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June 2019 • VOLUME 27 NUMBER 6
Thank you Fire Chief Michael Davila and the Key West Fire Department!
• 2019 Ford F-550 4x2 2-Door Cab • 6.8L V10 Gas Engine • 8’ Aluminum Construction Mini-Pumper Body • ROM Roll Up Doors • Dual Suction Storage on Driver’s Side • Ladder Storage Rack above Hosebed • Hale AP50 PTO Pump – 500 GPM
• (3) Bottle SCBA Storage in Wheel Well, (1) Driver’s Side (2) Officer’s Side • (2) 1 ½” Crosslays • FRC Pump Boss Pressure Governor • UPF 300 Gallon Water Tank • Federal Signal LED Warning Light Package • Whelen 600 Series Scene Lights
Thank you Fire Chief Virgil Fernandez and Miami Beach Fire Rescue!
• 2018 Ford F-550 4x4 Crew Cab • 12’ Aluminum Rescue Body • Transverse L1/R1 and L2/R2 Compartments • SCBA Storage Officer’s Side Wheel Well • Whelen LED Warning Light Package • Whelen Siren Package • FireTech HiViz 50” Brow Light
• FireTech HiViz Double Stacked Recessed Scene Lights • Mako Horizontal Breathing Air Compressor • 4-Stage Air Cooled Compressor • 23.5 HP Isuzu Diesel Engine • 2-Position Containment Fill Station • DOT 4-Bottle 6000 psi Storage System
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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 John Miller - President Darrel Donatto - 1st Vice President Neal de Jesus, EFO - 2nd Vice President Otto Drozd III, EFO, CFO - Immediate Past President David Downey, MPA, CFO - Secretary/Treasurer Jonathan Kanzigg - Northwest Region Director Ty Silcox, MPA - Northeast Region Director Gene Prince, EFO, CFO - East Central Region Director Julie Downey - Southeast Region Director Douglas Riley - West Central Region Director Michael Murphy - Southwest Region Director Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Cindy Morgan - Foundation Chair Ronald Parrish, MPA, CFO, EFO - Senior Member
FEATURES The Power of Peer Support . . . . . . . . 6 Lessons from the Storm . . . . . . . . .12
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The Florida Firefighter Memorial Flag Looking Back Ten Years... . . . . . . .14 Addressing Firefighter Deviation
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from Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Orange County Fire Rescue Hosts Firefighter Combat Challenge . . . .18 SAREx 2019 - Training and Exercise .
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to Prepare for Disaster Response .26
FURTHERMORE ESLI Emergency Management Module Held in Volusia County . . . . . . . . .8 2019 EVT Academy . . . . . . . . . . .10
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2019 Executive Development Editorial Submissions magazine@ffca.org (850) 900-5180
Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Orange County Names New
Advertising Scott Leisen, Editor in Chief scott@ffca.org (386) 717-0055
Fire Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Members on the Move . . . . . . . . .24 Thank You from Panama
Subscription rate for members is $36, which is included in member dues. Archived electronic monthly editions of Florida Fire Service magazine are available at www.ffca.org. Log in as a member and click on the Publications tab. Florida Fire Service June 2019, Volume 27, Number 6 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 author’s alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of FFCA. Copyright 2019 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.
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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE
June 2019
City Beach Fire Rescue . . . . . . . .28 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . .34 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Events Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Hi ghSpeedEl ec t r i cOpener s OpenDoor si n7Sec ondsorLess Mi amiDadeHur r i c aneReady
Mi ssi l e
www. Hu r r i c a n e Ma s t e r . c o m
By Kimberly Neisler, RN, Fire Chief, (RET); UCF RESTORES® Fire & EMS Outreach Coordinator
W
hen I started firefighter/paramedic training for what would become a 37year career in the fire service, there was never any mention of how the job could impact me mentally or emotionally. We knew we could get burned. We knew we would see people die. But there was no discussion on how we would feel after attending to those incidents. In the tough-love firefighter culture, emotions are not typically addressed. But firefighters experience stressors – often to the extreme – every day, and a buildup of these stressors can lead to an emotional trauma injury. There’s no helmet you can put on to protect yourself from emotional trauma, and we need to be talking about this. When I think about on-the-job trauma, I view the buildup as a sort of “mental trashcan.” The can is full of incidents and traumas experienced, both on and off the job, and it is continuously being filled with new “emotional trash.” All it takes is one incident to overflow that can. It isn’t always the well-known incidents (like those involving children, multiple casualty incidents, death of a co-worker, etc.), it may be a call that reminds you of something “close to home,” like attending to wounded or deceased citizens who carry similarities to loved ones. For example, a grandparent who recently died or your own family member who was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Something in that moment affects your 6
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outlook and becomes something you can’t simply file away as “another day on the job.” That moment may serve as the gateway for development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We all experience stress in life and some of that stress is post-traumatic. Not everyone who experiences post-traumatic stress will develop a disorder, but everyone who does can be helped. When PTSD begins to manifest, many factors – including stigma, anxiety and fear of judgement – can deter those in the field from seeking help. They may attempt to shrug it off but, as their stress grows, the symptoms can have very real impacts on the job and family they love so dearly, and on friendships as well as their own physical health and overall well-being. This silent suffering has led us to a time where more firefighters die from suicide than die in the line of duty. Thankfully, our firefighter community is coming together to serve as the first line of defense in combating PTSD through peer support. Firefighters are in constant contact with one another, making it easier to identify when a peer could be struggling. Someone’s work performance may decrease or perhaps their behavior has changed – they could be unusually angry, exhausted or drinking more than usual. Through peer support, a brother or sister firefighter can break through the stigma and start an open conversation about what may
be at the root of those behavior changes, how they are feeling and how it’s affecting them. Sometimes, just lending an ear and sharing that these feelings are normal may be enough. Other times may require more advanced measures, and peers can be the catalyst for helping affect that process. Peer support within the firefighting community has proven to be, quite literally, a lifesaver, improving mental health and sociability in firefighters who’ve experienced trauma. There are many resources for Florida firefighters looking to join the peer support community. UCF RESTORES® offers a peer support training program – REACT – that was designed specifically for the first responder community. Through this program, firefighters learn how to recognize “stress injuries” and evaluate the mental health of their peers, offer peer-level support and effectively coordinate any necessary follow-up in the event professional intervention is warranted. Through this work, we’ve been honored to help build a community of advocates that truly know each other best. The Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative (FFSHC) has also partnered with UCF RESTORES to advance its Redline Rescue initiative. Through a statewide network of firefighters, the program connects firefighters based on rank and experience on the job as well as other life similarities. These peers provide each other with the necessary support to navigate on-the-job stressors and traumas. The FFSHC offers a variety of mental health resources for firefighters in need. Redline Rescue provides an efficient means of pairing those in need with the right resources, with the goal of helping first responders return to the career that they chose and the family they love. It’s never a sign of weakness to talk about what you’ve seen. In fact, it’s a true sign of strength to ask for help when needed. Our firefighters are heroes, but they’re also human. They experience events so horrific – and so often – that there might come a time where they, or someone they know, are not able to process them alone. Through the incredible peer support being established across our state, firefighters in need are empowered to navigate trauma with their brothers and sisters by their side. We chose the best job in the world, but we can’t help others if we aren’t willing to help ourselves. We must change the stigma of admitting that we may need help to make it through some of the bad days. To learn more about UCF RESTORES, visit ucfrestores.org. To learn more about Redline Rescue and other resources offered by the FFSHC, visit floridafirefightersafety.org.
