May 2020 Florida Fire Service Magazine

Photo by JFRD Capt. Eric Prosswimmer

THE PUBLICATION

OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

May 2020 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 5

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Florida Fire Florida Fire Fire Chiefs’ Florida Fire

Service is the monthly publication of the Chiefs’ Association, provided to Florida Association (FFCA) members, by the Chiefs’ Association.

Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association 221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303 Phone: (850) 900-5180 Email: info@ffca.org • www.ffca.org FFCA Staff Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Denise Holley - Office Manager Scott Leisen - Marketing Director Ngoc Huynh - Conference & Events Director Donna Chason - Administrative Assistant Liz Aperauch - Administrative Assistant FFCA Board of Directors Darrel Donatto - President Ty Silcox, MPA - 1st Vice President Reginald Duren - 2nd Vice President John Miller - Immediate Past President Douglas Riley - Secretary/Treasurer Ryan H. Crawford - Northwest Region Director Carlos Aviles - Northeast Region Director Terry Wooldridge Jr. - East Central Region Director Julie Downey - Southeast Region Director Ian Kemp - 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

FROM THE SECTIONS Message from the FFCA President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

6 FEATURES

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Leadership During Times of Crisis. . . . 8 Intrusive Leadership --A Life Altering Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Training During a Pandemic. . . . . . 12 Coffee Stains: Marks of

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Leadership Lessons Learned . . . . 16 Jacksonville Elevates Community Outreach . . . . . . . . . 20 Animal Rescue in Search and

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Rescue Operation. . . . . . . . . . . 24

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

FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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

Meet the Fire

The Language of Love . . . . . . . . . .14

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Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Florida Fire Service May 2020, Volume 28, Number 5 USPS # 016-759

Periodical postage paid in Daytona Beach, Florida, and additional post offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Florida Fire Service, 221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303.

Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of FFCA. Copyright 2020 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association.

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

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Administrative Professional . . . . .18

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.

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May 2020

Members on the Move . . . . . . . . .26 Ocala’s First Community Paramedicine Program . . . . . . . .28 Lakeland Fire’s Bee Whisperer Saves the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 COVID-19 Pandemic -- A Message to the Courageous . . . . . . . . . . .32 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

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5

MESSAGE FROM THE FFCA PRESIDENT

Darrel Donatto

O

ver the past three plus months, our communities, our organizations, and our lives have been disrupted like never before. A sudden crisis is not something new to the fire service, as it is what we face every day. But this crisis has been different. It is long-term; it encompasses so much that is still unknown, and it has been very personal – affecting large numbers of our firefighters and their families in many ways. At the time of this writing, there have been 162 firefighters in Florida who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. At the peak on April 10, 836 firefighters in Florida were out of work due to potential coronavirus exposure.

Two firefighters from my organization were out of work due to COVID-19: one spending some time in ICU before finally recovering and a close friend and true fire service icon, Fire Chief Don DiPetrillo, was taken from us by COVID-19. My heart and prayers go out to

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Don’s family, his friends, and his co-workers.

He will be dearly missed.

The fire service exists to protect the safety and health of the communities they serve. We cannot accomplish this mission without safe and healthy firefighters who are at work and ready to serve. In the interest of protecting our communities and protecting our firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association has been working hand-in-hand with the Florida Professional Firefighters to protect our firefighters and to ensure the continuity of our operations. I cannot thank President Bernoska and 1st Vice-President Salvatori enough for their leadership and efforts to protect firefighters and ensure the continuity of the fire service.

The FFCA has also been working closely with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to adjust regulations where needed and to provide for statewide coordination of the fire service in response to COVID-19. The Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal, Jimmy Patronis, set aside time each week to speak with and listen to FFCA’s Board. Director Julius Halas has provided exceptional leadership during these times and helped the FFCA and the FPF to place fire service liaisons in the State’s Emergency Operations Center to give us realtime information and an immediate voice in the State EOC as things changed rapidly. My special thanks to retired Chief Brett Pollock, Chief Jim Dixon, and Chief Patrick Kendrick for the time they served in the State EOC on behalf of the FFCA. The FFCA has also been working closely with the Florida Fire Marshal’s and Fire Inspector’s

Association to help our fire prevention personnel get back to work safely and effectively.

Of the many lessons learned so far from this pandemic, one has been especially important.

We must collaborate and work with our fire service partners if we want to advance our mission in the face of adversity. As things begin to get back to what will be a new normal, I believe that the relationships that have been developed and others that have been strengthened due to this pandemic will make us stronger and better in the future.

The fire service has already learned a lot from this crisis and through our after-action work, we will learn much more. Recognizing and understanding what could be improved upon from these events must be a priority so that we will be better for the next crisis or pandemic as this will not be the last.

Like the Fire Chiefs and fire service organizations we represent, the FFCA has had to adapt and change in response to COVID-19 as well. We have canceled several of our conferences and events, and we are working on how to make future events successful in light of health and safety concerns. Ray Colburn, our Executive Director, has led the Association well through these uncharted waters. He and Ngoc Huynh, our Conference & Events Director, have worked tirelessly to keep our members informed of the latest information and happenings. From all of this, we have learned that the Association’s digital presence will be more important in the future than ever before.

The Association has also faced changes to our board. Chief Ty Silcox of Fernandina Beach was recently appointed as our 1st VicePresident, and Chief Reginald Duren of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was appointed as our new 2nd Vice-President. In July, the Association will install new officers with Chief Silcox becoming the Association’s President, and I will move into the role of Past-President. My sincerest thanks to each of you for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as the President of the FFCA over the past year. It has been a true honor.

This pandemic has created obstacles and opportunities. We have done our best to overcome the obstacles and to take advantage of the opportunities.

I am confident that our Association will come out of this crisis stronger and better prepared for whatever we may face in the future.

Sincerely,

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

T

ypically, leaders have many day-to-day responsibilities and are constantly dealing with difficult situations, but one thing is certain, every leader will encounter a crisis at some point in their career. Crises bring out the good in leaders, as well as the bad. It is critical that these leaders are equipped with the skills necessary to handle it.

Although effective communication is a key component of effective crisis leadership, a leader’s response in a crisis is much more than making speeches. There is no easy route through a crisis. Besides the problem of selecting the correct path to take, leaders also face the task of reassuring employees tasked with doing their jobs during perilous times.

Sitting in the big chair requires much more than issuing orders and directives During times of crisis, a leader’s ability to communicate cannot be overstated. For this reason, organizational leaders should be open about the evolving nature of the crisis.

Assuming that your subordinates “can’t handle the truth” is not only wrongheaded, but is also a very effective way of losing the trust of the people who are actually on the front lines.

Crisis management is a time when both good and bad leadership surface. Good leaders will exhibit and practice the organization’s values.

There are a number of surprisingly simple, but

James Billotte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hernando County Fire Rescue Matthew Day . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Patrick Kendrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tamarac Fire Department John Luppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District 8

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vitally important skills associated with successful crisis leadership: 1. Communication. Many would say that communication is the most important skill when dealing with a crisis. Leaders must be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and in a timely fashion in times of crisis. Crisis leadership needs to be unflappable and focused on relaying pertinent information as quickly as possible. Leaders are much more likely to experience positive outcomes when they have the ability to communicate effectively with their subordinates.

2. Adaptability. Everyone loves when everything goes according to plan. However, as former boxer Mike Tyson once famously said “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” Great leaders have the skills necessary to constantly reevaluate plans and make changes based on the evolution of the crisis. Great leaders have the critical thinking skills to approach problems from several different angles, and are not afraid to seek the counsel of others.

3. Self-Control. When a crisis is upon you, there is no time for a leader who is frantic and disorganized. Without self-control, it becomes easy for a leader to fall into the clutches of panic and then to be at the mercy of their emotions. A leader who has the ability to exhibit

Kevin Nelmes . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Mark Records . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Douglas Remmel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ponce de Leon VFD

strong self-control in the midst of a crisis is much more capable of making rational decisions, communicating effectively, and working to effectively solve the problem.

4. Relationship Management. In times of crisis, it is essential for leaders to manage many relationships with many different people. Good leaders have the skill to do this in a collegial, yet assertive manner. They have the ability to inspire those around them, to give clear direction, and to foster teamwork. Rather than losing patience and barking orders at subordinates, a leader who has strong relationship management skills knows how to move people in the right direction while maintaining self-control.

5. Creativity. When a crisis strikes, it is time for leaders to think critically. A good leader knows that the first solution may not be the correct one. They need to be creative thinkers with the ability to think beyond the parameters of their comfort zone. They must be willing to leverage the talents of subordinates to come up with viable solutions. Good leaders are able to encourage different perspectives in order to solve problems.

Leadership in times of crisis is never easy.

Although planning is E ri c S m it h critically important, it is impossible to plan for every contingency that may occur during times of crisis. However, the • • Ba leader who exhibits rr y U n i v e r sit y these five skills will likely minimize the effects of the crisis, and come up with rational, problem-solving solutions.

Intrusive Leadership A Life Altering Skill

By Chaplain Forest Willis, Davie/SW Ranches Fire Departments

A

s chief officers, most of you have had some level of management and leadership training in the past, learning the various styles and how to apply them (my favorite was MBWA- Management by Walking Around). One that is rarely discussed or utilized is “intrusive leadership”; otherwise known as “sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong”.

Within the Fire Service we do practice intrusive leadership when we have someone fail a urinalysis or is involved in a preventable accident. Intrusive leadership is intimidating, it forces confrontation and obtaining

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uncomfortable information. Within the CISM and PEER support world we are slowly learning to ask the question “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

Within the Fire Service today there is an often false narrative that everything wrong in a person’s life is because of the job or its effects.

However, in studies by the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, Chicago Local # 2 EAP, and various other studies show that job stress, dissatisfaction, and PTSD are surprising down the list. The number one agreed issue for suicides and substance abuse from the various studies is dysfunctional marital and family relationships.

Since the dawn of the Fire Service every Fire House has resonated with firefighters complaining about family members to their secondary families - other firefighters. Many of these rants may be harmless kidding or venting, but with many others it is a much greater dilemma. We already know that firefighters have a higher divorce rate than the general population and many may be on their second or third try at a lasting relationship. So if marital and family issues are the number one cause of these events tragically impacting our Service, why don’t we do more to address that problem? Most likely it’s the old paradigm of not wanting to tell someone else how to run their marriage and family, particularly if the one providing support doesn’t have a great track record themselves.

While EAPs often leave much to be desired in terms of Fire Service counseling, they usually are skilled in family relations. Chaplains are a great resource to bring to the fight as they often have additional training in this arena or know

great resources for referral, including providing a bridge between the counselor and the firefighter. We shouldn’t be afraid to refer someone to marital counseling less than we would for substance abuse or driver training.

Do family issues affect the job? Of course. Does the job affect the family, another resounding “yes”. Balance must be found. As Fire executives you have the opportunity to take actions such as developing spouse support groups and encouraging your firefighters to put their “first family first”.

Every chief and company officer should be cognizant of the signs, up and down the chain of command. Practice intrusive leadership.

Make it a practice to ask sincerely “how are you and your family doing”. Listen to the answer and make a plan to help intervene. The “second family” is only as good as the first and if you believe the studies, by being intrusive you may just deter that suicide, family abuse, or substance dependence. Your actions may not make you particularly popular around the station. Then again, if lives are saved and careers salvaged, you just may receive the most sought after exchange, a heartfelt “Thank You”.

Chaplain Forest Willis, MSH, CSP, is a former Fire Rescue Chief of Nassau County, Florida and currently the U.S .Coast Guard Emergency Manager for the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean. An ordained minister he is the chaplain of the Davie and Southwest Ranches Fire Rescue Departments and a member of the Broward County and Coast Guard Critical Incident Stress Teams and is pursuing a second Master Degree in Counseling.

By Joe Manning, Assistant Chief of Training and Safety, Largo Fire Rescue

A

s we see a downturn in calls for service, while trying to keep our crews’ spirits up and minds off of what we could be facing in the coming future, there is no better time than now to train our crews. Using this time to perfect our skills and pass on the information to the new guy, taking advantage of an empty drill ground and less vehicles on the road.

Following the Center For Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, all training can still be accomplished. Pushing the training onto the officers who have proven through assessment centers and training that they can accomplish the task needed.

DRILL GROUNDS Single companies or those housed together can venture out to the drill grounds for training. Working not only on hose-line selection, deployment, and management, but 12

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also driver operator proficiency. Training on the techniques of movement through a structure, discussing the proper way to handle turns and elevation of stairs. Making sure that all members are getting in the sets and reps and the education for muscle memory. Proper ladder carries; raises, and placement by single firefighter and two firefighter methods can be accomplished with single to dual companies. If you’re on a truck company proper placement and sped of set-up can be recorded to start a baseline for further accomplishments at a later date.

The list of opportunities at the drill grounds is endless; remember those things you were taught that might no longer be taught. Dig deep into that toolbox and remember the drills you ran through as a rookie, are they still applicable today? Our new members have untapped knowledge that they can also share, they have just recently went through and

graduated from an academy that was probably two times as long as ours. Have them lend a suggestion into what skill sets can be accomplished. Work together as a team because when it’s time to do the job, you’re going to rely on each other to get the job in front of you accomplished.

