Fahrer displayed extraordinary bravery as she sprung into action, all by herself. She singlehandedly rescued the victim trapped inside the burning vehicle and then proceeded to extinguish the fire. For her brave solo actions, she received a Unit Commendation Award, an accolade that typically goes to a group of firefighters. Congratulations!

Honoring The Fallen By Eric Seidel, Public Information Office

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) was truly honored to receive a visit from the 2020 Brotherhood Ride. These are fellow first responders who ride bicycles hundreds of miles across the state in honor of those who have died in the line of duty. On October 2 the more than 30 riders and their team of support volunteers rode in to HCFR headquarters escorted by vehicles from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies. This year, the ride was dedicated to twenty-five Florida fallen heroes who died in 2019. Two of HCFR’s own were among those honored at this event: Driver Engineer Karen Overcash and Driver Engineer Joe DiCorte. The riders held a prayer huddle in their names and presented a plaque to HCFR Chief Dennis Jones in their honor. All funds raised by the ride are donated to the families of the fallen.

Seminole County Promotion By Sharon Gregory, Public Safety Specialist/PIO

Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) announces the promotion of Thomas “TJ” Martin to the rank of Battalion Chief. BC Martin started with SCFD in 2003 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2015. During his career with SCFD he has served on the Bike Team, Extrication Team and the Special Hazards and Operations Team (SHOT). BC Martin has received numerous Unit Team Citation and Life Savings Awards. Congratulations BC Martin!

Cocoa Fire Department’s New Fire Inspector

Mules for Off-Road Rescue

By Yvonne Martinez, Public Information Officer

By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

Fire Chief Jonathan Lamm announces the appointment of Sam Schaller as fire inspector. Schaller, 27, began his duties on October 5. Schaller was born in Sarasota and has two brothers. He is the first in his family to serve in public safety. In 2012, Schaller began pursuing his associate degree at Santa Fe College in Gainesville while serving as a volunteer firefighter with Alachua County. In 2013, he earned his credential as an emergency medical technician (EMT). He completed the fire academy in 2014. Since 2016 he served with Putnam County Fire EMS in the East Palatka Fire Department where, at age 25, he became chief in 2018. He was the youngest chief in the agency’s history and to his knowledge the youngest chief in the State of Florida. As fire inspector, Schaller will be responsible for the city’s overall commercial fire safety and inspections to ensure compliance with all National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and life safety codes. He also plans to emphasize public awareness of fire prevention through education and interaction.

The St. Lucie County Fire District (SLCFD) recently purchased two Kawasaki Mule Pro FX Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV) for navigating sand and beach atmospheres that traditional fire rescue vehicles cannot traverse. The purchase of these UTV’s satisfy a need that the Fire District has looked to address for some time. These units make it possible to respond in the aforementioned environments carrying firefighters and equipment to stabilize a patient and transfer them to an awaiting transport vehicle. Located across the street from the beach, these mules will improve response times for station 8 and station 9 and allow them to get to hard-to-reach areas without compromising mission effectiveness. Both UTVs have been engineered to carry supplies and outfitted with a transport area by the fire district’s fleet mechanics. They are fully functional and ready for service.

Fire Department Veteran to Head EMS Division By Joel Gordon, Deputy Chief

EMS Battalion Chief Ezra Lubow has been selected to head the Plantation Fire Department’s EMS Division as its new Division Chief, Fire Chief Donald Todd announced today. Lubow is a 26 year veteran of the Department who worked his way from volunteer firefighter to a full time paramedic with the EMS Division. In 2010 he was promoted to Captain within the Division responsible for supervising “A” shift. In 2016 he was promoted to Battalion Chief. Ezra joined the fire department in 1994 as a volunteer firefighter. In 1997 he left the volunteers and became a full time employee as a paramedic with the EMS Division. Lubow also serves as the Department’s Health and Safety and Infection Control Officer. This year he was tasked by Mayor Stoner to coordinate the City’s response to the COVID 19 crisis. He also recently developed and implemented a Podcast to help keep Plantation residents informed about COVID 19 and the City’s activities regarding the response. Lubow also operates his own Podcast entitled “A Paramedic’s World” which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia Southern University in Occupational Health and Safety and is working toward his Master’s degree in Emergency Management.