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By Rand Napoli, Director (Ret), Florida SFM and Jacksonville FR and Billy Estep, Nassau County Emergency Management Director (Ret)
T
he ESLI Emergency Management module was delivered in the Volusia County EOC May 15-16 by instructors Rand Napoli, retired chief from Jacksonville Fire and Rescue and retired Director of the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal; and Billy Estep, Nassau County Emergency Management Director(Ret), interim Jacksonville/Duval County Emergency Management Director and retired fire officer. We extend our many thanks to EM Director James Judge and his staff. The focus and content of the six-course Emergency Services Leadership Institute (ESLI) is consistent with upper-level academic achievement and addresses issues that are either not prominent in other curricula or are not structured in a manner that allows for an integrated learning experience. In order to provide an assimilated learning experience, the Emergency Management (EM) module of the institute is delivered in a county Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This engages the students in an environment that brings realism and allows them to sit in the seats where decisions are made by emergency managers during actual incidents. We are grateful to Volusia County, our host for this year, for allowing us to activate their EOC facilities to deliver this module. This EOC is a working center where the various emergency management functions for the county are coordinated including planning, response, sheltering, mass care, mitigation, recovery and grants management. Because these functions and more are included in the ESLI class subject, it was an excellent location for the 38 students. The facility provided the opportunity to be immersed in the emergency management environment. Over the course of the two days, students learned the history of emergency management
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at the federal level, including the history of FEMA and the various programs that FEMA administers that affect our state such as the Stafford Act and the Fire Management Assistance Grant program that governs wildland fires. They also spent time examining the various emergency management programs and requirements prescribed by Florida law and the Florida Administrative Code. The history of emergency management in Florida, the operations of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and tribal, county and local emergency management programs were also covered. The students reviewed the details of the National Mutual Aid Program, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and the associated details of resource typing. A review of the FFCA State Emergency Response Plan (SERP) led to much discussion. Day one, the students were broken into groups to participate in an exercise using a county Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) to conduct a Threat Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) as required by FEMA. Exercises on day two included outlining response and recovery using a local CEMP and concluded with a Capstone Exercise built around planning for a major wildfire impacting a Florida
community. The class worked through various issues that might present themselves during emergency activations, particularly public notifications, evacuations and sheltering. It should be noted that the class is not intended to have students leave as emergency managers, but to provide them with an overview of the many topics and issues that emergency managers must deal with and the critical decisions that they make. This is essential because, as we know, the fire service must effectively integrate with emergency management, and senior executive fire officers, other chief officers and company officers may be assigned roles in their local or county EOC, or be assigned a role in the state EOC through the State Emergency Response Plan (SERP). Furthermore, in several jurisdictions around the state, the emergency management function is located within the fire service agency. We feel confident that the students are better prepared to meet those challenges in emergency management when they are assigned a role in an EOC. The Florida Fire Chiefs’ Foundation is the sponsor of the ESLI program. Modules are generally offered throughout each year in various areas of the state. Details and schedules are found elsewhere in this magazine and on the FFCA website.
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John Miller
2019 EVT ACADEMY
T
he 2019 National EVT Training Academy, hosted by the Florida Fire Chief’s Association, took place May 13-17 in Daytona Beach. The classes were held at the Daytona Advanced Technical College with 137 students registered to take 234 tests. This annual event is focused on providing Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) training to technicians from around the United States to help them gain their EVT certifications while building practical skillsets. The technicians who attend the academy are dedicated individuals who support the success of first responders each and every day by ensuring the apparatus serving our communities is always mission ready. There were several practical training courses in addition to the EVT certification courses offered by the academy. A wide range of EVT classes was made available to provide technicians with a pathway to their master level certifications. Students took advantage of practical classes like Heavy Duty Brakes, which was hosted by the Daytona Beach Fire Rescue Department. Thanks again to Chief Drew Driscoll for allowing the EVT Academy to use his department and apparatus to help facilitate the class. The National EVT Training Academy provides the students with networking opportunities by sharing classrooms with individuals from fleets and fire-rescue departments from around the country. The academy also boasts some of the best instructors in the EVT community. The courses are taught by volunteers consisting of fleet directors, managers, EVT technicians and administrators from all over the nation. Many thanks to these volunteers who take the time to travel to Daytona and contribute to the success of the
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event. We also thank the employers of the volunteer instructors for allowing them to leave their jobs, cities and agencies to participate in the academy. The National EVT Academy would like to recognize the instructors individually for their commitment and they include: Bill Alm, Hall-Mark RTC, Florida Darryl Beatrice, E-ONE, Florida Chris Beville, Hall-Mark RTC, Florida John Campo, Power Brake, LLC, Florida Steve Dean, Hale Products, Florida John Fickers, Hall-Mark RTC, Florida Danny Graham, Kussmaul Electronics Dave Hall AJ Morganelli, Morganelli & Associates, Florida Kevin Parson, Cummins Diesel Rich Price, First Vehicle Services, Florida David Rainville, Stewart & Stevenson, Florida FDDA Philip Sgroi, Kussmaul Electronics Michael Young, City of Alexandria, Virginia Proctors included: David Cooper, Innovative Fire Group, Florida Howard Goldberg, Volusia County Fire Rescue, Florida Thanks again to the instructors for their time and effort to make the academy a success, and to their employers for allowing them to participate. There was an element of fun during the week of classes and testing. This year the annual banquet was held at the Daytona International Raceway in Harley J’s Lounge. Paul Darley, President of Darley, was the guest speaker and sponsor of the award for EVT of the Year. John
Bill Alm
Patfield of Boca Raton Fire Rescue was awarded the 2019 EVT of the Year, he received a plaque and a $1,000 cash award for his efforts, contributions and pursuit of excellence in the Boca Raton Fire Paul Darley Rescue Department. The award was presented by FFCA President Chief John Miller, Paul Darley, President of WS Darley & Company, and Bill Alm, Chairman of the FFCA EVT Section Committee.