STATION There are tremendous amounts of training that can be accomplished in and around the station during these times. From roundtable discussions to laddering the building, the fire station is your own playground. Keeping the unit available for calls or even delayed response for training, all members can get involved in learning, and career advancement training. These are times when an officer can rely on their senior members to provide knowledge to the younger members, as when our veterans retire and enjoy the retirement they have worked so hard to get, we don’t want

those years of experience and knowledge leaving with them.

Using this time to develop our up and coming members for that next position, or just furthering our current members in their

position with extra one on one personal training. Each shift offers an opportunity to learn and a training opportunity. A day without learning something is an opportunity missed. Each day I seek out a learning opportunity to help further my knowledge. I am aware and comfortable not knowing everything and am grateful for the guidance and knowledge I seek. Making mistakes in training is the perfect place and time, as each mistake is a learning opportunity to make changes and improvements to make sure when the time to perform comes again, we will not

be making those mistakes as lives will be on the line.

Please take this downturn in the amount of runs we are doing on a daily basis, and use this time to sharpen your skills and mind. We don’t know what this pandemic could bring at us over the coming weeks but using our time wisely to pass on the knowledge, and bring our new members skills to a level of muscle memory. Please stay safe and train as if your life depends on it, as the life you save may be the brother or sister that you are riding with today.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

13

The Language of Love

By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

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complaints regarding their marriage. The issue became clear: different people with different personalities express love in different ways.

Gary called these ways of expressing and receiving love the “5 Love Languages.”

Everyone has at least one language that they prefer above the other. This is true for all forms of relationship – for married or dating couples, for children and teenagers, for friends and coworkers. The goal is to communicate love in a language that is understood.

Do you know the love languages of your family? Do you have insight into what best communicates love to your spouse? Your children? If you’re not sure, there’s a simple, online resource that will help. Follow this link (https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/) to a series of quizzes designed for you, your spouse, and your children. You’ll enjoy the opportunity to find out even more about each other, specifically what is the best way to

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communicate love.

You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting Fir t eR or escue Supp www.firerescuesupport.com.

•

he days of COVID-19 and social distancing have certainly increased the time we spend with our immediate families. We have many, many more hours together than before.

Parents are interacting with children on a different level, especially with the entire educational system online. Spouses are working from home. The ability to “just go out” has been drastically reduced. I hope for you and your family this extra time together is a good thing. But rather than just learning to tolerate each other, what if you could learn more about each other.

In his early years as a marriage counselor, Dr. Gary Chapman noticed over and over that couples would voice similar

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Part 2- Know Who Matters

By Matthew Love, Fire Chief, Fort Myers Beach Fire Department

L

ast month we explored my “thing”, and my “thing” is coffee. For me, it is that thing in my life that I just can’t quite see making it through the day without, representing the essence of what’s right in the world. However, as described last month, there is one thing I never expected to gain from this essential fuel, a leadership perspective from the marks of lessons learned through success and failure; what I call “Coffee Stains.” Last month we described the importance of accessibility and environment in leadership. This month we explore the leader’s knowledge of team “norms,” how much time it really takes to spend time with our team, and just how valuable that time can be.

The Daily Ritual Years back, I fell into a rhythm. Each shift on my way to the firehouse I would drive through my favorite local coffee shop and grab a small cup of coffee. This ritual occurred almost every shift on the way to work, interacting with the same few baristas in

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the early morning hours. I remember a morning I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, and deviated from the usual, requesting a large cup of coffee. Upon pulling up to the drivethrough window, I was greeted with a familiar barista and an unfamiliar response. The first words out of the barista’s mouth were, “Mr. Love, is everything ok?”

As I learn more and more about what it truly means to lead, I am further convinced of the power in knowing our team – I mean really knowing our team. Imagine if we knew our team well enough to know when they deviated from a standing ritual. How powerful could it be for us to acknowledge this change and inquire? If not only to let them know we care and we notice, but likely for the great insight that may follow. If my barista can do it, then I know as compassionate and dedicated leaders, we can too!

Half Full For me, Mondays are the best! I get to meet with each of the assistant chiefs and directors to hear what they have going on for the week,

how they are doing on projects and what I can do to support them. As time goes on, these meetings get more efficient, rarely lasting more than a half-hour. Recently the operations chief was in my office, sitting in the “comfy” chairs as usual, and we both had a fresh cup of coffee. We dug into our meeting and were able to cover ground quickly. As we finished up, neither of us had made much of a dent in our beverage. We laughed when he said, “I feel like I need to hurry up and drink my coffee since we’re done.” The laughter was followed with chatting about things going on in our lives and what qualified as “headline news” in each of our little worlds. We finally finished our coffee and got on with our day, but I was refreshed by having that time. It doesn’t take that much time to take time with our team. For the time it took to drink a halfcup of coffee, we not only knew more about each other, we were able to break loose from the task-oriented rush of the day and enjoy each other’s company. What a concept – enjoying the company of those we have the

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incredible privilege of working with each day!

The Little Things I have had some amazing team members over the years. They all have different talents and value different aspects of their work. A while back I had an assistant at headquarters who excelled in picking up on the little things. She knew if three o’clock came around and I had not had a cup of coffee, it was time.

After a while of her bringing me coffee right on the dot, I started to feel a little selfconscious. I certainly had every capability of getting coffee myself and did not subscribe to the stereotypical subordinate “coffee-getter” mentality.

I began to position myself in the break room just before coffee time, making it convenient for me to grab my own cup and slip back to my office. As usual, she popped her head in right before three to check on me. When she noticed that I already had my coffee, the excitement dropped from her face, and she went back about her work. After a couple of occurrences, she quietly knocked on the door, found her way in and sat down.

It was clear to me she wanted to chat. She proceeded to describe how she missed bringing me coffee. It was something she looked forward to each afternoon. She knew just how I liked my coffee, and it was “her thing.” She further described that she felt value in knowing the little things she did allowed me to excel at what I did, and that was rewarding for her. She then explained how occasionally, when she brought me a cup of coffee, she had one, too. She would sit down, and we would chat for just a few minutes before going back to our work.

I had no idea what this time meant to her.

She described all the things we talked about over the years, all occurring in that short coffee time. I was amazed that I hadn’t seen this, and further just how impactful the time had been for her love of the job, and the value she felt. She gifted me with an amazing lesson. We all find value in different areas, and the leader has a responsibility to know our team well enough to know where value is tthew Love, Ma found. Secondly, my eyes were opened to the impact just a small amount of time can have on ye p rs De Bea another’s life. c h F ir e Relationships can be found in some of the simplest places and as leaders we must open our eyes and hearts to see it!

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

17

Meet

the

Fire Administrative Professional Debbie Pringl, Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department

Job title and tenure: I’m the Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief. I have been in this position for 5.5 years, and 18.5 years total with the department in other administrative roles. I was part time for 13 years before this position.

Previous work experience: My last position before joining the department was as Operations Manager for Dreyfus Brokerage Services in Boca Raton. I worked for 16 years in various other roles with Dreyfus Mutual Funds/Mellon Bank. I was with them for 7 years in New York and the rest here in Florida.

Structure of the administrative services of our organization: Our department has 8 full time Administrative Professionals, split fairly evenly between Fire Administration, Training, and Community Risk Reduction. We also have 9 part-timers, and a full-time data analyst. In Fire Admin, one of our full time Admins handles payroll, public records requests and EMS related issues. Another handles everything financial: budgets and credit cards and Purchase Orders. In CRR, they handle Pub Ed requests, inspection fees, special magistrate, and more. We all help with the front desk and phones.

Job duties: As the Fire Chief’s assistant, I’m responsible for typical administrative tasks

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such as calendar appointments and correspondence, but I also have several other tasks that I handle. Each year, I gather information from all our divisions, photos, and charts from our data analyst, and create our department’s annual report. It’s a comprehensive document that showcases everything that our department did for that fiscal year. We publish several hard copies, and it’s also available on our webpage. I maintain our department licenses, processing them for renewal as needed, and work on 214 forms and FEMA reimbursement issues after a hurricane. I also help our Awards Committee throughout the year, and plan the annual Awards Ceremony, assist planning the Department Holiday Picnic, and other events.

Every December, I coordinate a community event called Santa’s Express, where we send out Santa and elves on apparatus to neighborhoods throughout our communities.

Last year we visited over 100 homes over three nights.

What is the most important aspect of your job?

The most important part of my job is being there for whatever is needed by our Chief and command staff. Oftentimes, that falls outside of my daily routine tasks, but that’s part of the Fire Service, even on the admin side. Expect the unexpected. It also keeps things interesting… although I’d trade some of the more “interesting” days in a heartbeat for ones less tragic. I also maintain and renew our state and county licenses.

What challenges do you face in your position?

As an 18 year member of the department, I am confident that I pretty much know what I’m going to be doing when I come to work every day…but when the unexpected happens, the greatest challenge is probably getting enough time with our Chiefs to find out what new things need to be done that I can help with, to take some of the burden off of them. Sometimes they are in the midst of handling a crisis and there’s not a minute to breathe. When tragedies occur, or when a major hurricane is on the way, all our daily tasks change, even on the administrative level. Another challenge, that I’m sure is universal, is we could use more people and more space. But we are fortunate to have a phenomenal group of people who are dedicated and fun to work with, so even with the challenges, it’s a great place to work.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love that I get to do more than just the run-of-the-mill administrative tasks that are done in the corporate world. I love that our bottom line isn’t about selling a product, but about helping people. Mostly I love that I get to help the people that do so much to help everyone else. I love that we have so many creative and forward-thinking leaders.

We have such an amazing department, and so many incredible people, and I’m extremely proud to work here.

Please check us out on social media

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

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@FlFireChiefs

APRIL 30, 2020 – Horton Emergency Vehicles, manufacturer of premium, innovative, highly-customized Type I, Type III, and medium duty ambulances, and a subsidiary of REV Group, has announced ETR will be the exclusive dealer for Horton in Florida. ETR is a full-service company devoted to the Emergency, Tactical, and Rescue industries.

Vehicles. “ETR’s tremendous growth has enabled them to invest in a brand new 32,000 sq. ft. facility in Sanford, Florida that includes Horton-dedicated personnel, floor space and a delivery bay to provide the level of customer service our customers expect and deserve.”

ETR offers extensive remount and service capabilities that cover the full spectrum from on-site repairs and maintenance needs through their experienced mobile service technicians, to complex collision repairs. Their facility includes - Jerry Michaluk full fabrication, welding, paint, graphics, and graphic design capabilities to ensure our customers will continue to receive the service after the sale they have come to expect from Horton. In addition to representing Horton, ETR will continue to represent American Emergency Vehicles (AEV) for the state of Florida.

“We are excited to be able to offer Horton’s premium and customizable ambulances to our customers.”

“We are excited to announce ETR’s appointment as the exclusive dealer for Horton for the great state of Florida. ETR has a strong history as an ambulancefocused provider of remounts, service and sales dating back to 2001. Their team, which has a combined 372 years of Ambulance Manufacturing and Service experience, includes 12 emergency vehicle technicians, a full-time electrical engineer, as well as a fleet of mobile service vehicles, that provides service coverage across Florida” and Georgia, said Lance Randolph, Vice President and General Manager of Horton Emergency

“Florida is a key area of growth for ETR,” said Jerry Michaluk, CEO and President of ETR. “We are excited to be able to offer Horton’s premium and customizable ambulances to our customers.”

Thank You REV Group and Horton Emergency Vehicles.

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Jacksonville Elevates

An Uplifting Visit for

N

The crew of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Tower Ladder 21 positions firefighters to pay window visits to patients at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville. The periodic visit includes an ice cream party for the children. This year, JFRD relied upon hospital staff to deliver the ice cream sandwiches to the youngsters, while the firefighters remained outdoors.

On the ladder turntable are Capt.

Gene Klingbeil and firefighters Brent Lamprecht and Chris Terry.

By John Bracey, Community Affairs Officer, Jacksonville Fire an

o way was Jacksonville’s Hazardous Materials Team going to let the coronavirus spoil THE party.

A tradition spanning almost 20 years for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s specialty team based at Station 7 and Station 21, the Ice Cream Social is a quarterly visit to seriously ill youngsters staying at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Downtown Jacksonville.

In late April, the Jacksonville team arrived at the facility with ice cream sandwiches and an interesting plan for outreach, given the precautions against the virus. The team relied upon hospital staff to deliver the frozen treats to dozens of young patients. As for the firefighters’ visits with the children, well, it was truly uplifting.

Crews on Ladder 7 and Tower Ladder 21 flanked the window sides of the 200-bed, 6-story hospital and prepared to raise each truck’s aerial devices.

But first, each company ensured its supersized stuffed teddy bear was securely mounted on the tip of each aerial. And for good measure and to promote awareness about personal safety, both teddy bears were fitted with oversized cloth surgical masks, which the HazMat team custom made.