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. 40

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Pasco County Fire Rescue helps WW2 Veteran Celebrate His 100th Birthday By Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

Pasco County Fire Rescue is honored to help a WW2 veteran celebrate his 100th Birthday! Tom Flood earned a Purple Heart and was severely injured from a motor attack. He also went on to work for NASA on the Mercury and Apollo programs as a tradesman. We are proud to have Mr. Flood in our Pasco County Fire Rescue family. His son recently retired as a Captain from our agency. Members of Pasco County Fire Rescue, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and 19 jeeps from bay area clubs drove by Mr. Flood’s home to wish him a happy birthday!

Navarre Beach Now Independent Special Fire District By Danny Fureigh, Fire Chief

November 3 proved to be a victorious day for Navarre Beach Fire Rescue! Our campaign to become an Independent Special Fire District passed by an overwhelming 70%. This is a non binding referendum and begins the long process in Tallahassee. State Representative Jayer Williamson requires a 60% +1 to support the bill, which is now moving forward. Also the residents of Santa Rosa County voted to continue the Local Option Sales tax for another five years providing Navarre Beach Fire Rescue with a new Pierce pumper!

Hillsborough County Welcomes New Firefighters By Vivian McIlrath, Public Education Specialist

We want to congratulate the HCFR Recruit Class 2020-02 on their graduation on September 25, 2020. We are proud to introduce 24 new firefighters and we wish them well as they assume their new assignments within our department. Congratulations to the following men and women: Congratulations to: Aaron Wilder, Brandon Bates, Constantino Hernandez, Kevin Martinez, Marlon Smith, John Williams, Leandro Perez, Jordan Davis, Rashaan Seabrook, Kyle Snell, Brenton Christy, Sarah-Jean Moody, Andrew Coleman, Jayson Gonzalez, Ryan Stolberg, Benjamin Gonzalez, Jacob Cassano, K’Juan Donaldson and Austin Gude.

Plantation Names New Battalion Chief By Joel Gordon, Deputy Chief

Leslie Ethridge was promoted to the position of Battalion Chief within the EMS Division, Fire Chief, Don Todd announced today. Ethridge, who was serving as a Lieutenant in the EMS Division, joined the Plantation Fire Department in 1999. She worked through the ranks beginning as a paramedic. She was promoted to Lieutenant in 2003 and Captain in 2016. Lt. Ethridge fills the supervisory position on “A” shift vacated by Ezra Lubow who was promoted to Division Chief of EMS in October of 2020. “She brings a tremendous amount of experience to the position,” said Chief Todd. “Leslie is part of our future and will help lead this Department into its next chapter.” Ethridge will supervise five EMS crews on “A” shift and is responsible for all operations including staffing and shift training.

Panama City Beach Fire Rescue Promotions By Shawn Fiddler, Battalion Chief/Paramedic

Panama City Beach Fire Rescue is proud to announce the recent promotions of Deputy Chief Ray Morgan (left) to the rank of Fire Chief and Battalion Chief Justin Busch (right) to the rank of Deputy Chief. Chief Morgan is an 18 year member of the department and Chief Busch is a 17 year member. Both men are excited to get started in their new positions and look forward to what the future holds for their department. 42

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Titusville Public Education Outreach By Gregory G. Sutton, Battalion Chief of Training

Titusville Fire Department is proud to introduce the newest addition to our fleet! This 2020 Ford Transit is used by Kerri Lubeski, our Life Safety Specialist, to bring fun activities and learning opportunities to the public. Kerri covers a broad range of subjects like fire safety, child passenger safety seats and much much more. This is the first van we have purchased for public education and it allows her to reliably bring supplies for presentations at various public events. The vehicle is also outfitted with an emergency lighting and siren package. We want to acknowledge those that made this awesome finished product a reality. Thanks to Wil Petty from City of Titusville, Florida - Gateway to Nature and Space Media Services for taking the vision Kerri had and making it better than we could have ever hoped for. Thanks to Mike at Bluetail Graphics for an amazing wrap and attention to detail that brought this design to life. Finally, thanks to Mike of Lights ‘N More Installations Of Orlando for doing a great job and clean install of our emergency lighting package. So please, whenever you see Kerri driving around with Blaze and Ember riding along, give her a honk and a wave. We love to hear from all of you.