Classes were wrapped up on Thursday with a barbeque luncheon and a raffle where tools, caps, gift cards and prizes went to lucky students with the winning tickets. The annual barbeque always provides some fun before hitting the books to study for the testing on Friday. Thanks again to Paul and his company for the support and for making the EVT of the Year presentation possible. We also want to express our gratitude to the sponsors of this year’s event, including: The City of Alexandria Fire Maintenance Morganelli & Associates Cummins Diesel Power Brake, LLC Electric Sales and Service Hall-Mark (REV) RTC E-ONE Ten-8 Fire Equipment First Vehicle Services W.S. Darley & Company Hale Products, Inc. Kussmaul Electronics Stewart & Stevenson FDDA, LLC – FL Detroit Diesel Allison
Association board liaison Chief Gene Prince, we thank all the students, sponsors, volunteers and staff members who made this event possible. There was also a great deal of preparatory work done on behalf of the academy by the FFCA staff Ray Colburn, Denise Holley and Ngoc Huynh – along with Chief Gene Prince – who spent countless hours organizing, scheduling and fine tuning the EVT Academy logistics. Without their hard work and support this event would not have been as successful as it was. If you are interested in joining the EVT Academy committee, please contact the FFCA office or one of the EVT Section Committee members: Chris Beville, Hall-Mark (REV) RTC;
Kevin Rumell, Delray Beach Fleet Maintenance; Mike Young, City of Alexandria Fire Maintenance; David Cooper, Innovative Fire Group or Bill Alm, Hall-Mark (REV) RTC.
Thanks to these sponsors for making this event and the vendor showcase a success! The 137 students in attendance represented 14 states that included Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina and Virginia. The National EVT Training Academy is gaining popularity across North America and we welcome students from coast to coast. If you are a technician interested in earning additional EVT certifications, or if you are looking for more training on specific component repairs or trouble shooting, please contact the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. Keep an eye on the FFCA website for information on the 2020 academy for course information and registration details. On behalf of the 2019 EVT Section Committee and the Florida Fire Chiefs’
Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG
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Lessons from The Storm By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support
FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE
June 2019
h A . La C ogn a
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a informational sessions need to be mandatory, so everyone gets access. People need to F ir t eR or tell their story. From escue Supp a psychological perspective, the best thing they can do to relieve their stress is talk about their experience. This can be done individually or in a group. People could also be encouraged to write their thoughts down. People need mental health support. Some people are still struggling months after the storm. They need more help than what is mentioned above. They need to connect with professionals for assistance in resolving their struggles and getting back to a good place. I truly was caught off guard by how difficult things still are for first responders and the community in general. I’m sad that little has been done to this point. We need to learn a different set of response skills when dealing with the long-term impact of long-lasting events such as Hurricane Michael. You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com. •
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one person is struggling, others can provide support and assistance. In this case, however, everyone is dealing with their own struggle. This not only limits their ability to help one another, it also limits the degree to which they will share their personal difficulties. I’m less inclined to tell you my problems if I know you have problems of your own. First responders have been separated into various groups. This has taken place by default, no one made these assignments. There are those who were not around for the storm at all. There are those who were not on-duty when the storm hit. There are those who were on-duty during the height of the storm. Each of these groups had a different experience. In addition, there are groups according to how much personal damage was realized. Interestingly enough, those who were not severely impacted by the storm are dealing with the unique issue of survivor’s guilt. Based upon these observations, here’s what I’ve learned about helping people move through the challenges brought on by largescale, long-lasting events. People need information. They need to know what stress looks like, how to understand it and how to resolve it. This would be best delivered in a group setting. These
ep
•
I
recently had the opportunity to spend some time with first responders in Bay County. I was there to help them with their continuing recovery from Hurricane Michael, which made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on October 10, 2018. Here are some of the lessons I learned. In many ways, the storm isn’t over yet – everywhere in the community there are reminders of the devastation that took place. Even more disturbing, many of the first responders are still dealing with the personal impact the storm had on them and their families. Ultimately, recovery will be more difficult as there is not yet a sense of the timing for closure. One of the biggest realizations for me is that the first responders here are also victims. Generally, we are not involved in the crises we work with professionally. We deal with the challenges of others, then return to our daily routine. In this situation, this is certainly not the case. Everyone has been impacted to some degree, which makes it more difficult for them to be there for each other. Usually when
s Jo
ADVANCED ENGI NEERI NG AND I NNOVATI VE DESI GN ALLOW ALL ROSENBAUER SMART AERI ALS TO OPERATE AT FULL RATED LOAD
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PROVIDINGMOREVALUEADDED SOLUT IONSANDINNOVAT IVET ECHNOLOGY Oc al a,FL•3528170649•I FRGSal esandSer v i c e
By Rand Napoli, Director, Florida State Fire Marshal (Ret)
T
he official Florida “Firefighter Memorial Flag” is now ten years old. Did you know that there was an official state firefighter memorial flag established in Florida law? Is it flying over your fallen firefighter memorial? I ask the question because at a recent fallen firefighter memorial ceremony I was asked why the official flag was not being displayed - and I did not have a good answer. After talking with a few individuals, I realized that there are some
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Florida fire service leaders that are not as familiar with the flag as we would like. So, at the ten-year mark I offer a little history. In the middle of the last decade there were a few conversations regarding a possible official fallen firefighter flag and Scott McGuff, then Oldsmar Fire Chief, took his idea to legislators from his area. As a result of Scott’s initiative, Senate Bill 198 made its way through the Senate without opposition and was taken up and
passed unanimously by the House. At a ceremony held at Oldsmar Fire Rescue on June 25, 2009, Governor Crist signed what became Florida Statute 256.15, Firefighter Memorial Flag, into law. The law established standards for display of the flag and outlined the basics of the design. The law also authorized the Division of State Fire Marshal (DSFM) to adopt rules relating to the production and distribution of the flag. Chapter 69A-62.050 of the Florida Administrative Code was then promulgated providing additional detail on purpose, design, production, distribution and display of the flag. Rick Weschler, who at the time was a talented Palm Harbor firefighter, had designed the flag before the law was finally passed. During the signing ceremony, Firefighter Weschler was introduced by Governor Crist. In an account written at the time by Liz Monforti, Weschler said, “Designing this flag was a tremendous honor and I wanted to make sure that the colors chosen would represent the mourning and respect that my fallen brothers and sisters deserve.” He went on to describe his design, saying, “The blue represents water. Water is one of the most essential tools to every firefighter, and throughout history, the color blue has been viewed as representing a clean heart. Purple
Always on the job. For generations, we’ve been there — protecting the future of more emergency responders than any other provider of emergency service insurance in North America. With 24/7 claims support, industry-leading training tools and a 97.6 percent loyalty scale, VFIS is the preferred insurance provider among agents and their customers. denotes nobility, as a color is supposed to remind guests or friends that you are someone special, someone with class and dignity. Purple is a natural color of mourning and recognized the world around for respect. The black stripe represents the mourning band that we all use as a part of our uniform to show respect for the passing of our brothers or sisters. I feel strongly that it should be a part of this project. Lastly, the red is our color. I did not want it to be too pronounced but wanted it a part of the flag. Red is the color of blood, symbolizing the heart and soul of a person. Anything having to do with love, passion and commitment is generally symbolized by using the color red. This is what firefighters must have, to do the job that they do.” The Florida Fallen Firefighter Flag: As noted above, the DSFM was tasked by the legislature with ensuring production of the flag and chose a vendor in a competitive process. The current vendor has three different sizes available for flying from an outdoor flagpole, and a version for an indoor display and/or being carried in a procession or parade. The official vendor is Flags Unlimited, located in Tampa. The link is: www.usflags.com/florida-fallenfirefighters-memorial-flag.html.
Just like you, we’re always on the job.