Over the course of their 3-hour visit, the firefighters maneuvered the aerial devices sideways and vertically to reach dozens of windows on both sides of the hospital, waving and shouting well wishes to each youngster

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Firefighter Kyle Dingman (top of ladder) and Lt. Allen Harvill (below) climb Ladder 7 to greet young patients from outside their room windows at Wolfson Children's Hospital, a 6-story facility in Downtown Jacksonville.

Community Outreach

Hospitalized Children

nd Rescue Department, Photos by JFRD Capt. Eric Prosswimmer

inside. In addition to both ladders, the entire HazMat Team was present at the hospital on a weather-perfect Monday morning in Jacksonville. That included Engine 7, Engine 21, Rescue 7, Rescue 21, HAZMAT 7, HAZMAT 21 and the team’s riding chief. The extra effort is a habit among the team.

“We were not, not going to have the ice cream social,” said Capt. Gene Klingbeil, a longtime member of the team.

Jacksonville’s Ice Cream Social for children at Wolfson began in 2002, according to now-retired Lt. Andy Graham. He became aware of the wish of a terminally ill child staying at Wolfson. The boy, 7-year-old Michael Back, wanted a ride in a fire engine. Graham and his crew visited Michael to grant his wish, but Michael’s life support equipment was too bulky to fit inside the engine cab. Graham promised Michael that Engine 7 would determine how to give him the ride he dreamed of, but Michael passed away soon after the initial visit. To honor Michael and the other brave children, Graham continued to champion visits to Wolfson from the entire HazMat Team. He also has participated in the event in retirement. Graham was delighted to learn about this year’s visit, given the challenge with COVID-19.

“What they did is just so outstanding! I am so proud of them,” Graham said in a phone interview from his retirement home in North Carolina.

Lt. Steven Breckenridge from Tower Ladder 21 escorts a special guest for a quarterly Ice Cream Social for young patients at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Downtown Jacksonville.

Ladder 7’s Lt. Allen Harvill is in the background. Both officers are members of Jacksonville’s Hazardous Materials Team which hosts the party and also used the aerial devices on their two ladder trucks to greet young patients from outside their room windows.

A

s the coronavirus pandemic has shown, emergency management personnel are key to coordinating safety measures for everyone. Saint Leo University values firstresponders and all those who work in the public safety arena. The university is a leader in preparing students for careers in criminal justice, homeland security, and emergency and disaster management To encourage career development for those interested in pursuing a profession which helps in times of crisis and disasters, Saint Leo offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in emergency management. For those looking to gain leadership knowledge and skills and advance their careers, Saint Leo offers the Master of Science degree in emergency and disaster management and a specialization in fire science administration. All courses are delivered online.

The Master of Science degree in emergency

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and disaster management with a specialization in fire science administration is designed for professionals working in the fire services field.

Students receive training in the high-level leadership skills necessary to manage fire prevention, protection, and safety services. This degree provides graduates with an understanding of the social, political, and legal aspects of fire science management.

Topics explored include: • Human resource planning for fire service organizations • Structure and organization of fire services • Fire-related human behavior • Best practices in life safety systems • Public policy in fire and emergency services In addition, graduates gain a strong foundation in general emergency and disaster management topics such as: legal and regulatory aspects of emergency and disaster management; the impact of terrorism on homeland security; risk identification and assessment; and psychological aspects of catastrophic events.

“This program is designed for working adults and is ideal for first responders who require an educational component to augment their experience, enabling them to move forward in their careers,” said Dr. Robert Diemer, a Saint Leo University professor and director of the Department of Public Safety Administration.

Founded in 1889 and situated north of

Tampa, FL, Saint Leo University is a regionally accredited, nonprofit university dedicated to ensuring every student has the chance to grow in mind, body, and spirit.

Saint Leo University is recognized as one of the top-ranked regional universities and one of the best values in education in the South by U.S. News and World Report and consistently is honored for its education of veterans and military-affiliated students.

The university offers small class sizes so that students receive individualized attention. Saint Leo offers convenient, flexible courses so that adult learners can work and study.

To learn more about our emergency management degree programs, go to https://www.saintleo.edu/online-emergencymanagement-degree and https://www.saintleo.edu/emergency-anddisaster-management-degree-online.

Contact Nikki Heister, special programs manager for the Department of Public Safety Administration, at nikki.heister@saintleo.edu or call (352) 588-848.

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By Scott H. Chappell, US&R/Haz-Mat Program Coordinator, Division of State Fire Marshal and Brandi K. Phillips, Animal Technical Rescue Branch Director, UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service

W

hen it comes to search and rescue, Florida is well prepared. We have eight Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces, almost 40 Technical Rescue Teams (TRT), Florida Fish and Wildlife Special Operations Group rescuers, and cross trained Florida National Guard assets able to swiftly join forces with our teams in times of need. These teams are able to send rescuers into all areas of the state, via sea, land, and air, to perform all types of search and rescue missions. These professionals do everything from rope, confined space, trench, structural collapse, to

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vehicle/machinery rescue. Additionally, they are trained to do wide area searches, operate from helicopters, and perform rescues in both flood and swift water environments. The nature of their mission requires them to move forward, often times without established communications and beyond any established supply chain, into the hardest hit areas in a disaster. These well trained and well equipped rescuers are expected to be completely selfsufficient as they move into devastated areas with the instruction to make things better for all.

Even with all of the training, equipment, and experience that Florida’s US&R team bring to the table on every mission, occasionally there are situations that present hidden challenges for even the most seasoned rescuer – animal rescue. While rescuing cats from trees may come to mind, think about rescuing large animals (i.e. horses), large dogs, snakes, and other animals from situations that are way outside of the norm. Every environment from which a human may need rescue, animals may be there as well. Animal rescue missions can range from single victim emergency incidents (such as a horse trapped in a septic tank), to mass casualty incidents (including overturned livestock trailers hauling dozens of cattle), to major disasters (such as animals trapped in floodwaters following hurricanes). These

missions are especially critical in the eyes of the public, many of whom will not hesitate to attempt a rescue themselves while lacking the skills, knowledge, and equipment that our US&R teams are prepared to use. The humananimal bond is stronger now than ever before in history. By preparing our US&R teams to respond to these calls, Florida demonstrates not only a commitment to animal welfare, but also to human life safety as we preserve those citizens who would boldly respond without the proper training. Florida’s US&R team have partnered with the University of Florida’s After VETS (Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service) to assist our teams on these super specialized rescue missions.

The UF VETS Animal Technical Rescue program seeks to help develop preparedness for teams throughout Florida. Instructors for the program come from a variety of backgrounds, but all have been trained in human technical rescue disciplines, including rope rescue, confined space, and swiftwater.

The same principles in these disciplines apply to animal rescue – with the caveat that victims may be much larger compared to human victims and pose unique risks to responders in their behavior. Training is scenario-based and uses life-sized animal mannequins, with special consideration to mitigating animal behaviors during operations. The UF VETS Animal

Technical Rescue is also available to assist with response. For emergencies, this team can provide limited personnel and equipment within a 2-hour radius of Gainesville. For disaster events, UF VETS can be requested through ESF-17.

Florida is already a national leader in embedding animal technical rescue into its US&R capabilities. For the past decade, the Florida State Animal Response Team (FL SART) has secured and provided funding to support caches of equipment and training in the seven Department of Homeland Security regions. Recently, more teams throughout the state have been working to build their own

capability. In addition to being able to provide response locally in Florida, teams that are prepared to conduct animal rescue become important assets nationally for EMAC missions.

The natural disaster events of the past several years have served to demonstrate the need for and value of animal rescue response from trained professionals across our country.

Training can be conducted on location for teams and departments throughout Florida.

Open Enrollment classes are also facilitated through a partnership between UF VETS and the Florida State Fire College in Ocala, Florida.

For more information on response and training, please contact Brandi Phillips,

Technical Rescue Branch Director for UF VETS, at brandikphillips@ufl.edu.

Brandi Phillips serves as the Technical Rescue Branch Director for the UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service. She has been involved with animal technical rescue since 2011 and has trained in rope rescue, confined space, and swiftwater and flood rescue. In addition to leading the animal technical rescue training program, Phillips has responded to numerous animal technical rescue emergencies and deployed for major disasters in the state of Florida under ESF-17. Phillips also serves as a committee member for NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Seminole County Appointments New Fire Chief Seminole County Fire Department is pleased to announce the appointment of Otto Drozd III as their new Fire Chief. Chief Drozd joins Seminole County with over 34 years of experience in the fire service.

His professional career began in 1986 as a firefighter with the Hialeah Fire Department (HFD). During his tenure he served as a paramedic, a member of the special operations team and honor guard. He was promoted through the ranks to Fire Chief in 2001 and served the citizens of Hialeah until 2009. Hialeah has 8 fire stations and a service population of 230,000.

In 2009, he was appointed as Fire Chief with the City of El Paso, Texas with a service population at the time of nearly 650,000

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residents and 34 fire stations. He led the organization to achieve an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class One rating and to become an internationally accredited fire department.

In 2012, he was appointed to Fire Chief for Orange County Fire Rescue Department in Florida with the service population nearing 1 million residents, 42 stations and 120,000 calls for service. He, once again, led the organization to achieve an ISO Class One rating. Under his leadership, the organization was also awarded the prestigious Congressional Fire Services Institute Award for Excellence in Fire-Based EMS in 2017.

Chief Drozd has a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s Degree in Public Management from St. Thomas University. He continued his fire service professional development through the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Additionally, he was

bestowed the honor of being awarded a Fire Service Fellowship to Harvard University’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program. He also holds the distinction of Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Chief Drozd is known throughout the country for paving the way to improve industry standards in the fire service through his professional memberships and committees with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association. He also served as President of both the Florida Fire Chiefs Association and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association.

Seminole County welcomes Chief Drozd to lead the organization. His experienced leadership and knowledge with metro fire departments will continue to strengthen and enhance the excellent services provided to the residents and visitors of Seminole County.

Ocala’s First Community Paramedicine Program

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer, Ocala Fire Rescue

A

dventHealth Ocala, and the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County have partnered to establish Ocala’s first Community Paramedicine (CP) program.

Focused on addressing the medical needs of low-income uninsured community members, CP is meant to improve patient outcomes and

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reduce healthcare costs. The CP program launched on April 1.

Mirroring programs in Manatee County, Orlando, and Gainesville, CP ensures patients with chronic health issues, including congestive heart failure and opiate use disorder, receive personalized support before calling 9-1-1. In

addition to athome care, the CP program is expected to reduce unnecessary EMS transport, hospital readmissions, and emergency room (ER) visits.

In 2019, OFR responded to more than 19,000 EMS calls – 80% of those calls resulted in a hospital ER visit. Unwarranted hospital visits can become a financial burden for patients with chronic health issues. The CP program, AdventHealth Ocala, Ocala Fire Rescue and the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County want to alleviate this burden to get patients the appropriate care.

The CP program will complete at least 25 home visits each week. During the visits, paramedics will monitor the patient’s condition, provide coaching of at-home health practices, and verify that the patient is adhering to the prescribed medication schedule. Paramedics will also assess a patient’s living conditions and provide referrals to community resources when necessary.

Patients can enroll in the program upon discharge from AdventHealth Ocala. Patient care will be provided for a minimum of 30 days, or a maximum of 90 days if the patient’s condition warrants further contact. Care provided by the CP program will come at no cost to the patient.

To learn more about the Community Paramedicine program, contact Lauren Deiorio, Community Foundation Executive Director at (352) 622-5020 ext. 102.

and other poisons, Jon used an organic approach to rescue these essential pollinators. Using lemongrass and natural oils the bees are attracted to, Jon was able to coerce the bees into his portable hive, saving both the bees and the day’s fun. The event was able to go on as planned and Jon safely relocated the bees, alive and intact.

Troy and Kui shared that the audience was ecstatic, giving Jon a round of applause and thanking LFD for helping the event go on safely.

We know our team is made up of some pretty amazing people, but it’s always nice to share with the community the cool and quirky ways our people are the bee’s knees.

Lakeland Fire’s Bee Whisperer Saves the Day

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

O

n February 29, 2020, Lakeland’s Sun N’ Fun event grounds hosted Up, Up, and Away, a major hot air balloon festival.

Thousands of attendees flocked to Lakeland from across the state and region to enjoy the event. Early into the festivities on the second day of the event, things came to a buzzing halt. Hundreds of bees swarmed a cart being used at the event to tether hot air balloons.

Somehow the bees became disturbed and, in a panic, hunkered down to shelter the queen bee, who perched herself on the cart. With the cart loaded with annoyed bees, the event could not go on.

Lakeland Fire Department’s (LFD)

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emergency personnel at the event, Driver Engineers Troy Deines and Kawailani Kuikahi, were made aware of the situation and of attempts by some bystanders to take matters into their own hands, running the risk of stings or worse. As Troy put it “There wouldn’t have been enough EpiPens in all of Lakeland for all that.” Luckily, Troy and Kui knew exactly who to call, Fire Maintenance Mechanic Jonathan Beale.

Jon moonlights as a professional beekeeper and maker of bee-based products when he’s not at LFD. Jon was only a few minutes away and quickly showed up to work his magic.