Groveland Opens New Fire Station By Sarah Panko, Public Information Manager

On November 2, 2020, Groveland Fire Department firefighters moved into Groveland Fire Station #3 at 20415 Independence Blvd. in Ford Commerce Park. This temporary modular fire station will be utilized while the department fully evaluates the ideal location for the permanent station to align with the long-term growth of the City. Once a permanent fire station is constructed, the Groveland Fire Department could use the modular building to establish a 4th fire station in another future growth area. Groveland Fire Station #3 borders the northwest section of Groveland and unincorporated areas that are anticipated for annexation. It will better serve the surrounding communities, the industrial area, State Road 19, and the Turnpike. It will also allow for the department to be ahead of the curve as the City plans for growth that includes new distribution centers in Ford Commerce Park and new mixed-use communities as guided in the City's new Future Land Use element in the Comprehensive Plan. To help defer the costs of new firefighters, on September 18, 2019, the City of Groveland was awarded $1,032,682 through FEMA’s SAFER Grant Program. The SAFER Grant is currently paying a portion of salaries and benefits for nine firefighters. As part of the grant, FEMA is paying the equivalent of 75% of the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter for years one and two and 35% of the usual annual cost of a first- year firefighter for year three. The Groveland Fire Department would like to thank Mayor Evelyn Wilson, Vice Mayor Mike Radzik, Groveland City Council members and the City Manager for their support in helping bring this station to fruition.

Two PBCFR Employees Win Top Awards with FFMIA By Tara Cardoso, Community Education & Communications Team

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue is proud to showcase two awards this year for our employees from the 2020 Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association. Executive Director Jon Pasqualone presented both awards at Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Headquarters along with Deputy Chief David Woodside and PBCFR Fire Marshal David DeRita. Congratulations to Fire Safety Specialist & Fire and Arson Investigator Pam Summers who was named the 2020 Fire Investigator of the Year. Congratulations to Fire Safety Specialist & Community Educator Charbel Khadij, who was named the 2020 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year. Both employees exemplify excellent work and make Palm Beach County Fire Rescue very proud.

Volusia County Hazardous Materials By Kate Lind, Volusia County Fire Rescue

The Volusia County Hazardous Materials (HazMat) team, a state resource Type 2 team, is designed to provide a specialized response of personnel and equipment to incidents involving materials that present a physical, health, biological or radiological hazard to the public. The team recently engaged in grounding and bonding training as well as highway emergency fuel offloading training.

Life & Fire Safety Virtual Classrooms By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

Typically, this time of year the St. Lucie County Fire District’s (SLCFD) Life & Fire Safety Educator, Stacey Carter, has already made several classroom visits and scheduled numerous fire station tours; however, this year, the pandemic has pushed her into a different direction. Just in time for Fire Prevention Month, the SLCFD Community Risk Reduction division released interactive, virtual classrooms that focus on fire and life safety. The interactive classrooms feature e-books, videos and flyers in three languages; English, Spanish, and Creole. The links have been available since Oct. 1st at www.slcfd.com. We are very proud of Stacey! She has done a great job creating these classrooms and keeping them user friendly for all ages.

PBCFR Reveals New Vision Truck Design By Tara Cardoso, Community Education & Communications Team

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue is proud to unveil its new 2020 Vision Engine design. The new apparatus design includes a fresh seal with gold leaf background, a new red paint job from top to bottom with American flag accents on the front grill, and the side windows. The new engines sport a black stripe from front to back with reflective coloring. It also showcases the new 2020 Vision Statement, “Excellence Today, Improving Tomorrow” across a red ribbon on the cab. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Chiefs brought the new truck design straight to the Department’s founding father, Retired Chief Herman W. Brice. Chief Brice got a tour of the new trucks, along with retired PBCFR Chief Steve Jerauld. The new trucks also have been designed and upgraded with firefighter health and safety in mind, following a cleanercab concept. The inside cabs include non-porous surfaces on the walls, ceilings, and floors, so they can easily be decontaminated. The apparatus also contains additional sets of removable seat covers that can be laundered in the post-fire environment.

Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation By Joel Gordon, Deputy Chief

Dr. Cary Blanchard, a Battalion Chief in charge of Public Affairs received her Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Center for Public Safety and Excellence (CPSE) Fire Chief, Don Todd announced today. The designation recognizes fire officers, at a given rank, for their education, experience, contribution to the fire service, and community involvement. “This is a very prestigious award,” said Todd. It’s a lengthy and detailed process.” After completing the application and supplying documentation, the applicant must submit for a peer review process and an interview. Finally a panel reviews and approves the application.” CFO represents the pinnacle of accreditation under the CPSE process. Blanchard is one of only two members of the Plantation Fire Department who currently maintains this accreditation. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Daytona Firefighters Show Support for Breast Cancer Awareness By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer/Community Relations

Pasco County Fire Rescue Pulls Teen from Storm Drain after they Drop their Cellphone By Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

Every year, the Daytona Beach Firefighters swap out their usual uniform shirts for pink ones. For the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, firefighters show their support for Breast Cancer awareness and research.

Plantation Names New Captain By Joel Gordon, Deputy Chief

David Gaskell was promoted to the position of Captain at Station One, Fire Chief, Don Todd announced today. Gaskell joined the Department in October of 2014. Gaskell was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017 and completed his Firefighter II certification in 2018. He maintains Fire Inspector, Fire Instructor, Live Fire Instructor, and Fire and Life Safety Educator certifications. “Supervising an entire station, in our Department, is challenging,” explained Todd.” There are many facets to the job, and I believe David is up to the task.” Gaskell will coordinate and supervise all activities at Station One including operations, staffing, and training. Gaskell is a resident of Plantation where he lives with his wife Joanne.

Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Matthew Love Named State of Florida District Manager of the Year Every year the Florida Association of Special Districts (FASD) recognizes one special district manager which meets the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and transparent governmental services to the citizens in the State of Florida. On behalf of our Board of Fire Commissioners, we are pleased to announce Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Matthew Love has been chosen and awarded the FASD District Manager of the Year award for 2020. The Fort Myers Beach Fire Department (FMBFD) is a longstanding member of the Florida Association of Special Districts (FASD). The FASD was formed in 1979 with the purpose of strengthening special purpose governments in the state of Florida through the legislative process, education, and exchange of ideas between partners. The FASD represents over 1,700 independent and dependent special districts. This includes water control districts, community development districts, hospital districts, road and utility districts, port and inlet control districts, mosquito control districts, fire control districts and many more. Essentially, most government entities that are not overseen by a city or other municipality are special districts. 44

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Pasco County Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call Pemberton Dr in New Port Richey from a passerby after a teen was found inside a storm drain. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find the teenager in waist deep water. The teenager was walking home from the bus stop when she dropped her cell phone in a storm drain. The teen removed a manhole cover and entered to recover her cell phone. After entering the manhole, she realized she was stuck, and a passerby called for help. The teen was in the drain for approximately an hour before help was called. Firefighters were able to extricate the teen from the storm drain, cleaned her off, checked the drain for hazardous gasses, and turned the teen over to her parents. We are thankful there were no injuries.

Daytona Firefighters Rescue Pets from House Fire By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer/Community Relations

As the resident of the house sat outside crying and concerned for the pets that she was not able to locate before evacuating her house that was on fire, Daytona Beach Firefighters quickly worked to locate the beloved animals through thick smoke and minimal visibility while at the same time trying to minimize the damage the fire was causing. During the search of the large, twostory house, Firefighters were able to find the two cats, a cage of pet rats, and the dog, Lola. Firefighters carried the scared the dog through the house and outside to be reunited with its owner in the street. The cause of the fire was due to mechanical failure of the A/C unit.

Pasco County Extricates One from a Suspended Car By Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

On October 4, 2020, Firefighters responded to a severe car crash with one person trapped. When Firefighters arrived at the intersection of State Road 54 and Trophy Blvd in New Port Richey, they reported a car suspended over a steel handrail and ditch. Firefighters stabilized the vehicle and carefully extricated the patient inside. It took Firefighters and an extended period to free the patient due to the location of the car. Thankfully the driver of the car only suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local area hospital.