The Nehf family has been on the job for three generations.
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15
Addressing Firefighter Deviation from Policy By Scott Eskwitt, Fire Development Operations Manager, Lexipol
W
hy do firefighters deviate from policy? And when it happens, what is the right way to address the deviation? Before we delve into these questions, let’s look at two recent firefighter deviations from policy that made headlines. In Dallas, firefighters deviated from a newly instituted policy when they entered a home during a shooting incident. The firefighters knew two people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were inside the home. They knowingly deviated from the policy requiring them to wait for police before entering a violent scene. Although the mother died, the baby was later delivered via C-section at the hospital. In Phoenix, a fire marshal was demoted for violating the department ethics policy after he accepted a $100,000 check, while on duty, from a philanthropist whose business had failed its fire inspection 11 months earlier. The check was a donation to a non-profit organization in which the fire marshal and his family were involved. The City of Phoenix Human Resources Department imposed the discipline even as it concluded there was no indication the philanthropist’s business received any special treatment when it came to a fire code waiver. Initial Actions Deviation from policy is rarely a simple matter for supervisors and administrators. When a member deviates from policy or procedure, don’t accept it as a one-off event or write it off as OK because the outcome was positive. Deviation from policy requires an investigation exploring the following questions: • Is the policy/procedure written so it is usable and achieves its stated purpose? • Has the member been trained on the policy? • Did the policy deviation occur during a time-critical event where the member used recognition-primed decision-making (RPDM)? • Did the policy deviation occur during a non-time-critical event where a more classic decision-making process was or should have been used? Two caveats as you begin the investigation: First, until the reason for deviation from policy or procedure is determined, it should not be categorized differently. Using any other term, such as ignored, disregarded or failed to observe, 16
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implies the member did something wrong when, in fact, that determination will be the result of the investigation. By contrast, deviation implies no fault; it’s simply a fact. Second, don’t overcomplicate your conclusion. Generally, the investigation should have one of four outcomes: 1. Determination the deviation was the result of poorly written policy or procedure 2. Determination the deviation was the result of lack of training on the policy or procedure 3. Determination the deviation was proper under the conditions and was made for an articulable reason, based upon the experience and knowledge of the member 4. Determination the deviation was improper because it occurred without an articulable reason With those guidelines in mind, let’s look at each question in detail. Did the policy/procedure properly account for the situation? A poorly written policy or procedure is one that does not adequately address law, best practice, current equipment and technology. Importantly, the policy must also reflect the reality of how the organization operates. If your investigation finds the policy or procedure is inadequate, then it needs to be updated before a member can be found to have ignored or disregarded it. It can be as simple as your fire investigation policy failing to require the use of a thermal imaging camera (TIC). If a member fails to use a TIC and the incident commander clears a scene where a fire later erupts, the failure of the policy is glaring. Was the member trained on the policy/procedure? Put simply: How can a member be found to have disregarded or ignored a policy on which they were never trained? Initial and continuous
training using policy and procedure is a key part of implementation and use. Consistent training reinforces a policy or procedure and makes it a part of the member’s decisionmaking process, whether that decision is made during RPDM or classical decision-making. We all know the phrase “go to your training.” Well, a member can’t go to their training if they never had it. Training is a department responsibility and if a member deviated from policy because they were not adequately trained on it, the blame lies with the department. Did the policy deviation occur during a timecritical event? If the policy or procedure is found to be valid and the member was trained on it, we can move on to examine the member’s reason for deviating. When it comes to time-critical incidents, firefighters usually employ RPDM. A member will quickly, within seconds: 1. Evaluate a situation 2. Consider a solution based on training and previous experience 3. Run a quick validation and either accept or discard the solution, repeating this process until an acceptable solution is determined and then implemented Any hope of following policy or procedure in RPDM requires continual training on policy and procedure so that when a member in a time-critical situation goes to their training and experience, the policy and procedure is included in that process. A common example of a time-critical policy deviation is failure to perform a 360-degree assessment, per scene-arrival procedures, when confronted with visible smoke and fire upon arrival. Instead, the crew immediately commences operations based on what the company officer sees in front of him or her, leading to a failure to fully size-up the scene and assess location of victims or fire on the B, C or D sides. Did the policy deviation occur during a nontime-critical event? Non-time-critical deviations are easier to assess. Here, a member engages in a more classic decision-making process of identification, analysis, evaluation and implementation. Often this process will include asking for advice from other members before making the decision. In non-time-critical events, it should be
second nature that the policy/procedure is followed (remember, we’re assuming the policy is well written and valid and the member has been trained on it). Firefighter deviation from policy in non-time-critical events is likely due to a conscious decision to disregard the policy. Such decisions are usually attributable to lack of emphasis on policy or procedure from leadership, misplaced priorities or the member simply believing they know better. The member may rationalize his or her decision, especially when there is a lack of consequences, but there is rarely a valid reason for disregarding policy or procedure in non-time-critical scenarios. Consider the following example of a nontime-critical deviation from the operational readiness policy/procedure: Apparatus operators are required to inspect the personnel accountability materials on the apparatus at the start of their shift. An operator conducts the inspection and finds several tags are missing. Following procedure, the operator reports this to her company officer. The procedure further requires the company officer to make repair or replacement of missing equipment a priority at start of shift. The company officer receives the information but decides to deal with the missing personal accountability materials after reviewing and finishing incident reports for NFIRS. In the meantime, a structure fire with rescue
assignment is received and the company responds. Two members find themselves having to make entry without tagging in. We don’t need to go further with the example. The company officer clearly made a conscious decision to disregard policy and a chain of events follows. Assuming the company officer was trained on the procedure, his priorities were misplaced. Digging Deeper The Dallas and Phoenix examples we started with further illustrate that deviation from policy is rarely black and white. We’ll assume the members were trained on the applicable policies. The Dallas example is a time-critical situation involving firefighters confronted with the knowledge that there were gunshot victims in a house with the shooter in the vicinity and police not on scene. Perhaps the policy needs to be restated to adequately protect the department and its members while accounting for the realities of such incidents. If it is determined the policy is appropriate, should training evolutions include scenarios where members must wait to reach known victims and mandatory post-incident stress debriefing? The Phoenix example, where the fire marshal accepted a substantial donation while on duty for a charity in which he was involved and as a result was demoted, is non-time-critical. It required a detailed investigation to determine
the circumstances. Here, the city of Phoenix deemed it appropriate to demote the fire marshal, while also finding that the business owner didn’t receive favorable treatment. The bottom line: Each firefighter deviation from policy should be the subject of a thorough investigation that starts with questioning the validity and applicability of the policy or procedure itself. Next, determine whether the member was initially and consistently trained on the policy. Then review the conditions under which the deviation took place. Only then can you properly determine whether the policy needs to be updated, additional training is required, or the member’s actions were proper or improper. SCOTT ESKWITT 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.