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

T

here were a number of preventative measures in place that had been taken to protect our citizens, the military, first responders and health workers from the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite all the protocols developed and initiatives taken to protect us all, we remained vulnerable prey to the silent and invisible threat of disease, illness and death.

We thought we had evaded the deadly tentacles of the coronavirus, but would soon discover that there was no place to hide. My family and I were returning to the United States from Europe on March 15, 2020, on a Norwegian Boeing 787-9 Dream Liner that accommodated three hundred forty-four passengers, not including the crew. While storing our baggage overhead I took a quick glance around the massive fuselage and down the seemingly endless isle toward the aft section of the plane and an eerie feeling came over me; I noticed that most of the seats were empty when the steward commented, “This is one of the last flights to America and there are only 83 passengers and the crew aboard this one.” As I settled in my seat, I would have never thought that within a short period of time, we would lose so much so quickly.

After a lengthy quarantine with only an occasional quick trip to the store, we watched in disbelief as strangers and friends succumbed to the deadly disease. Our grandson and his wife, who are in the military, were deployed to New York where they would remain, testing other military and healthcare workers and caring for those who were less fortunate. There didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to pray for their safety.

On May 1st, I discovered that the virus had claimed the life of not only a good friend, but a seasoned veteran in the fire service as well, Fire Chief Donald DiPetrillo. In addition to his over 50 years in the fire service, he was also a Navy veteran and Fire Chief of the Florida Seminole Tribe. It is believed he contracted the disease at an EMS conference in Tampa in early March and passed away on April 30, 2020. A man with an impeccable career who would leave a legacy that many of us can only dream of.

As a writer, I am not accustomed to placing words in the mouths of other people without

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their knowledge but Chief DiPetrillo was not only a friend and mentor to us all, he was one of America’s finest and I believe if he were given the opportunity to express his feelings to the men and women who serve valiantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, this message would be from him to them.

We are living in a rapidly changing world where people are looking to you, the soldier, healthcare provider and first responder for help and whatever you do, you must get it right the first time.

Whether you recognize His existence or not, God has afforded you the opportunity to help someone on the worst day of their life and he will not interfere with the choices that you make unless you call on His name. His desire is to create within each of us something much bigger than ourselves, but unless we allow Him the opportunity to use our hands, feet and the gifts that he has given us, we will never reach our full potential.

It is easier to be critical than correct, so I encourage you when things are not going as planned, focus on the things that are positive, not the negative; there is little value in pointing the finger of indictment at someone else for whatever reason when there is still much to be done. Remember, you are a vital link in the network of professionals who are committed to the health and safety of all humanity, for there is no time to waste when a life is hanging in the balance.

We are faced with a pandemic that has challenged not only the resources of our healthcare systems across America, but the world at large. We admire and respect you for

your boldness in stepping up to the plate and courageously fighting the silent and intangible war that threatens the life of every man, woman and child on the face of this earth.

Unfortunately, as resilient as you may be, many of you have become a statistic yourself with devastating consequences and for that we owe so much to so many; we are indebted to you all.

Many of you who are firefighters are more than familiar with the protective clothing and equipment that you use while operating in a hostile environment. It is to your advantage when you feel the heat or smell the smoke that you have the ability to make a quick adjustment in your equipment, but remember that the protective clothing many of you are now wearing is much lighter and can leave you vulnerable to exposure if you are not careful.

You must survey each other constantly while administering to the needs of the less fortunate, not forgetting that any breach in your protective clothing can leave you open and exposed to the microorganisms of the coronavirus. There will be no early warning sign of exposure so you must be vigilant in your evaluation of each other.

You cannot let your guard down for even a moment. If you fail to follow through with good hygiene practices, fail to wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after touching unfamiliar or contaminated surfaces, fail to follow through with preventive measures designed to protect you and others from illness or disease, or fail in your methodology to remove contaminated clothing or equipment properly, then the end result will be much less than desirable. There is no room for error when dealing with any infectious disease.

We need you to be bold and courageous when everyone else is questioning the unknown, but above all else, we need you to be careful when and where it counts the most. You are essential to the conservation of humanity so with the passion and desire that you have to help others on the worst day of their life, continue to settle for nothing less than your best and know without any reservation that you are one of America’s finest! May God bless and protect each and every one of you.

I urge you to live a life worthy of your calling.

Ephesians 4:1

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East Lake Fire Rescue Promotional Announcement

By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator

Ocala Fire Rescue Introduces Community Connect

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer

On April 3, Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) and technology partner First Due released Community Connect, a pre-planning tool for fire and medical emergencies. Using a secure platform where residents share critical information, OFR aims to increase the rate of successful outcomes during emergent events - including calls arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Intended as a tool that facilitates property and occupant information to firefighters before they arrive on the scene, Community Connect allows residents to share details about their homes and the people within. With the pandemic at hand, OFR is encouraging the public to not only register but complete the COVID-19 self-reporting module. By providing recent travel information and reporting symptoms associated with COVID-19, you help us identify high-risk occupants.

Benefiting from Community Connect is free and easy. To enroll, city of Ocala residents can visit Resgister.OcalaFire.org. By creating your household profile, you equip firefighters with incident-specific information before they respond to your home.

“The [Community Connect] profiles help us identify ways to protect your family, before arriving on the scene,” said Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander. “As we focus on limiting exposures to the Coronavirus, your completion of the COVID-19 module is the first step you can take to help us stop the spread.”

Fire Marshal Office Trains with Airport Crew

By Mark Edgil

The Volusia County Fire Marshal Office trained with the crew of Volusia County Fire Rescue's Station 17, which is located at the Daytona Beach International Airport (DBIA). Personnel worked together to share their knowledge of aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) while honing skills related to conducting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quarterly fuel truck inspections.

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East Lake Fire Rescue would like to congratulate FF Steven Berger and FF Jacob Dixon on their promotion to Driver Engineer.

DE Berger (top)has been with the department since 2014. He received his Fire Certificate from the Coral Springs Fire Academy and his Paramedic Certification from Broward College. He is currently working on his AS in Fire Science at St. Petersburg College. DE Berger is a member of the Water Extrication Team, he is a CPR instructor and is also an SPC EMT/Paramedic Student Preceptor. Congratulations to DE Berger, his wife Christina and their dog Layla!

DE Dixon (bottom)has been with the department since 2017. He obtained his Firefighter and EMT Certification at Englewood Fire Academy. Previously he worked as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Punta Gorda Fire Rescue for 1 year. He was a marine mechanic for 9 years and is a part of the East Lake Fire Rescue Boat Committee.

Congratulations to Jacob, his wife Emily and their two daughters Raegan and Harper.

Local Church Show Support for Orlando Fire Station

By Ashley Papagni, Public Information Manager

A nice surprise from The Christ School showing the crews of Station 5 love and support during this 24/7 response.

Pinwheel Gardens Bring Awareness to Child Abuse

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

These blue pinwheel gardens decorated the front of all of our Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) stations and headquarters throughout the month of April. While COVID-19 is on everyone's mind, April is still National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year, HCFR continued to help raise awareness of the need to protect our most precious citizens - the children - by partnering with the Children's Board of Hillsborough County to bring awareness to this cause. By its very nature, the pinwheel signifies whimsy and childlike notions. In essence, it has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.

Hillsborough County Procures Donations

Tavares Announces Firefighter of the Year

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

By Helen Vilissov, Administrative Officer

With the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue helped put out the call for donations of medical supplies to be used in hospitals, nursing centers, assisted living facilities, or other areas of need to help fight the spread of COVID-19. HCFR Training Officer Prudy Vallejo went on camera to explain what was needed, and the huge response was gratifying.

Residents and businesses stepped up to drop off their excess supplies of surgical masks, N95 masks, face shields, exam gloves, gowns and Tyvek suits at the drop off center at a former Sears Automotive Shop at West Shore Plaza Mall.

Hundreds of units of medical grade personal protection equipment (PPE), new in the box or unused were contributed for hospitals, health centers and first responders struggling to keep equipment on hand due to the increased load on our health care system brought about by COVID-19. The donated supplies came from businesses as diverse as dental offices and medical schools to elective surgery centers and individuals who had an excess supply.

Congratulations to Battalion Chief Eric Wages, who was selected Firefighter of the Year also referred to as Person of the Year. Chief Wages has worked for the City of Tavares for twentyseven years. He is the Commander for B Shift and besides his operational responsibilities, Chief Wages has many auxiliary duties. Chief Wages is the Department’s training coordinator, he handles the Incident Action Plans for all city Special Events. Chief Wages serves as the liaison between the Fire Department and AdventHealth, which is the local hospital. He serves in various Committees such as Operations, Training, and Apparel. Chief Wages also oversees Tavares Fire Rescue Boat and serves in the capacity of EMS coordinator for the Department. Chief Wages was honored at a Dinner Awards Banquet held at Elks Lodge and an Awards Luncheon sponsored by the American Legion.

Pictured L-R: Eric Wages, Battalion Chief; Richard Keith, Fire Chief

North Port Dedicates Units to COVID Response

By Madison Heid, Community Outreach Coordinator

The City of North Port is dedicated to flattening the curve and stopping the spread of COVID-19. To assist with this, North Port Fire Rescue has two dedicated COVID-19 units per shift to respond to anyone suspected to have the virus or reports flulike symptoms.

One is an ambulance staffed with two personnel, and the other is an SUV, which provides additional personnel if needed. NPFR is working to reduce exposure, as well as reduce the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). These dedicated crew members are making the extra effort to respond safely, smartly, and quickly. We thank them for their willingness to respond to these high-risk situations for the good of our community.

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Hillsborough County Receives Face Shields from Ford

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

Pivoting from making cars to medical equipment, Ford Motor Company has been manufacturing thousands of protective face shields and other PPE in its Michigan plant to assist healthcare providers deal with COVID-19 patients. In April, the automaker, through local Tampa dealership Brandon Ford, donated 1,000 face shields to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) to assist our first responders and another batch to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

Specially manufactured

by Ford for this crisis and driven down from Detroit, the shields were presented by Brandon Ford President Paul Levine to HCFR Chief Dennis Jones and HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister. HCFR Chief Jones thanked Ford, calling the shields “a crucial piece of the protective equipment that our personnel need in order to be on the front line, administering that first line of medical care to the citizens of Hillsborough County.” After testing them out, this important PPE got the thumbs up from the Fire Chief!

Ocala Strike Team Addresses COVID-19 Concerns

East Lake Provides Countywide Donation

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer

In partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Marion County (FDOHMC), Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) activated a Strike Team to address Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, on March 27.

Given the similarities between symptoms of this virus, seasonal allergies, and the common flu, public uncertainty was on the rise. To eliminate these fears, OFR deployed a Strike Team of elite paramedics charged with evaluations and recommendations for hospitalization of patients reporting COVID-19 symptoms to a dispatch center. Citizens exhibiting a fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath – symptoms associated with COVID-19 – were encouraged to contact the FDOHMC by calling (352)6442590. By using the ten-digit line callers assisted in hastening the screening process.

“The Strike Team didn’t only alleviate citizen’s concerns by diagnosing and treating anyone who indeed had COVID-19, the team allowed our department to deploy means for minimal exposure and cross contamination between the public and first responders,” said Assistant Fire Chief Clint Welborn.

By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator

East Lake Fire Rescue is extremely proud of Lieutenant Gary Hurlbut for providing a spray bottle of Hurly’s Mask Goop from his personal business, Hurly’s Wet Adventures LLC, to every engine, ladder truck and rescue in Pinellas County. Lieutenant Hurlbut also donated 100 bottles to Sunstar Ambulance for each of their units. During the Coronavirus pandemic, firefighters are wearing eye protection and N95 masks on every single call. Hurly’s Mask Goop prevents firefighters eyewear from fogging up while they are providing patient care.

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. 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.

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Florida Fire Florida Fire Fire Chiefs’ Florida Fire

Service is the monthly publication of the Chiefs’ Association, provided to Florida Association (FFCA) members, by the Chiefs’ Association.

Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association 221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303 Phone: (850) 900-5180 Email: info@ffca.org • www.ffca.org FFCA Staff Wm. Ray Colburn - Executive Director & CEO Denise Holley - Office Manager Scott Leisen - Marketing Director Ngoc Huynh - Conference & Events Director Donna Chason - Administrative Assistant Liz Aperauch - Administrative Assistant FFCA Board of Directors Darrel Donatto - President Ty Silcox, MPA - 1st Vice President Reginald Duren - 2nd Vice President John Miller - Immediate Past President Douglas Riley - Secretary/Treasurer Ryan H. Crawford - Northwest Region Director Carlos Aviles - Northeast Region Director Terry Wooldridge Jr. - East Central Region Director Julie Downey - Southeast Region Director Ian Kemp - 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

FROM THE SECTIONS Message from the FFCA President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

6 FEATURES

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8

Leadership During Times of Crisis. . . . 8 Intrusive Leadership --A Life Altering Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Training During a Pandemic. . . . . . 12 Coffee Stains: Marks of

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Leadership Lessons Learned . . . . 16 Jacksonville Elevates Community Outreach . . . . . . . . . 20 Animal Rescue in Search and

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

FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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

Meet the Fire

The Language of Love . . . . . . . . . .14

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Florida Fire Service May 2020, Volume 28, Number 5 USPS # 016-759

Periodical postage paid in Daytona Beach, Florida, and additional post offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Florida Fire Service, 221 Pinewood Drive Tallahassee, FL 32303.

Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of FFCA. Copyright 2020 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association.

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

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Administrative Professional . . . . .18

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.

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May 2020

Members on the Move . . . . . . . . .26 Ocala’s First Community Paramedicine Program . . . . . . . .28 Lakeland Fire’s Bee Whisperer Saves the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 COVID-19 Pandemic -- A Message to the Courageous . . . . . . . . . . .32 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

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MESSAGE FROM THE FFCA PRESIDENT

Darrel Donatto

O

ver the past three plus months, our communities, our organizations, and our lives have been disrupted like never before. A sudden crisis is not something new to the fire service, as it is what we face every day. But this crisis has been different. It is long-term; it encompasses so much that is still unknown, and it has been very personal – affecting large numbers of our firefighters and their families in many ways. At the time of this writing, there have been 162 firefighters in Florida who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. At the peak on April 10, 836 firefighters in Florida were out of work due to potential coronavirus exposure.

Two firefighters from my organization were out of work due to COVID-19: one spending some time in ICU before finally recovering and a close friend and true fire service icon, Fire Chief Don DiPetrillo, was taken from us by COVID-19. My heart and prayers go out to

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Don’s family, his friends, and his co-workers.

He will be dearly missed.

The fire service exists to protect the safety and health of the communities they serve. We cannot accomplish this mission without safe and healthy firefighters who are at work and ready to serve. In the interest of protecting our communities and protecting our firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association has been working hand-in-hand with the Florida Professional Firefighters to protect our firefighters and to ensure the continuity of our operations. I cannot thank President Bernoska and 1st Vice-President Salvatori enough for their leadership and efforts to protect firefighters and ensure the continuity of the fire service.

The FFCA has also been working closely with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to adjust regulations where needed and to provide for statewide coordination of the fire service in response to COVID-19. The Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal, Jimmy Patronis, set aside time each week to speak with and listen to FFCA’s Board. Director Julius Halas has provided exceptional leadership during these times and helped the FFCA and the FPF to place fire service liaisons in the State’s Emergency Operations Center to give us realtime information and an immediate voice in the State EOC as things changed rapidly. My special thanks to retired Chief Brett Pollock, Chief Jim Dixon, and Chief Patrick Kendrick for the time they served in the State EOC on behalf of the FFCA. The FFCA has also been working closely with the Florida Fire Marshal’s and Fire Inspector’s

Association to help our fire prevention personnel get back to work safely and effectively.

Of the many lessons learned so far from this pandemic, one has been especially important.

We must collaborate and work with our fire service partners if we want to advance our mission in the face of adversity. As things begin to get back to what will be a new normal, I believe that the relationships that have been developed and others that have been strengthened due to this pandemic will make us stronger and better in the future.

The fire service has already learned a lot from this crisis and through our after-action work, we will learn much more. Recognizing and understanding what could be improved upon from these events must be a priority so that we will be better for the next crisis or pandemic as this will not be the last.

Like the Fire Chiefs and fire service organizations we represent, the FFCA has had to adapt and change in response to COVID-19 as well. We have canceled several of our conferences and events, and we are working on how to make future events successful in light of health and safety concerns. Ray Colburn, our Executive Director, has led the Association well through these uncharted waters. He and Ngoc Huynh, our Conference & Events Director, have worked tirelessly to keep our members informed of the latest information and happenings. From all of this, we have learned that the Association’s digital presence will be more important in the future than ever before.

The Association has also faced changes to our board. Chief Ty Silcox of Fernandina Beach was recently appointed as our 1st VicePresident, and Chief Reginald Duren of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was appointed as our new 2nd Vice-President. In July, the Association will install new officers with Chief Silcox becoming the Association’s President, and I will move into the role of Past-President. My sincerest thanks to each of you for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as the President of the FFCA over the past year. It has been a true honor.

This pandemic has created obstacles and opportunities. We have done our best to overcome the obstacles and to take advantage of the opportunities.

I am confident that our Association will come out of this crisis stronger and better prepared for whatever we may face in the future.

Sincerely,

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

T

ypically, leaders have many day-to-day responsibilities and are constantly dealing with difficult situations, but one thing is certain, every leader will encounter a crisis at some point in their career. Crises bring out the good in leaders, as well as the bad. It is critical that these leaders are equipped with the skills necessary to handle it.

Although effective communication is a key component of effective crisis leadership, a leader’s response in a crisis is much more than making speeches. There is no easy route through a crisis. Besides the problem of selecting the correct path to take, leaders also face the task of reassuring employees tasked with doing their jobs during perilous times.

Sitting in the big chair requires much more than issuing orders and directives During times of crisis, a leader’s ability to communicate cannot be overstated. For this reason, organizational leaders should be open about the evolving nature of the crisis.

Assuming that your subordinates “can’t handle the truth” is not only wrongheaded, but is also a very effective way of losing the trust of the people who are actually on the front lines.

Crisis management is a time when both good and bad leadership surface. Good leaders will exhibit and practice the organization’s values.

There are a number of surprisingly simple, but

James Billotte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hernando County Fire Rescue Matthew Day . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Patrick Kendrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tamarac Fire Department John Luppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District 8

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

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vitally important skills associated with successful crisis leadership: 1. Communication. Many would say that communication is the most important skill when dealing with a crisis. Leaders must be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and in a timely fashion in times of crisis. Crisis leadership needs to be unflappable and focused on relaying pertinent information as quickly as possible. Leaders are much more likely to experience positive outcomes when they have the ability to communicate effectively with their subordinates.

2. Adaptability. Everyone loves when everything goes according to plan. However, as former boxer Mike Tyson once famously said “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” Great leaders have the skills necessary to constantly reevaluate plans and make changes based on the evolution of the crisis. Great leaders have the critical thinking skills to approach problems from several different angles, and are not afraid to seek the counsel of others.

3. Self-Control. When a crisis is upon you, there is no time for a leader who is frantic and disorganized. Without self-control, it becomes easy for a leader to fall into the clutches of panic and then to be at the mercy of their emotions. A leader who has the ability to exhibit

Kevin Nelmes . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Mark Records . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Douglas Remmel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ponce de Leon VFD

strong self-control in the midst of a crisis is much more capable of making rational decisions, communicating effectively, and working to effectively solve the problem.

4. Relationship Management. In times of crisis, it is essential for leaders to manage many relationships with many different people. Good leaders have the skill to do this in a collegial, yet assertive manner. They have the ability to inspire those around them, to give clear direction, and to foster teamwork. Rather than losing patience and barking orders at subordinates, a leader who has strong relationship management skills knows how to move people in the right direction while maintaining self-control.

5. Creativity. When a crisis strikes, it is time for leaders to think critically. A good leader knows that the first solution may not be the correct one. They need to be creative thinkers with the ability to think beyond the parameters of their comfort zone. They must be willing to leverage the talents of subordinates to come up with viable solutions. Good leaders are able to encourage different perspectives in order to solve problems.

Leadership in times of crisis is never easy.

Although planning is E ri c S m it h critically important, it is impossible to plan for every contingency that may occur during times of crisis. However, the • • Ba leader who exhibits rr y U n i v e r sit y these five skills will likely minimize the effects of the crisis, and come up with rational, problem-solving solutions.

Intrusive Leadership A Life Altering Skill

By Chaplain Forest Willis, Davie/SW Ranches Fire Departments

A

s chief officers, most of you have had some level of management and leadership training in the past, learning the various styles and how to apply them (my favorite was MBWA- Management by Walking Around). One that is rarely discussed or utilized is “intrusive leadership”; otherwise known as “sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong”.

Within the Fire Service we do practice intrusive leadership when we have someone fail a urinalysis or is involved in a preventable accident. Intrusive leadership is intimidating, it forces confrontation and obtaining

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uncomfortable information. Within the CISM and PEER support world we are slowly learning to ask the question “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

Within the Fire Service today there is an often false narrative that everything wrong in a person’s life is because of the job or its effects.

However, in studies by the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, Chicago Local # 2 EAP, and various other studies show that job stress, dissatisfaction, and PTSD are surprising down the list. The number one agreed issue for suicides and substance abuse from the various studies is dysfunctional marital and family relationships.

Since the dawn of the Fire Service every Fire House has resonated with firefighters complaining about family members to their secondary families - other firefighters. Many of these rants may be harmless kidding or venting, but with many others it is a much greater dilemma. We already know that firefighters have a higher divorce rate than the general population and many may be on their second or third try at a lasting relationship. So if marital and family issues are the number one cause of these events tragically impacting our Service, why don’t we do more to address that problem? Most likely it’s the old paradigm of not wanting to tell someone else how to run their marriage and family, particularly if the one providing support doesn’t have a great track record themselves.

While EAPs often leave much to be desired in terms of Fire Service counseling, they usually are skilled in family relations. Chaplains are a great resource to bring to the fight as they often have additional training in this arena or know

great resources for referral, including providing a bridge between the counselor and the firefighter. We shouldn’t be afraid to refer someone to marital counseling less than we would for substance abuse or driver training.

Do family issues affect the job? Of course. Does the job affect the family, another resounding “yes”. Balance must be found. As Fire executives you have the opportunity to take actions such as developing spouse support groups and encouraging your firefighters to put their “first family first”.

Every chief and company officer should be cognizant of the signs, up and down the chain of command. Practice intrusive leadership.

Make it a practice to ask sincerely “how are you and your family doing”. Listen to the answer and make a plan to help intervene. The “second family” is only as good as the first and if you believe the studies, by being intrusive you may just deter that suicide, family abuse, or substance dependence. Your actions may not make you particularly popular around the station. Then again, if lives are saved and careers salvaged, you just may receive the most sought after exchange, a heartfelt “Thank You”.

Chaplain Forest Willis, MSH, CSP, is a former Fire Rescue Chief of Nassau County, Florida and currently the U.S .Coast Guard Emergency Manager for the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean. An ordained minister he is the chaplain of the Davie and Southwest Ranches Fire Rescue Departments and a member of the Broward County and Coast Guard Critical Incident Stress Teams and is pursuing a second Master Degree in Counseling.

By Joe Manning, Assistant Chief of Training and Safety, Largo Fire Rescue

A

s we see a downturn in calls for service, while trying to keep our crews’ spirits up and minds off of what we could be facing in the coming future, there is no better time than now to train our crews. Using this time to perfect our skills and pass on the information to the new guy, taking advantage of an empty drill ground and less vehicles on the road.

Following the Center For Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, all training can still be accomplished. Pushing the training onto the officers who have proven through assessment centers and training that they can accomplish the task needed.

DRILL GROUNDS Single companies or those housed together can venture out to the drill grounds for training. Working not only on hose-line selection, deployment, and management, but 12

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also driver operator proficiency. Training on the techniques of movement through a structure, discussing the proper way to handle turns and elevation of stairs. Making sure that all members are getting in the sets and reps and the education for muscle memory. Proper ladder carries; raises, and placement by single firefighter and two firefighter methods can be accomplished with single to dual companies. If you’re on a truck company proper placement and sped of set-up can be recorded to start a baseline for further accomplishments at a later date.

The list of opportunities at the drill grounds is endless; remember those things you were taught that might no longer be taught. Dig deep into that toolbox and remember the drills you ran through as a rookie, are they still applicable today? Our new members have untapped knowledge that they can also share, they have just recently went through and

graduated from an academy that was probably two times as long as ours. Have them lend a suggestion into what skill sets can be accomplished. Work together as a team because when it’s time to do the job, you’re going to rely on each other to get the job in front of you accomplished.

STATION There are tremendous amounts of training that can be accomplished in and around the station during these times. From roundtable discussions to laddering the building, the fire station is your own playground. Keeping the unit available for calls or even delayed response for training, all members can get involved in learning, and career advancement training. These are times when an officer can rely on their senior members to provide knowledge to the younger members, as when our veterans retire and enjoy the retirement they have worked so hard to get, we don’t want

those years of experience and knowledge leaving with them.

Using this time to develop our up and coming members for that next position, or just furthering our current members in their

position with extra one on one personal training. Each shift offers an opportunity to learn and a training opportunity. A day without learning something is an opportunity missed. Each day I seek out a learning opportunity to help further my knowledge. I am aware and comfortable not knowing everything and am grateful for the guidance and knowledge I seek. Making mistakes in training is the perfect place and time, as each mistake is a learning opportunity to make changes and improvements to make sure when the time to perform comes again, we will not

be making those mistakes as lives will be on the line.

Please take this downturn in the amount of runs we are doing on a daily basis, and use this time to sharpen your skills and mind. We don’t know what this pandemic could bring at us over the coming weeks but using our time wisely to pass on the knowledge, and bring our new members skills to a level of muscle memory. Please stay safe and train as if your life depends on it, as the life you save may be the brother or sister that you are riding with today.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

13

The Language of Love

By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

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complaints regarding their marriage. The issue became clear: different people with different personalities express love in different ways.