Hudson Lightning Strike Damages Home By Corey Dierdorff, APIO, Public Information Officer

It was a startling morning as residents of the Wedgewood Condo Community feared an explosion happened overnight. When Firefighters arrived on the scene, units reported a condo with a destroyed chimney and debris in the front yard. Crews investigated and found the damage to be from a lightning strike that happened during the overnight hours. Firefighters helped clear the home of hazards, and thankfully there were no injuries reported. The owners werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t home at the time of the strike, and homeowners worked with their insurance company to repair the home.

Structure Fire By Sasha Staton, Public Information Officer/Community Relations

Daytona Beach and South Daytona Firefighters responded to a fire at 116 Palm Place in Daytona Beach at 10:45am on November 2. When they arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the side of the house. Prior to their arrival, the occupant of the house was asleep when a neighbor noticed smoke and went to wake him up to exit the house. The owner evacuated and was not injured. Firefighters attacked the fire and were able to keep it from spreading to the next door houses. The fire started in the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s utility room/laundry room area but the cause is under investigation. The Red Cross was called to assist the homeowner and one tenant (who was not at home at the time the fire started) with a living assistance as the house is currently unlivable.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

Advertiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page No.

Bauer Compressors 954-746-2504 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

NAFECO 800-628-6233 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Breathing Air Systems 352-629-7712 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

National Rescue Consultants 954-621-8498 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Channel Innovations Corporation 352-694-7006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Team Equipment, Inc. 800-367-9054 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

COVERT ARMOR 561-459-8077 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Ten-8 Fire Equipment, Inc. 800-228-8368 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,48

DAB Door 800-257-2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

United Badges Insurance Services 850-841-9992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 13

Database Financial Services, Inc. 877-624-3767 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Wheeled Coach 800-342-0720 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ETR, LLC 407-339-6737 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Wildland Warehouse 866-945-3526 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Genesis Rescue Systems 850-566-5553 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Hall-Mark RTC 800-524-6072 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Life Scan Wellness Centers 813-876-0625 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 MagneGrip 800-875-5440 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Medix Specialty Vehicles 574-266-0911 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Minerva Bunker Gear Cleaners / Fire Soaps 888-928-6537 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Municipal Equipment, LLC 800-228-8448 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

November 2020

Eric Achiron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Rescue Erin Albury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Florida Forest Service Will Bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Plantation Fire Department John Baillie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Rescue Dan Booker . . . . . . . . . . . . .City of Hollywood Fire Rescue & Beach Safety Lisa Emrekovic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .City of Cooper City- Administration Mike Graf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gaumard Scientific Sean Guthrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alarm Association of Florida, Inc. William Huff . . . . . . . . . .Seminole Tribe of Florida Fire Rescue Department Katelynn Kapalo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .University of Central Florida

Mark Kasprow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boca Cares Evan Katz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Plantation Fire Department Michael Mackey . . . . . . .Seminole Tribe of Florida Fire Rescue Department John Newton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Danny Rodriguez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Rescue Paul Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District Ty Vassil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Rescue Alicia Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Jimmy Zamora . . . . . . . . . .Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District

ADVANCED ENGINEERING AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN ALLOW ALL ROSENBAUER SMART AERIALS TO OPERATE AT FULL RATED LOAD

EVEN WHEN OPERATING THE AERIAL OVER THE SHORT-JACKED SIDE CAPACITY AND MAXIMUM RATED WATER FLOW…

Tight Spaces… No Problem For Rosenbauer Aerials

NO NEED TO COMPROMISE YOUR AERIAL’S EFFECTIVENESS ON THE FIREGROUND • Commander 60” cab with EMS compartments • SA100 Single Axle 100-Foot Heavy Duty Aerial • 500 Lb. Tip Load Dry and While Flowing 1500GPM • 500 Gallon Water Tank • 1500GPM Pump System • 150 Cubic Feet of Compartment Storage • 115 Feet of Ground Ladder Storage

PROVIDING MORE VALUE-ADDED SOLUTIONS AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY Ocala, FL • 352-304-6922 • IFRG Sales and Service