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Orange County Fire Rescue Hosts
By Mike Jachles, PIO, Orange County Fire Rescue
W
here better to push the limits of firefighters than in the 99-degree scorching heat of central Florida? That’s exactly what over 200 competitors did on May 31, 2019, at the Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive. For the first time, Orange County Fire Rescue Department (OCRFD) hosted the 3M Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge (FFCC). Another first was the FFCC being held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) 2019 Annual Meeting and Conference, held across the street at the Orange County Convention Center. Participants for the FFCC came from as far away as Washington, D.C., Virginia, Texas, Alabama, 18
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Georgia and New Mexico. In the team category – where the top scores were tabulated for the best times of the top three individual competitors – Montgomery, Alabama’s (MFR) Blue team came in first with 4:57.56, followed by number two Hobbs, New Mexico’s Local 4384 at 4:58.97 and in third place was the St. Lucie County team with a time of 5:00.38. In the open (individual) category, first place honors went to Ryan Fitzgerald, from Lakeland IAFF 579’s team. He had an impressive time of 1:23.34. MFR Blue’s Jake Lanier came in second at 1:24.25, followed by Team ATX Austin Fire’s Jared Johnson, with a time of 1:25.7. In the over-40 category, Matt
Coney of St. Lucie County placed first, followed by number two Jason Stout from Boca Raton Fire Rescue then Scott Harrell, from Apopka Fire Department. The top three in the over-50 were Charlotte Fire’s David Bowman, Delray Beach Fire Rescue’s Tommie Osborn and Virginia Beach Local 2924’s Keith Ashbury. In the female competition, Center Point Fire District’s Ana Ruzevic placed first, followed by Montgomery Fire Rescue’s Shree Bostick and Martin County Fire Rescue’s Melissa Forte. For the tandem contest, there were five categories. Over-50’s top slot went to Jeff Wright and Chief J. Taylor from Irving Fire. Over-40 honors went to Orange County Fire Rescue’s Doss Bozeman and Jason Wheat. The co-ed tandem went to Beast of the East/FireCraft’s David Bowman and Irena Elmstrom. The female tandem went to Orange County Fire Rescue’s Shannon Teamer and Alexandria Mclean, and the male tandem went to MFR’s Alpha & Omega team of Kyle Hearn and Jake Lanier. FFCC President and Challenge Founder, Dr. Paul Davis, cited the May 31st competition as one of the largest single-day events in recent memory. OCFRD’s nine teams, with 44 competitors – the most from a single agency in the challenge’s history – all had times qualifying them for the nationals and world competitions. The ACSM conference drew thousands of attendees including physicians, physiologists, health care professionals, educators and students, all committed to the field of sports medicine. Throughout the week leading up to the competition, interested ACSM attendees, with guidance of firefighter mentors, had the opportunity to run the course and compete. To view the complete results and times, go to www.firefighterchallenge.com.
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Orange County Names New Fire Chief By Mike Jachles, PIO, Orange County Fire Rescue
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range County Mayor Jerry L. Demings administered the oath of office to Fire Chief James Fitzgerald on May 24, 2019, at Orange County Fire Rescue Station 30. Chief Fitzgerald was appointed by the mayor to lead the 1,363-member agency. He was joined by his family, command staff, dignitaries and firefighters for the ceremonial swearing-in. On May 7, Mayor Demings and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously confirmed the chief’s appointment effective May 19. Fitzgerald, who most recently served as the agency’s longtime deputy fire chief, began his career in 1978 as a firefighter with the Killarney Fire Control District, following in his grandfather’s footsteps. When Orange County Fire Rescue Department (OCFRD) was established by incorporating numerous fire control districts in 1981, Chief Fitzgerald recounts being a founding member of the new department as his proudest fire service moment - until his appointment as chief. He is the first fire chief in the agency’s history to have begun his career as an OCFRD firefighter and then rise through the ranks to the five-bugle post.
With 42 stations, OCFRD’s call volume for 2018 was 124,423 and it serves the 772-square miles of unincorporated Orange County. The county has a total population of 1.3 million, is home to seven of the top 11 theme parks in North America, the largest university by enrollment – the University of Central Florida, with nearly 70,000 students – and the second-largest convention center in the US. Chief Fitzgerald hails from Long Island, New York, and moved to Florida as a teenager. He has been married to his wife, Lois, for 37 years, having met in eighth grade. They have two sons and a daughter, and are the very proud grandparents of twin boys, 17-month olds Drew and Liam. The Fitzgeralds are longtime Winter Park residents.
Chief Fitzgerald delivers remarks following the oath of office, with Killarney Engine 3 as a backdrop.
Chief Fitzgerald was surprised to see fellow Killarney firefighter Bill Campbell show up at the swearing-in with their old Engine 3, a 1972 Mack pumper.
Proud grandpa: Chief Fitzgerald with his twin grandsons, Drew and Liam, at the swearing-in. 22
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Orange County Fire Chief James Fitzgerald appointed LaShun NaleStadom as division chief of Orange County Fire Rescue Department’s Planning and Technical Services Division. Chief Nale-Stadom will oversee strategic planning, Office of the Fire Marshal, data analysis, life safety code review and inspection, and technical and support services for the department. Strategic planning also includes ensuring continued compliance with agency accreditation and industry standards. Since 2017, Chief Nale-Stadom served as assistant chief of training and professional development, where she managed the delivery of 320,000 hours of training to 1,150 firefighters. From 2012-2017, Nale-Stadom was a shift battalion chief in the operations division, responsible for six stations. Prior to that, as a lieutenant, she served as aide to the fire chief and an operations lieutenant. She started with the agency in 2002 as a firefighter/paramedic and promoted to driver/engineer in 2005. Chief Nale-Stadom holds a number of certifications including Florida fire officer 1, CERT and ICS instruction, accreditation management, NIMS, ACLS and PALS. She earned a master’s degree in management and bachelor’s degree in public administration, both from the University of Central Florida. Chief Nale-Stadom holds another unique distinction – she is a native Floridian, born and raised in Melbourne. She has lived in Orange County since 1988, is married and has one daughter.
Orange County Veteran Appointed Deputy Chief Orange County Fire Rescue Division Chief Dave Rathbun was appointed deputy fire chief by Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings on June 4, 2019, with unanimous approval by the board of county commissioners. In his new role, Chief Rathbun will oversee the office of the fire chief, which includes professional standards, human resources, safety and wellness, recruitment and the office of public information. He will assist the fire chief with providing leadership and direction for the agency’s six divisions: field operations, planning and technical services, communications, infrastructure and asset management, fiscal and operation support, and the office of emergency management. Deputy Chief Rathbun began his career as a firefighter in 1989 at Fire Station 40, in the county’s northwest quadrant, and was promoted through the ranks. During his tenure as division chief, he had a vital role in the agency being able to attain accreditation and earn an ISO 1 rating during a time of tremendous growth and increased demand for service in the county. He holds a master’s degree in public administration, a bachelor’s degree in business management and is a United States Navy veteran. He was born in Fort Lauderdale, where his late father, Bill, served in the Fort Lauderdale fire department from 1959 until his retirement as a battalion chief in1982. Deputy Chief Rathbun has been married to his wife, Michele, for 20 years, and has two sons, two stepdaughters, one stepson, and five grandchildren. The Rathbuns reside in the town of Christmas in eastern Orange County.