Gary called these ways of expressing and receiving love the “5 Love Languages.”

Everyone has at least one language that they prefer above the other. This is true for all forms of relationship – for married or dating couples, for children and teenagers, for friends and coworkers. The goal is to communicate love in a language that is understood.

Do you know the love languages of your family? Do you have insight into what best communicates love to your spouse? Your children? If you’re not sure, there’s a simple, online resource that will help. Follow this link (https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/) to a series of quizzes designed for you, your spouse, and your children. You’ll enjoy the opportunity to find out even more about each other, specifically what is the best way to

h A. La C ogna

ta

communicate love.

You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting Fir t eR or escue Supp www.firerescuesupport.com.

•

he days of COVID-19 and social distancing have certainly increased the time we spend with our immediate families. We have many, many more hours together than before.

Parents are interacting with children on a different level, especially with the entire educational system online. Spouses are working from home. The ability to “just go out” has been drastically reduced. I hope for you and your family this extra time together is a good thing. But rather than just learning to tolerate each other, what if you could learn more about each other.

In his early years as a marriage counselor, Dr. Gary Chapman noticed over and over that couples would voice similar

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Part 2- Know Who Matters

By Matthew Love, Fire Chief, Fort Myers Beach Fire Department

L

ast month we explored my “thing”, and my “thing” is coffee. For me, it is that thing in my life that I just can’t quite see making it through the day without, representing the essence of what’s right in the world. However, as described last month, there is one thing I never expected to gain from this essential fuel, a leadership perspective from the marks of lessons learned through success and failure; what I call “Coffee Stains.” Last month we described the importance of accessibility and environment in leadership. This month we explore the leader’s knowledge of team “norms,” how much time it really takes to spend time with our team, and just how valuable that time can be.

The Daily Ritual Years back, I fell into a rhythm. Each shift on my way to the firehouse I would drive through my favorite local coffee shop and grab a small cup of coffee. This ritual occurred almost every shift on the way to work, interacting with the same few baristas in

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the early morning hours. I remember a morning I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, and deviated from the usual, requesting a large cup of coffee. Upon pulling up to the drivethrough window, I was greeted with a familiar barista and an unfamiliar response. The first words out of the barista’s mouth were, “Mr. Love, is everything ok?”

As I learn more and more about what it truly means to lead, I am further convinced of the power in knowing our team – I mean really knowing our team. Imagine if we knew our team well enough to know when they deviated from a standing ritual. How powerful could it be for us to acknowledge this change and inquire? If not only to let them know we care and we notice, but likely for the great insight that may follow. If my barista can do it, then I know as compassionate and dedicated leaders, we can too!

Half Full For me, Mondays are the best! I get to meet with each of the assistant chiefs and directors to hear what they have going on for the week,

how they are doing on projects and what I can do to support them. As time goes on, these meetings get more efficient, rarely lasting more than a half-hour. Recently the operations chief was in my office, sitting in the “comfy” chairs as usual, and we both had a fresh cup of coffee. We dug into our meeting and were able to cover ground quickly. As we finished up, neither of us had made much of a dent in our beverage. We laughed when he said, “I feel like I need to hurry up and drink my coffee since we’re done.” The laughter was followed with chatting about things going on in our lives and what qualified as “headline news” in each of our little worlds. We finally finished our coffee and got on with our day, but I was refreshed by having that time. It doesn’t take that much time to take time with our team. For the time it took to drink a halfcup of coffee, we not only knew more about each other, we were able to break loose from the task-oriented rush of the day and enjoy each other’s company. What a concept – enjoying the company of those we have the

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incredible privilege of working with each day!

The Little Things I have had some amazing team members over the years. They all have different talents and value different aspects of their work. A while back I had an assistant at headquarters who excelled in picking up on the little things. She knew if three o’clock came around and I had not had a cup of coffee, it was time.

After a while of her bringing me coffee right on the dot, I started to feel a little selfconscious. I certainly had every capability of getting coffee myself and did not subscribe to the stereotypical subordinate “coffee-getter” mentality.

I began to position myself in the break room just before coffee time, making it convenient for me to grab my own cup and slip back to my office. As usual, she popped her head in right before three to check on me. When she noticed that I already had my coffee, the excitement dropped from her face, and she went back about her work. After a couple of occurrences, she quietly knocked on the door, found her way in and sat down.

It was clear to me she wanted to chat. She proceeded to describe how she missed bringing me coffee. It was something she looked forward to each afternoon. She knew just how I liked my coffee, and it was “her thing.” She further described that she felt value in knowing the little things she did allowed me to excel at what I did, and that was rewarding for her. She then explained how occasionally, when she brought me a cup of coffee, she had one, too. She would sit down, and we would chat for just a few minutes before going back to our work.

I had no idea what this time meant to her.

She described all the things we talked about over the years, all occurring in that short coffee time. I was amazed that I hadn’t seen this, and further just how impactful the time had been for her love of the job, and the value she felt. She gifted me with an amazing lesson. We all find value in different areas, and the leader has a responsibility to know our team well enough to know where value is tthew Love, Ma found. Secondly, my eyes were opened to the impact just a small amount of time can have on ye p rs De Bea another’s life. c h F ir e Relationships can be found in some of the simplest places and as leaders we must open our eyes and hearts to see it!

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

17

Meet

the

Fire Administrative Professional Debbie Pringl, Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department

Job title and tenure: I’m the Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief. I have been in this position for 5.5 years, and 18.5 years total with the department in other administrative roles. I was part time for 13 years before this position.

Previous work experience: My last position before joining the department was as Operations Manager for Dreyfus Brokerage Services in Boca Raton. I worked for 16 years in various other roles with Dreyfus Mutual Funds/Mellon Bank. I was with them for 7 years in New York and the rest here in Florida.

Structure of the administrative services of our organization: Our department has 8 full time Administrative Professionals, split fairly evenly between Fire Administration, Training, and Community Risk Reduction. We also have 9 part-timers, and a full-time data analyst. In Fire Admin, one of our full time Admins handles payroll, public records requests and EMS related issues. Another handles everything financial: budgets and credit cards and Purchase Orders. In CRR, they handle Pub Ed requests, inspection fees, special magistrate, and more. We all help with the front desk and phones.

Job duties: As the Fire Chief’s assistant, I’m responsible for typical administrative tasks

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such as calendar appointments and correspondence, but I also have several other tasks that I handle. Each year, I gather information from all our divisions, photos, and charts from our data analyst, and create our department’s annual report. It’s a comprehensive document that showcases everything that our department did for that fiscal year. We publish several hard copies, and it’s also available on our webpage. I maintain our department licenses, processing them for renewal as needed, and work on 214 forms and FEMA reimbursement issues after a hurricane. I also help our Awards Committee throughout the year, and plan the annual Awards Ceremony, assist planning the Department Holiday Picnic, and other events.

Every December, I coordinate a community event called Santa’s Express, where we send out Santa and elves on apparatus to neighborhoods throughout our communities.

Last year we visited over 100 homes over three nights.

What is the most important aspect of your job?

The most important part of my job is being there for whatever is needed by our Chief and command staff. Oftentimes, that falls outside of my daily routine tasks, but that’s part of the Fire Service, even on the admin side. Expect the unexpected. It also keeps things interesting… although I’d trade some of the more “interesting” days in a heartbeat for ones less tragic. I also maintain and renew our state and county licenses.

What challenges do you face in your position?

As an 18 year member of the department, I am confident that I pretty much know what I’m going to be doing when I come to work every day…but when the unexpected happens, the greatest challenge is probably getting enough time with our Chiefs to find out what new things need to be done that I can help with, to take some of the burden off of them. Sometimes they are in the midst of handling a crisis and there’s not a minute to breathe. When tragedies occur, or when a major hurricane is on the way, all our daily tasks change, even on the administrative level. Another challenge, that I’m sure is universal, is we could use more people and more space. But we are fortunate to have a phenomenal group of people who are dedicated and fun to work with, so even with the challenges, it’s a great place to work.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love that I get to do more than just the run-of-the-mill administrative tasks that are done in the corporate world. I love that our bottom line isn’t about selling a product, but about helping people. Mostly I love that I get to help the people that do so much to help everyone else. I love that we have so many creative and forward-thinking leaders.

We have such an amazing department, and so many incredible people, and I’m extremely proud to work here.

Please check us out on social media

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

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

@FlFireChiefs

APRIL 30, 2020 – Horton Emergency Vehicles, manufacturer of premium, innovative, highly-customized Type I, Type III, and medium duty ambulances, and a subsidiary of REV Group, has announced ETR will be the exclusive dealer for Horton in Florida. ETR is a full-service company devoted to the Emergency, Tactical, and Rescue industries.

Vehicles. “ETR’s tremendous growth has enabled them to invest in a brand new 32,000 sq. ft. facility in Sanford, Florida that includes Horton-dedicated personnel, floor space and a delivery bay to provide the level of customer service our customers expect and deserve.”

ETR offers extensive remount and service capabilities that cover the full spectrum from on-site repairs and maintenance needs through their experienced mobile service technicians, to complex collision repairs. Their facility includes - Jerry Michaluk full fabrication, welding, paint, graphics, and graphic design capabilities to ensure our customers will continue to receive the service after the sale they have come to expect from Horton. In addition to representing Horton, ETR will continue to represent American Emergency Vehicles (AEV) for the state of Florida.

“We are excited to be able to offer Horton’s premium and customizable ambulances to our customers.”

“We are excited to announce ETR’s appointment as the exclusive dealer for Horton for the great state of Florida. ETR has a strong history as an ambulancefocused provider of remounts, service and sales dating back to 2001. Their team, which has a combined 372 years of Ambulance Manufacturing and Service experience, includes 12 emergency vehicle technicians, a full-time electrical engineer, as well as a fleet of mobile service vehicles, that provides service coverage across Florida” and Georgia, said Lance Randolph, Vice President and General Manager of Horton Emergency

“Florida is a key area of growth for ETR,” said Jerry Michaluk, CEO and President of ETR. “We are excited to be able to offer Horton’s premium and customizable ambulances to our customers.”

Thank You REV Group and Horton Emergency Vehicles.

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Jacksonville Elevates

An Uplifting Visit for

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The crew of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Tower Ladder 21 positions firefighters to pay window visits to patients at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville. The periodic visit includes an ice cream party for the children. This year, JFRD relied upon hospital staff to deliver the ice cream sandwiches to the youngsters, while the firefighters remained outdoors.

On the ladder turntable are Capt.

Gene Klingbeil and firefighters Brent Lamprecht and Chris Terry.

By John Bracey, Community Affairs Officer, Jacksonville Fire an

o way was Jacksonville’s Hazardous Materials Team going to let the coronavirus spoil THE party.

A tradition spanning almost 20 years for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s specialty team based at Station 7 and Station 21, the Ice Cream Social is a quarterly visit to seriously ill youngsters staying at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Downtown Jacksonville.

In late April, the Jacksonville team arrived at the facility with ice cream sandwiches and an interesting plan for outreach, given the precautions against the virus. The team relied upon hospital staff to deliver the frozen treats to dozens of young patients. As for the firefighters’ visits with the children, well, it was truly uplifting.

Crews on Ladder 7 and Tower Ladder 21 flanked the window sides of the 200-bed, 6-story hospital and prepared to raise each truck’s aerial devices.

But first, each company ensured its supersized stuffed teddy bear was securely mounted on the tip of each aerial. And for good measure and to promote awareness about personal safety, both teddy bears were fitted with oversized cloth surgical masks, which the HazMat team custom made.

Over the course of their 3-hour visit, the firefighters maneuvered the aerial devices sideways and vertically to reach dozens of windows on both sides of the hospital, waving and shouting well wishes to each youngster

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Firefighter Kyle Dingman (top of ladder) and Lt. Allen Harvill (below) climb Ladder 7 to greet young patients from outside their room windows at Wolfson Children's Hospital, a 6-story facility in Downtown Jacksonville.

Community Outreach

Hospitalized Children

nd Rescue Department, Photos by JFRD Capt. Eric Prosswimmer

inside. In addition to both ladders, the entire HazMat Team was present at the hospital on a weather-perfect Monday morning in Jacksonville. That included Engine 7, Engine 21, Rescue 7, Rescue 21, HAZMAT 7, HAZMAT 21 and the team’s riding chief. The extra effort is a habit among the team.

“We were not, not going to have the ice cream social,” said Capt. Gene Klingbeil, a longtime member of the team.

Jacksonville’s Ice Cream Social for children at Wolfson began in 2002, according to now-retired Lt. Andy Graham. He became aware of the wish of a terminally ill child staying at Wolfson. The boy, 7-year-old Michael Back, wanted a ride in a fire engine. Graham and his crew visited Michael to grant his wish, but Michael’s life support equipment was too bulky to fit inside the engine cab. Graham promised Michael that Engine 7 would determine how to give him the ride he dreamed of, but Michael passed away soon after the initial visit. To honor Michael and the other brave children, Graham continued to champion visits to Wolfson from the entire HazMat Team. He also has participated in the event in retirement. Graham was delighted to learn about this year’s visit, given the challenge with COVID-19.