Dan “Cal” Morgan danmorganevr@yahoo.com 321-576-4421
By Scott H. Chappell, US&R/Haz-Mat Program Coordinator, Division of State Fire Marshal
E
ach year, as spring gives way to the heat of summer and hurricane season nears, the Florida National Guard (FLNG) hosts a search and rescue exercise (SAREx) where Florida firefighters work with the FLNG CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) to conduct search and rescue as well as hazardous materials response activities. At this year’s SAREx, firefighters and soldiers combined forces as they were inserted into simulated disaster areas where they solved problems and rescued victims. This exercise corresponds with the annual
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Hurricane Exercise (HurrEx), when the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is activated and works through the challenges that Florida faces when it is impacted by a hurricane. This year’s SAREx incorporated three hazardous materials (HAZMAT) teams, five Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) task forces and Technical Rescue Teams (TRT), a Mutual Aid Radio Cache (MARC) and US&R communications units, the CERFP search & extraction unit, the CERFP mobile decon unit, Florida Air National Guard (FLANG)
290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (JCSS), and the FLNG 1-111th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB). The 1-111th GSAB utilized an LUH-72 (Lakota), a CH-47F (Chinook), and an HH60M (Blackhawk) to execute the air operations piece of the SAREx. Operations spanned over three venues as responders were flown from Cecil Field and inserted at Camp Blanding to conduct US&R operations. Additionally, HAZMAT and decon teams conducted operations at Florida State Fire College (FSFC). As the exercise
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each year, it provides an opportunity for teams . Chapp ott H ell Sc on the ground to communicate with their command and control nodes at the incident management team io a n M (IMT) as well as the of S t a t e F ir e SEOC. The continuous cycle of exercises, after action review, improvement plans and training followed by another exercise, fosters the constant development and improvement of our assets in Florida. Readiness is something for which we should always strive, and over the last decade, the FLNG, along with Florida US&R, HAZMAT, and MARC Units, have done just that. Thank you to the following participants who made SAREx 2019 such a success: FL TF5, FL TF-8, TRT 315 - Palatka, TRT 421 Lakeland, TRT 532 - Deltona, TRT 752 – Miami Beach, HM5-D Marion County, HM4-E Pinellas County, HM6-A Ft. Myers, MARC 3 – Alachua County, FL TF-5 Comms Unit, FLNG CERFP, FLNG 1-111th GSAB, FLANG 290th JCSS, FSFC, and Marion Technical College at FSFC. ha
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began, the communications assets worked to establish communications between Camp Blanding, Cecil Field and the SEOC in Tallahassee. The seamless integration between the various fire department-based US&R, HAZMAT and MARC units with their FLNG counterparts was a product of over a decade of joint training events, exercises and deployments where these rescuers operated side-by-side to accomplish a common goal. Similarly, the use of FLNG aircraft to insert rescuers into the impacted area has been incorporated into training exercises for many years and was heavily utilized during hurricanes Irma and Michael. While years of training, exercise and deployments have proven that these integrated teams of rescuers can utilize aircraft to be inserted into remote and austere environments following disasters to conduct US&R and HAZMAT operations with limited communication and support, operations such as this require constant training. The SAREx is a cumulative exercise held each year that builds upon the training and lessons learned from years past and helps prepare rescuers for the upcoming hurricane season. Additionally, since the SAREx corresponds with the HurrEx
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Thank You from Panama City Beach Fire Rescue I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of those who assisted in the efforts during Hurricane Michael, with a little back story from my personal experience. 2018 began as the highlight of my career in the fire service. I was just sworn in as Fire Chief in Panama City Beach and the entire department was changing very rapidly. The department was about to receive a Fire assessment, plans were being drawn for an additional fire station, new apparatus were being designed by our team and our line firefighting force was about to almost double. Panama City Beach being a coastal community had a stellar summer season and our entire department was on cloud 9 with a rocket
attached to it. I truly could write page after page on things that my department witnessed, experienced and had to dissect during the storm event. The one thing that was experienced like no other time in my 32 year career was the magnitude of assistance that came to assist, not just our city but the entire effected region. The feeling of relief when you see an entire Strike Team or Task Force coming down the roadway, I cannot explain from my personal experience. We have automatic and mutual aid with our neighboring departments and we all work well together but to have departments represented from all over the state of Florida pull up to help is overwhelming. It’s a 180 degree feeling
from what we are used to, meaning we are those called upon to help others on their worst day. So thank you, to all of you who responded in our regions moment of need. From CFO Patronis, Director Halas, Chief Kanzigg (Midway Fire Rescue), Chief’s Talbert and Crawford (South Walton fire District), Chief John Williamson (Orlando International Airport), to every Task Force and Strike team that deployed. You made a difference in our city, county and region. This system does work and I am humbled to be a part of it. Respectfully in your service, Larry Couch Fire Chief
Hillsborough County Debuts New Pierce Velocity Truck
Florida Forest Service Graduates New Class
By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations
By George Risko, Fire Training Officer
At a station open house on May 11, 2019, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue let the public get a close-up look at the department’s newest addition to the fleet, a Velocity ladder truck by Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin. The Pierce Velocity, a steel 100-foot platform, will be assigned to serve southern Hillsborough County as Truck 28. This truck has a 2,000 gallon-per-minute pump to flow water to the automatic Akron smooth bore and fog nozzles located on the platform. It is outfitted with a Command Zone III electrical system which offers diagnostic capabilities such as data logging which records, archives and displays any of the vehicle faults, cautions and warnings. It also has prognostic capabilities including messages and alerts concerning the remaining life of vehicle components such as filters and fluids. Truck 28 will be the first HCFR unit to have both hydraulic and battery-powered extrication equipment to be used during vehicle entrapment. The batteryoperated extrication equipment allows firefighters more flexibility when responding to auto accidents, especially in areas where it would be difficult to get the engine close to the accident scene.
Navarre Beach Fire Rescue Awarded EMS Grant By Danny Fureigh, Fire Chief
Navarre Beach Fire Rescue is excited to announce that we were awarded an EMS grant from the Florida Department of Health for the sum of $15,278.90 to purchase a Lucas Automatic CPR device. Oftentimes, CPR is compromised while moving patients from tight spaces like bathrooms, when going downstairs and or removing them from the beach. This device will ensure good consistent chest compressions when a patient is in cardiac arrest. This is the second grant we have been fortunate to receive this month. We also received a grant from the Division of Forestry for $20,975 to purchase a compressor and fill station to refill our SCBA bottles!
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Graduation
The Florida Forest Service recently held their graduation ceremony for the spring 2019 Basic Fire Control Training (BFCT) class. These firefighters completed over 700 hours of training to earn their Forestry Certificate of Compliance. This training consists of emergency medical responder (EMR), firefighter 1 structural firefighting, incident command system and wildland firefighting. Many joined together to honor these newly certified wildland firefighters at the graduation ceremony including the Florida Forest Service Honor Guard, FFS Instructors, FFS Leadership and family members of the graduates.
Tamarac Fire Rescue Lieutenant Promotion By Assistant Chief Jeff Moral MPA CFO FCO PM TLO MIFireE
Tamarac Fire Rescue under the direction of Fire Chief Percy Sayles proudly announces the promotion of Godson Chery to Fire Rescue Lieutenant. Lieutenant Chery was promoted to Fire Rescue Lieutenant and recognized by the Tamarac Fire Rescue Command Staff and his peers at the Second Annual Firefighters Awards Ceremony on December 7, 2018. Lieutenant Chery has an associate degree in Emergency Medical Services and is working diligently towards his bachelor’s degree at Columbia Southern University. He has been nominated for the Tamarac Reaching for the Stars Professional Development Award for achieving his Fire Inspector Certification from both the State of Florida and the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals. He also holds Fire Officer I and Fire Officer II Certifications and has served as Acting Rescue Lieutenant since 2015 where he brought expertise and professionalism to the forefront. Lieutenant Chery has been a member of Tamarac Fire Rescue since 2011 and continues to bring energy and commitment to the organization while carrying out his new responsibilities.
By John Bracey, Community Affairs Officer
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department celebrated the graduation of 36 new probationary firefighters on April 25, 2019, at the South Campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville. The firefighters began recruit training in February and are now assigned to stations throughout the county. JFRD employs approximately 1,400 uniformed personnel. 30
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Mental Health Awareness Month By Summer Mahr, B.S., Public Education Specialist
Largo Fire Rescue is actively working to create an environment where behavioral health is recognized as being just as important as physical health. On the evening of May 17th, during Mental Health Awareness month, Largo Fire Rescue placed all apparatus on the front apron of their fire stations to bring to light the importance of mental health, and to show support to families of first responders and those lost to suicide.
History Made at South Walton Fire Department! By Sammy Sanchez, Fire Marshal
After 10 years in the making, the muchanticipated ribbon cutting/dedication of the new SWFD four-story, 8,000 square foot training tower took place May 13, 2019. SWFD Chief Ryan Crawford presided over the ceremony. He gave a brief overview of the various types of training that SWFD will now be able to conduct and how that training directly correlates with improving emergency responses. “We are incredibly excited about this. We designed this facility to be very versatile where we (SWFD) can conduct different types of training and it won’t get stale over time. This allows our men and women to come out here daily with a regimented training schedule. We can incorporate different tactics and different skill sets that will ensure each of our personnel are proficient in what they do. Our customers will benefit by having more knowledgeable, better skilled and trained personnel responding to their needs,” he said. As the plaque was unveiled, Chief Crawford announced that the new tower would be dedicated to recently retired Fire Chief Rick Talbert for his 12 years of leadership with the SWFD and for his over 40 years of passion and dedication to the fire service. The tower was affectionately nicknamed by SWFD firefighters as “Talbert Tower.” We are extremely proud of our Talbert Tower and wish to thank everyone that turned this dream into reality, especially our SWFD Board of Fire Commissioners, our staff and employees, our design and build teams and, of course, our South Walton community. We could not have done this without any of you.
Hurricane Preparedness Education By Summer Mahr, B.S., Public Education Specialist
Largo Fire Rescue partnered with Pinellas County Emergency Management to distribute over 16,000 hurricane evacuation door hangers to all mobile home park residents. This educational door hanger informed citizens on where and how to evacuate during the storm, as well as how to sign up for emergency alerts.
Faiola Named Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year East Lake Fire Rescue is proud to announce that Claudia Faiola, our Fire and Life Safety Educator, was recognized as the 2019 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year by the Florida Association of Fire and Life Safety Educators (FAFLSE). Claudia is in her fourth year with the East Lake Fire District, and in that time has proven herself to be a leader in her profession. Claudia was recently appointed as the National Fire Protection Association’s Public Education Network Representative for the State of Florida. Claudia has a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration, is a state-certified Fire and Life Safety Educator, CPR instructor and Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Critical Care Competition By Lana Stevanovic, Public Education Coordinator
Congratulations to our St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Critical Care Competition Team for taking 1st Place at the 2019 FDNY Medical Special Operations Conference (MSOC) EMS Competition! Our team competed against participants from all over the world in multiple high-intensity and adrenaline-rushing scenarios. The authentic simulated scenarios challenged the teams in their abilities for scene search and assessment, teamwork, scene management, difficult patient access and much more. The scenarios were livestreamed and there were over one million views from across the world. Congratulations FF/Medic Walker, FF/Medic Perez-Piris, and FF/Medic Schaefer! We are so proud of you!
2019 Truman Fire Prevention Symposium By Tom Weber, CFO, EFO, MPA, MiFireE, National Director, Community Hazard Mitigation, Fire Chief (Retired)
For the last 17 years the Truman Little White House in Key West has honored the memory of President Harry S. Truman by conducting an annual symposium. Past topics have included Russia and the Cold War, Latin and South America, Public Healthcare, National Security and Truman’s Nuclear Legacy, to name a few. This year the foundation chose to feature President Truman’s fire prevention efforts while in office. The symposium was hosted by the Key West Little White House, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the National Fire Sprinkler Association and many corporate sponsors. This twoday event brought together past and present fire services leaders as well as members of the Congressional Fire Services Institute, National Advisory Committee. Participants also included five US fire administrators and a former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Photo: FR Julius Halas, State Fire Director; Tom Weber, National Director ISO; Mr. Daniel Blanko Fire Marshal, Key West FD; Jon Pasqualone, Executive Director FFMIA; Mike Davila, Fire Chief, Key West FD; BR Yvonne Feijoo, Fire Prevention Hallandale Beach FR; Jason Barroso, Captain Key West Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG
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City of Sanford Firefighter of the Year
Lake County Fire Rescue Promotions
By Ronnie McNeil Jr., Deputy Fire Chief
By Tiffany Henderson, Lead Public Information Officer
On May 17, 2019, FF/PM Gregory Boone received the Firefighter of the Year award from the Women’s Club. FF/PM Boone has filled multiple roles within the Sanford Fire Department and shown what it takes to excel in our department. He received his paramedic certification this year, becoming the lead paramedic on R31. He is a member of the special operations team and holds many certifications in highangle rescues, confinedspace rescue, structural collapse and trench rescue, and diving and boat emergencies. He has taken on the duty of ordering station supplies for the entire fire department, receiving his own budget to manage, and is part of a small group of firefighters who were chosen to be part of the Public Speaker’s Bureau. He is on the SOP committee where he is tasked, along with others, to develop policies that directly affect the way our department functions. He does EMS billing, keeping current our billing cycles of transports. He is currently in training to be a ride-up lieutenant, where he will soon oversee his own crew when needed. He is a member of the honor guard, attending parades, Memorial Day events and funerals. The city of Sanford was put on stand-by for an ambulance strike team to be deployed to the Florida panhandle to assist the state with the catastrophic damages by Hurricane Michael. FF/PM Boone volunteered to be deployed with the Region 5 ambulance strike team to Mexico City Beach, Florida, where he rendered aid and assisted in searching for lost loved ones. This was a 10-day deployment in an environment that was devastated. It is my personal belief that this firefighter has done these things due to the love of the job. His heart is invested in the department and the city he serves. He shows this love commitment every shift with his positive attitude and willingness to teach others.