“What they did is just so outstanding! I am so proud of them,” Graham said in a phone interview from his retirement home in North Carolina.

Lt. Steven Breckenridge from Tower Ladder 21 escorts a special guest for a quarterly Ice Cream Social for young patients at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Downtown Jacksonville.

Ladder 7’s Lt. Allen Harvill is in the background. Both officers are members of Jacksonville’s Hazardous Materials Team which hosts the party and also used the aerial devices on their two ladder trucks to greet young patients from outside their room windows.

A

s the coronavirus pandemic has shown, emergency management personnel are key to coordinating safety measures for everyone. Saint Leo University values firstresponders and all those who work in the public safety arena. The university is a leader in preparing students for careers in criminal justice, homeland security, and emergency and disaster management To encourage career development for those interested in pursuing a profession which helps in times of crisis and disasters, Saint Leo offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in emergency management. For those looking to gain leadership knowledge and skills and advance their careers, Saint Leo offers the Master of Science degree in emergency and disaster management and a specialization in fire science administration. All courses are delivered online.

The Master of Science degree in emergency

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and disaster management with a specialization in fire science administration is designed for professionals working in the fire services field.

Students receive training in the high-level leadership skills necessary to manage fire prevention, protection, and safety services. This degree provides graduates with an understanding of the social, political, and legal aspects of fire science management.

Topics explored include: • Human resource planning for fire service organizations • Structure and organization of fire services • Fire-related human behavior • Best practices in life safety systems • Public policy in fire and emergency services In addition, graduates gain a strong foundation in general emergency and disaster management topics such as: legal and regulatory aspects of emergency and disaster management; the impact of terrorism on homeland security; risk identification and assessment; and psychological aspects of catastrophic events.

“This program is designed for working adults and is ideal for first responders who require an educational component to augment their experience, enabling them to move forward in their careers,” said Dr. Robert Diemer, a Saint Leo University professor and director of the Department of Public Safety Administration.

Founded in 1889 and situated north of

Tampa, FL, Saint Leo University is a regionally accredited, nonprofit university dedicated to ensuring every student has the chance to grow in mind, body, and spirit.

Saint Leo University is recognized as one of the top-ranked regional universities and one of the best values in education in the South by U.S. News and World Report and consistently is honored for its education of veterans and military-affiliated students.

The university offers small class sizes so that students receive individualized attention. Saint Leo offers convenient, flexible courses so that adult learners can work and study.

To learn more about our emergency management degree programs, go to https://www.saintleo.edu/online-emergencymanagement-degree and https://www.saintleo.edu/emergency-anddisaster-management-degree-online.

Contact Nikki Heister, special programs manager for the Department of Public Safety Administration, at nikki.heister@saintleo.edu or call (352) 588-848.

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By Scott H. Chappell, US&R/Haz-Mat Program Coordinator, Division of State Fire Marshal and Brandi K. Phillips, Animal Technical Rescue Branch Director, UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service

W

hen it comes to search and rescue, Florida is well prepared. We have eight Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces, almost 40 Technical Rescue Teams (TRT), Florida Fish and Wildlife Special Operations Group rescuers, and cross trained Florida National Guard assets able to swiftly join forces with our teams in times of need. These teams are able to send rescuers into all areas of the state, via sea, land, and air, to perform all types of search and rescue missions. These professionals do everything from rope, confined space, trench, structural collapse, to

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vehicle/machinery rescue. Additionally, they are trained to do wide area searches, operate from helicopters, and perform rescues in both flood and swift water environments. The nature of their mission requires them to move forward, often times without established communications and beyond any established supply chain, into the hardest hit areas in a disaster. These well trained and well equipped rescuers are expected to be completely selfsufficient as they move into devastated areas with the instruction to make things better for all.

Even with all of the training, equipment, and experience that Florida’s US&R team bring to the table on every mission, occasionally there are situations that present hidden challenges for even the most seasoned rescuer – animal rescue. While rescuing cats from trees may come to mind, think about rescuing large animals (i.e. horses), large dogs, snakes, and other animals from situations that are way outside of the norm. Every environment from which a human may need rescue, animals may be there as well. Animal rescue missions can range from single victim emergency incidents (such as a horse trapped in a septic tank), to mass casualty incidents (including overturned livestock trailers hauling dozens of cattle), to major disasters (such as animals trapped in floodwaters following hurricanes). These

missions are especially critical in the eyes of the public, many of whom will not hesitate to attempt a rescue themselves while lacking the skills, knowledge, and equipment that our US&R teams are prepared to use. The humananimal bond is stronger now than ever before in history. By preparing our US&R teams to respond to these calls, Florida demonstrates not only a commitment to animal welfare, but also to human life safety as we preserve those citizens who would boldly respond without the proper training. Florida’s US&R team have partnered with the University of Florida’s After VETS (Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service) to assist our teams on these super specialized rescue missions.

The UF VETS Animal Technical Rescue program seeks to help develop preparedness for teams throughout Florida. Instructors for the program come from a variety of backgrounds, but all have been trained in human technical rescue disciplines, including rope rescue, confined space, and swiftwater.

The same principles in these disciplines apply to animal rescue – with the caveat that victims may be much larger compared to human victims and pose unique risks to responders in their behavior. Training is scenario-based and uses life-sized animal mannequins, with special consideration to mitigating animal behaviors during operations. The UF VETS Animal

Technical Rescue is also available to assist with response. For emergencies, this team can provide limited personnel and equipment within a 2-hour radius of Gainesville. For disaster events, UF VETS can be requested through ESF-17.

Florida is already a national leader in embedding animal technical rescue into its US&R capabilities. For the past decade, the Florida State Animal Response Team (FL SART) has secured and provided funding to support caches of equipment and training in the seven Department of Homeland Security regions. Recently, more teams throughout the state have been working to build their own

capability. In addition to being able to provide response locally in Florida, teams that are prepared to conduct animal rescue become important assets nationally for EMAC missions.

The natural disaster events of the past several years have served to demonstrate the need for and value of animal rescue response from trained professionals across our country.

Training can be conducted on location for teams and departments throughout Florida.

Open Enrollment classes are also facilitated through a partnership between UF VETS and the Florida State Fire College in Ocala, Florida.

For more information on response and training, please contact Brandi Phillips,

Technical Rescue Branch Director for UF VETS, at brandikphillips@ufl.edu.

Brandi Phillips serves as the Technical Rescue Branch Director for the UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service. She has been involved with animal technical rescue since 2011 and has trained in rope rescue, confined space, and swiftwater and flood rescue. In addition to leading the animal technical rescue training program, Phillips has responded to numerous animal technical rescue emergencies and deployed for major disasters in the state of Florida under ESF-17. Phillips also serves as a committee member for NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Seminole County Appointments New Fire Chief Seminole County Fire Department is pleased to announce the appointment of Otto Drozd III as their new Fire Chief. Chief Drozd joins Seminole County with over 34 years of experience in the fire service.

His professional career began in 1986 as a firefighter with the Hialeah Fire Department (HFD). During his tenure he served as a paramedic, a member of the special operations team and honor guard. He was promoted through the ranks to Fire Chief in 2001 and served the citizens of Hialeah until 2009. Hialeah has 8 fire stations and a service population of 230,000.

In 2009, he was appointed as Fire Chief with the City of El Paso, Texas with a service population at the time of nearly 650,000

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residents and 34 fire stations. He led the organization to achieve an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class One rating and to become an internationally accredited fire department.

In 2012, he was appointed to Fire Chief for Orange County Fire Rescue Department in Florida with the service population nearing 1 million residents, 42 stations and 120,000 calls for service. He, once again, led the organization to achieve an ISO Class One rating. Under his leadership, the organization was also awarded the prestigious Congressional Fire Services Institute Award for Excellence in Fire-Based EMS in 2017.

Chief Drozd has a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s Degree in Public Management from St. Thomas University. He continued his fire service professional development through the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Additionally, he was

bestowed the honor of being awarded a Fire Service Fellowship to Harvard University’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program. He also holds the distinction of Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Chief Drozd is known throughout the country for paving the way to improve industry standards in the fire service through his professional memberships and committees with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association. He also served as President of both the Florida Fire Chiefs Association and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association.

Seminole County welcomes Chief Drozd to lead the organization. His experienced leadership and knowledge with metro fire departments will continue to strengthen and enhance the excellent services provided to the residents and visitors of Seminole County.

Ocala’s First Community Paramedicine Program

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer, Ocala Fire Rescue

A

dventHealth Ocala, and the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County have partnered to establish Ocala’s first Community Paramedicine (CP) program.

Focused on addressing the medical needs of low-income uninsured community members, CP is meant to improve patient outcomes and

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reduce healthcare costs. The CP program launched on April 1.

Mirroring programs in Manatee County, Orlando, and Gainesville, CP ensures patients with chronic health issues, including congestive heart failure and opiate use disorder, receive personalized support before calling 9-1-1. In

addition to athome care, the CP program is expected to reduce unnecessary EMS transport, hospital readmissions, and emergency room (ER) visits.

In 2019, OFR responded to more than 19,000 EMS calls – 80% of those calls resulted in a hospital ER visit. Unwarranted hospital visits can become a financial burden for patients with chronic health issues. The CP program, AdventHealth Ocala, Ocala Fire Rescue and the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County want to alleviate this burden to get patients the appropriate care.

The CP program will complete at least 25 home visits each week. During the visits, paramedics will monitor the patient’s condition, provide coaching of at-home health practices, and verify that the patient is adhering to the prescribed medication schedule. Paramedics will also assess a patient’s living conditions and provide referrals to community resources when necessary.

Patients can enroll in the program upon discharge from AdventHealth Ocala. Patient care will be provided for a minimum of 30 days, or a maximum of 90 days if the patient’s condition warrants further contact. Care provided by the CP program will come at no cost to the patient.

To learn more about the Community Paramedicine program, contact Lauren Deiorio, Community Foundation Executive Director at (352) 622-5020 ext. 102.

and other poisons, Jon used an organic approach to rescue these essential pollinators. Using lemongrass and natural oils the bees are attracted to, Jon was able to coerce the bees into his portable hive, saving both the bees and the day’s fun. The event was able to go on as planned and Jon safely relocated the bees, alive and intact.

Troy and Kui shared that the audience was ecstatic, giving Jon a round of applause and thanking LFD for helping the event go on safely.

We know our team is made up of some pretty amazing people, but it’s always nice to share with the community the cool and quirky ways our people are the bee’s knees.

Lakeland Fire’s Bee Whisperer Saves the Day

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

O

n February 29, 2020, Lakeland’s Sun N’ Fun event grounds hosted Up, Up, and Away, a major hot air balloon festival.

Thousands of attendees flocked to Lakeland from across the state and region to enjoy the event. Early into the festivities on the second day of the event, things came to a buzzing halt. Hundreds of bees swarmed a cart being used at the event to tether hot air balloons.

Somehow the bees became disturbed and, in a panic, hunkered down to shelter the queen bee, who perched herself on the cart. With the cart loaded with annoyed bees, the event could not go on.

Lakeland Fire Department’s (LFD)

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emergency personnel at the event, Driver Engineers Troy Deines and Kawailani Kuikahi, were made aware of the situation and of attempts by some bystanders to take matters into their own hands, running the risk of stings or worse. As Troy put it “There wouldn’t have been enough EpiPens in all of Lakeland for all that.” Luckily, Troy and Kui knew exactly who to call, Fire Maintenance Mechanic Jonathan Beale.

Jon moonlights as a professional beekeeper and maker of bee-based products when he’s not at LFD. Jon was only a few minutes away and quickly showed up to work his magic.

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

T

here were a number of preventative measures in place that had been taken to protect our citizens, the military, first responders and health workers from the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite all the protocols developed and initiatives taken to protect us all, we remained vulnerable prey to the silent and invisible threat of disease, illness and death.

We thought we had evaded the deadly tentacles of the coronavirus, but would soon discover that there was no place to hide. My family and I were returning to the United States from Europe on March 15, 2020, on a Norwegian Boeing 787-9 Dream Liner that accommodated three hundred forty-four passengers, not including the crew. While storing our baggage overhead I took a quick glance around the massive fuselage and down the seemingly endless isle toward the aft section of the plane and an eerie feeling came over me; I noticed that most of the seats were empty when the steward commented, “This is one of the last flights to America and there are only 83 passengers and the crew aboard this one.” As I settled in my seat, I would have never thought that within a short period of time, we would lose so much so quickly.

After a lengthy quarantine with only an occasional quick trip to the store, we watched in disbelief as strangers and friends succumbed to the deadly disease. Our grandson and his wife, who are in the military, were deployed to New York where they would remain, testing other military and healthcare workers and caring for those who were less fortunate. There didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to pray for their safety.

On May 1st, I discovered that the virus had claimed the life of not only a good friend, but a seasoned veteran in the fire service as well, Fire Chief Donald DiPetrillo. In addition to his over 50 years in the fire service, he was also a Navy veteran and Fire Chief of the Florida Seminole Tribe. It is believed he contracted the disease at an EMS conference in Tampa in early March and passed away on April 30, 2020. A man with an impeccable career who would leave a legacy that many of us can only dream of.