Hillsborough Wins Stephen Siller Cup for Third Time By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations
On May 18, 2019, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue was announced as the winner of the Stephen Siller Cup in the “Tunnel to Towers” Climb at the Tampa City Center in downtown Tampa, Florida. Earlier in the morning, our first responder participants ascended thirty-nine flights of stairs in full bunker gear to raise money for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation for first responders. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue’s team won the cup for the third time in a row since the inception of the annual event in Tampa. HCFR placed 1st, having the largest team of first responders, which was very appropriate for National EMS Week. We are proud of our department’s participants for a fantastic effort as well as for the money they raised in such a good cause. 32
FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE
June 2019
On May 23, 2019, Lake County Fire Rescue celebrated the promotion of six firefighters to the rank of lieutenant. Derek Youngblood, Doug Draper, Cameron Gegelman, Brent Muse, Ryan Robbins, and Mark Gato were promoted during a pinning ceremony today, surrounded by friends and family. Their promotions will take effect on May 26, 2019. Pictured L-R: Fire Chief Jim Dickerson, Derek Youngblood, Doug Draper, Cameron Gegelman, Brent Muse, Ryan Robbins, and Mark Gato, Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Sievert
Confined-Space Vertical Rescue Training By Matt Brown, Training Captain
The Lakeland Fire Department’s (LFD) Technical Rescue Team (TRT-421) conducted confined-space rescue training at Flowers Baking Company of Lakeland May 14-16, 2019. The objective of the training was to familiarize team members with the tools and techniques required to perform a confined-space vertical rescue from an elevated position, and then to bring the patient back to ground-level safely and effectively. Prior to the training, Flowers Baking Company cleaned a silo that was scheduled for routine maintenance so the team could train in a product-free environment as a safety precaution. The training was scenario-based, a TRT instructor acted as the patient and was placed in the silo from an open hatch on the bottom side of the silo. An additional TRT instructor was assigned to maintain contact with the patient for safety and air quality was monitored during the entire training scenario. The team had to access the patient by being lowered down from the top of the silo. Once the patient was secured and brought out of the top of the silo, he was then lowered to the ground by LFD’s aerial apparatus, Tower 15. This was the first time the two entities trained together, and the relationshipbuilding was invaluable. The team is now more familiar with the layout, equipment, and potential rescue hazards at the Flowers Baking Company facility and others like it. Flowers Baking has been gracious enough to offer their facility to TRT-421 annually to conduct this training.
East Lake Chiefs Receive Fire Officer 4 Certification
Hillsborough Announces Lifesaver of the Year
By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator
By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations
Fire Chief Tom Jamison, Deputy Chief Jason Gennaro and Division Chief Mike Porch (pictured L-R) all recently received their Fire Officer 4 certificate of competency from the Division of State Fire Marshal Bureau of Fire Standards and Training. Chief Jamison has been with the East Lake Fire District for 24 years and has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. He is also a certified district manager through Florida State University/Florida Association of Special Districts. Chief Gennaro has nearly 23 years with East Lake and has a master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy University and his EFO. Chief Porch has been with East Lake for 20 years and has a master’s degree from Saint Leo University in Critical Incident Management.
On May 11, 2019, Hillsborough County officials presented the Lifesaver of the Year award to Driver/Engineer Nicolette Hughes. The annual award recognizes outstanding service to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and the citizens of Hillsborough County. At the scene of a major fire, D/E Hughes was treating an HCFR captain who had just successfully, but strenuously, battled the fire from an elevated bucket. D/E Hughes immediately recognized the captain was having a heart attack. Her quick actions in providing aggressive medical treatment and transport are credited with saving the captain’s life. Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller presented the award along with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Dennis Jones and Rescue Chief Donny Lynn. The department, and the citizens of Hillsborough are grateful to D/E Hughes for her actions and continued fine work.
New Pet Fire Safety Awareness Campaign
Advanced Search and Rescue Training
By Tara Cardoso, Community Education & Communications Team
By Matt Brown, Training Captain
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue proudly announces our new awareness campaign called #SaveOurPets with the help of a little dog named Rocky who was saved from fire by our firefighters. Firefighters will search to rescue animals from fire or other emergencies if they know to look for them. We encourage residents to pick up a free red door/window sticker that lets firefighters know how many and what kind of animals might be trapped inside a home. The stickers can be found at local Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Stations and Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. PBCR thanks a local non-profit group, CABCorp, for donating 10,000 red pet stickers. PBCFR also thanks two other non-profits, the Hometown Foundation and Rescue Life, for donating 120 new pet oxygen masks for use on our trucks – one of these masks helped save Rocky. Commissioner Mary Lou Berger also proclaimed June as Pet Safety Awareness Month at the Save Our Pets press conference.
The Lakeland Fire Department’s (LFD) Technical Rescue Team (TRT-421), USAR Task Force-4 (Central Florida), and K-9 handlers from Task Force-2 (South Florida) conducted a joint training exercise with Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in Lakeland on April 26 and 27, 2019. The main intent of the training exercise was to ensure orientation on and familiarity with Advance Search and Rescue (ADSAR) techniques and aircraft for as many responders as possible. This was a request from FWC to ensure preparedness for all potential operating personnel in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations with the upcoming hurricane season, and as a posthurricane Michael request for improvement. To facilitate this, FWC flew their UH-1 Huey 10-passenger-capable helicopter from Tallahassee to Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL). The class had the same training objectives for both days in order to provide the training to more members. TRT-421 provided 10 personnel, and 30 personnel were provided between Task Force-4 and the canine handlers per day. The training consisted of classroom instruction from FWC, aircraft familiarization for hot- and cold-loads and off-loads, and actual fly time incorporating what was learned and demonstrated. Personnel were loaded ten at a time from LAL and flown to a remote area in the Tenoroc Preservation area before being offloaded. The Huey then flew an orbit and retrieved the personnel for the flight back to LAL. This demonstrated the on- and off-loading procedures during a disaster in a remote area in order to conduct SAR missions. Some of the additional training objectives were incorporating USNG procedures and practice, canine familiarization with the helicopter (none of the canines had flown before) and co-training between a Technical Rescue and Task Force Teams.
City of Largo's Honor Guard Performs By Summer Mahr, B.S., Public Education Specialist
Largo Fire Rescue's Honor Guard participated in the City of Largo's annual Memorial Day ceremony in Largo Central Park.
Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG
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Advertiser
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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE
June 2019
2019 Executive Development Conference Boca Raton Resort & Club Boca Raton, FL 33432 July 12-16, 2019
Please check us out on social media
https://www.facebook.com/FlFireChiefsAssociation/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/florida-fire-chiefs
@FlFireChiefs
Jared Meyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Pinellas Park Leroy Owens . . . . . . . . . . . . . Highlands County Road and Bridge Heidi Perez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Enterprises Team, LLC Ed Sabol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town of Palm Beach Fire Rescue
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