As a writer, I am not accustomed to placing words in the mouths of other people without

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their knowledge but Chief DiPetrillo was not only a friend and mentor to us all, he was one of America’s finest and I believe if he were given the opportunity to express his feelings to the men and women who serve valiantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, this message would be from him to them.

We are living in a rapidly changing world where people are looking to you, the soldier, healthcare provider and first responder for help and whatever you do, you must get it right the first time.

Whether you recognize His existence or not, God has afforded you the opportunity to help someone on the worst day of their life and he will not interfere with the choices that you make unless you call on His name. His desire is to create within each of us something much bigger than ourselves, but unless we allow Him the opportunity to use our hands, feet and the gifts that he has given us, we will never reach our full potential.

It is easier to be critical than correct, so I encourage you when things are not going as planned, focus on the things that are positive, not the negative; there is little value in pointing the finger of indictment at someone else for whatever reason when there is still much to be done. Remember, you are a vital link in the network of professionals who are committed to the health and safety of all humanity, for there is no time to waste when a life is hanging in the balance.

We are faced with a pandemic that has challenged not only the resources of our healthcare systems across America, but the world at large. We admire and respect you for

your boldness in stepping up to the plate and courageously fighting the silent and intangible war that threatens the life of every man, woman and child on the face of this earth.

Unfortunately, as resilient as you may be, many of you have become a statistic yourself with devastating consequences and for that we owe so much to so many; we are indebted to you all.

Many of you who are firefighters are more than familiar with the protective clothing and equipment that you use while operating in a hostile environment. It is to your advantage when you feel the heat or smell the smoke that you have the ability to make a quick adjustment in your equipment, but remember that the protective clothing many of you are now wearing is much lighter and can leave you vulnerable to exposure if you are not careful.

You must survey each other constantly while administering to the needs of the less fortunate, not forgetting that any breach in your protective clothing can leave you open and exposed to the microorganisms of the coronavirus. There will be no early warning sign of exposure so you must be vigilant in your evaluation of each other.

You cannot let your guard down for even a moment. If you fail to follow through with good hygiene practices, fail to wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after touching unfamiliar or contaminated surfaces, fail to follow through with preventive measures designed to protect you and others from illness or disease, or fail in your methodology to remove contaminated clothing or equipment properly, then the end result will be much less than desirable. There is no room for error when dealing with any infectious disease.

We need you to be bold and courageous when everyone else is questioning the unknown, but above all else, we need you to be careful when and where it counts the most. You are essential to the conservation of humanity so with the passion and desire that you have to help others on the worst day of their life, continue to settle for nothing less than your best and know without any reservation that you are one of America’s finest! May God bless and protect each and every one of you.

I urge you to live a life worthy of your calling.

Ephesians 4:1

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East Lake Fire Rescue Promotional Announcement

By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator

Ocala Fire Rescue Introduces Community Connect

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer

On April 3, Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) and technology partner First Due released Community Connect, a pre-planning tool for fire and medical emergencies. Using a secure platform where residents share critical information, OFR aims to increase the rate of successful outcomes during emergent events - including calls arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Intended as a tool that facilitates property and occupant information to firefighters before they arrive on the scene, Community Connect allows residents to share details about their homes and the people within. With the pandemic at hand, OFR is encouraging the public to not only register but complete the COVID-19 self-reporting module. By providing recent travel information and reporting symptoms associated with COVID-19, you help us identify high-risk occupants.

Benefiting from Community Connect is free and easy. To enroll, city of Ocala residents can visit Resgister.OcalaFire.org. By creating your household profile, you equip firefighters with incident-specific information before they respond to your home.

“The [Community Connect] profiles help us identify ways to protect your family, before arriving on the scene,” said Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander. “As we focus on limiting exposures to the Coronavirus, your completion of the COVID-19 module is the first step you can take to help us stop the spread.”

Fire Marshal Office Trains with Airport Crew

By Mark Edgil

The Volusia County Fire Marshal Office trained with the crew of Volusia County Fire Rescue's Station 17, which is located at the Daytona Beach International Airport (DBIA). Personnel worked together to share their knowledge of aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) while honing skills related to conducting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quarterly fuel truck inspections.

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FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

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East Lake Fire Rescue would like to congratulate FF Steven Berger and FF Jacob Dixon on their promotion to Driver Engineer.

DE Berger (top)has been with the department since 2014. He received his Fire Certificate from the Coral Springs Fire Academy and his Paramedic Certification from Broward College. He is currently working on his AS in Fire Science at St. Petersburg College. DE Berger is a member of the Water Extrication Team, he is a CPR instructor and is also an SPC EMT/Paramedic Student Preceptor. Congratulations to DE Berger, his wife Christina and their dog Layla!

DE Dixon (bottom)has been with the department since 2017. He obtained his Firefighter and EMT Certification at Englewood Fire Academy. Previously he worked as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Punta Gorda Fire Rescue for 1 year. He was a marine mechanic for 9 years and is a part of the East Lake Fire Rescue Boat Committee.

Congratulations to Jacob, his wife Emily and their two daughters Raegan and Harper.

Local Church Show Support for Orlando Fire Station

By Ashley Papagni, Public Information Manager

A nice surprise from The Christ School showing the crews of Station 5 love and support during this 24/7 response.

Pinwheel Gardens Bring Awareness to Child Abuse

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

These blue pinwheel gardens decorated the front of all of our Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) stations and headquarters throughout the month of April. While COVID-19 is on everyone's mind, April is still National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year, HCFR continued to help raise awareness of the need to protect our most precious citizens - the children - by partnering with the Children's Board of Hillsborough County to bring awareness to this cause. By its very nature, the pinwheel signifies whimsy and childlike notions. In essence, it has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.

Hillsborough County Procures Donations

Tavares Announces Firefighter of the Year

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

By Helen Vilissov, Administrative Officer

With the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue helped put out the call for donations of medical supplies to be used in hospitals, nursing centers, assisted living facilities, or other areas of need to help fight the spread of COVID-19. HCFR Training Officer Prudy Vallejo went on camera to explain what was needed, and the huge response was gratifying.

Residents and businesses stepped up to drop off their excess supplies of surgical masks, N95 masks, face shields, exam gloves, gowns and Tyvek suits at the drop off center at a former Sears Automotive Shop at West Shore Plaza Mall.

Hundreds of units of medical grade personal protection equipment (PPE), new in the box or unused were contributed for hospitals, health centers and first responders struggling to keep equipment on hand due to the increased load on our health care system brought about by COVID-19. The donated supplies came from businesses as diverse as dental offices and medical schools to elective surgery centers and individuals who had an excess supply.

Congratulations to Battalion Chief Eric Wages, who was selected Firefighter of the Year also referred to as Person of the Year. Chief Wages has worked for the City of Tavares for twentyseven years. He is the Commander for B Shift and besides his operational responsibilities, Chief Wages has many auxiliary duties. Chief Wages is the Department’s training coordinator, he handles the Incident Action Plans for all city Special Events. Chief Wages serves as the liaison between the Fire Department and AdventHealth, which is the local hospital. He serves in various Committees such as Operations, Training, and Apparel. Chief Wages also oversees Tavares Fire Rescue Boat and serves in the capacity of EMS coordinator for the Department. Chief Wages was honored at a Dinner Awards Banquet held at Elks Lodge and an Awards Luncheon sponsored by the American Legion.

Pictured L-R: Eric Wages, Battalion Chief; Richard Keith, Fire Chief

North Port Dedicates Units to COVID Response

By Madison Heid, Community Outreach Coordinator

The City of North Port is dedicated to flattening the curve and stopping the spread of COVID-19. To assist with this, North Port Fire Rescue has two dedicated COVID-19 units per shift to respond to anyone suspected to have the virus or reports flulike symptoms.

One is an ambulance staffed with two personnel, and the other is an SUV, which provides additional personnel if needed. NPFR is working to reduce exposure, as well as reduce the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). These dedicated crew members are making the extra effort to respond safely, smartly, and quickly. We thank them for their willingness to respond to these high-risk situations for the good of our community.

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Hillsborough County Receives Face Shields from Ford

By Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Public Relations

Pivoting from making cars to medical equipment, Ford Motor Company has been manufacturing thousands of protective face shields and other PPE in its Michigan plant to assist healthcare providers deal with COVID-19 patients. In April, the automaker, through local Tampa dealership Brandon Ford, donated 1,000 face shields to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) to assist our first responders and another batch to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

Specially manufactured

by Ford for this crisis and driven down from Detroit, the shields were presented by Brandon Ford President Paul Levine to HCFR Chief Dennis Jones and HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister. HCFR Chief Jones thanked Ford, calling the shields “a crucial piece of the protective equipment that our personnel need in order to be on the front line, administering that first line of medical care to the citizens of Hillsborough County.” After testing them out, this important PPE got the thumbs up from the Fire Chief!

Ocala Strike Team Addresses COVID-19 Concerns

East Lake Provides Countywide Donation

By Ashley Lopez, Public Information Officer

In partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Marion County (FDOHMC), Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) activated a Strike Team to address Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, on March 27.

Given the similarities between symptoms of this virus, seasonal allergies, and the common flu, public uncertainty was on the rise. To eliminate these fears, OFR deployed a Strike Team of elite paramedics charged with evaluations and recommendations for hospitalization of patients reporting COVID-19 symptoms to a dispatch center. Citizens exhibiting a fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath – symptoms associated with COVID-19 – were encouraged to contact the FDOHMC by calling (352)6442590. By using the ten-digit line callers assisted in hastening the screening process.

“The Strike Team didn’t only alleviate citizen’s concerns by diagnosing and treating anyone who indeed had COVID-19, the team allowed our department to deploy means for minimal exposure and cross contamination between the public and first responders,” said Assistant Fire Chief Clint Welborn.

By Claudia Faiola, Fire and Life Safety Educator

East Lake Fire Rescue is extremely proud of Lieutenant Gary Hurlbut for providing a spray bottle of Hurly’s Mask Goop from his personal business, Hurly’s Wet Adventures LLC, to every engine, ladder truck and rescue in Pinellas County. Lieutenant Hurlbut also donated 100 bottles to Sunstar Ambulance for each of their units. During the Coronavirus pandemic, firefighters are wearing eye protection and N95 masks on every single call. Hurly’s Mask Goop prevents firefighters eyewear from fogging up while they are providing patient care.

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. 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.

Exhibit at Fire-Rescue EAST 2021 January 20-23 – Daytona Beach ffca.org/fre21exhibitorinformation 850-900-5180

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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

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Medicount Management, Inc. 813-539-0176 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Breathing Air Systems 352-629-7712 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Minerva Bunker Gear Cleaners / Fire Soaps 888-928-6537 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Channel Innovations Corporation 352-694-7006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Municipal Equipment, LLC 800-228-8448 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

DAB Door 800-257-2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

NAFECO 800-628-6233 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Database Financial Services, Inc. 877-624-3767 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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

Emergency Vehicle Repair 321-228-7691 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Ten-8 Fire Equipment, Inc. 800-228-8368 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

ETR, LLC 407-339-6737 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

United Badges Insurance Services 850-841-9992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Genesis Rescue Systems 850-566-5553 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

VFIS 800-233-1957 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hall-Mark RTC 800-524-6072 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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

Life Scan Wellness Centers 813-876-0625 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Wildland Warehouse 866-945-3526 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE

May 2020

BEST IN CLASS URBAN INTERFACE VEHICLES

ROSENBAUER’S LINE OF UIV’S IS UNSURPASSED IN THE INDUSTRY STANDARD WORLD CLASS FEATURES •Freightliner and International 4x4/4x2 4-Door Chassis •Extreme Duty Aluminum Body Construction •Rescue Style Body Compartments Both Sides •28-Degree Rear Angle of Departure •Numerous Rear-Mount Pump Options 500gpm to 1250gpm •Best In Class Pump and Roll Capability •Variety of Foam Systems and Plumbing/Discharge Options •500 to 1000 Gallon Tank Size •Fully Customizable To Meet Fire Department Needs

Ocala, FL • 352-304-6922 • IFRG Sales and Service

TEN-8 FIRE EQUIPMENT NEW DELIVERIES JACKSONVILLE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT Thank you Fire Chief Keith Powers.

• Pierce Enforcer TM Heavy-Duty Rescue • Bauer breathing air compressor 30+ cfm • Six-bottle, 6000-psi cascade system with a Resolve Specialty Products air control panel and fill station for four bottles • Two reels for 200’ of electric cord each • Portable cart storage for 32 spare cylinders • Dual high pressure and low pressure air reels

CLAY COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT Thank you Fire Chief David Motes.

• • • • • • •

Five Braun Express Plus Rescues Chevy 3500, gas 4x2 chassis Fully welded all aluminum cabinets SolidBodyTM Construction V-MUX® electrical systems Whelen® M-series lighting Stryker Power Load systems

ST. JOHNS COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT Thank you Fire Chief Jeffrey Prevatt.

E APPARATU S

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UIPM ENT EQ

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• 267 MSA G1 SCBAs with integrated thermal (iTIC) cameras and telemetry system

BU AM

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