August 2020 Florida Fire Service Magazine

THE PUBLICATION

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OF THE

FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

August 2020 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 8

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August 2020 FFS.QXD

Florida Fire Florida Fire Fire Chiefs’ Florida Fire

8/18/20

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

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

FEATURES

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To Err is Human, to Forgive Divine . . . 6 Leading Organizational Change: Be the Change you Seek . . . . . . 12 Managing Your

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Promotional Process . . . . . . . . . . 14 Doing the Right Thing . . . . . . . . . . 16 New Recruit Training. . . . . . . . . . . 22

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Training and Exercise . . . . . . . . . . 24

FURTHERMORE Can Stress be Good? . . . . . . . . . .10 National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Goes Virtual . . . . . . . .18

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Featured Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Department Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . .26

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

Podcast Keeps Residents Well Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

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

Public Safety Dive Team Operations . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Why Fire Departments Should . . . . . .

Subscription rate for members is $36, which is included in member dues. Archived electronic monthly editions of Florida Fire Service magazine are available at www.ffca.org. Log in as a member and click on the Publications tab.

Florida Fire Service August 2020, Volume 28, Number 8 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.

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Consider Virtual Reality Training for Firefighters . . . . . . . .32 Training for the “Hot Spot” . . . . . . .34 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 FFCA New Members . . . . . . . . . . .42 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

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By Rick Spence, FFCA Chaplain

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17th century English poet, Alexander Pope wrote “to err is human, to forgive devine.” It means that we all make mistakes, but when we forgive someone, according to Pope, it is “Godlike.” For anyone who has a little time under their belt, especially in the fire service, they have probably run up against a situation where they have had to forgive someone for some transgression committed against them. To complicate this even more, it seems people in the fire service have a heightened sense of justice. At times, it seems as if some actually keep score of other’s transgressions. It also seems that the more successful (higher in rank) you become, the more people tend to take shots at you.

So, what should you do?

For those of us who use the Bible as a guide for our lives, the answer is very clear.

Even for those who do not believe as I do, there are many practical examples of how to live your life within the Bible and this is no exception. In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus is asked by Peter, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Peter thought he was being super spiritual by asking Jesus if he should forgive someone seven times. In the Jewish law at that time, it was expected of you to forgive someone three times for the same offense in order to meet

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the requirements of the law. But, Jesus’ reply shocked Peter when He said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” In other words, however many times someone commits an offense against you, you should forgive them.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:324:32 Please allow me to clarify the previous statement. It does not mean to continually allow someone the opportunity to commit an offense against you. The Bible also encourages us to be “as wise as serpents, and gentle as doves.” Just as Christ consistently forgives us, we are to forgive others. Why is forgiving someone so difficult for us to do?

My opinion is that it is due to our heightened sense of justice and a belief in the old saying, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

This is referenced in the Bible, (Matthew 5:38), but it is not a belief that Jesus taught.

It is actually part of the Code of Hammurabi, named after the Babylonian king, and was enforced on the Jewish people when they were held in captivity in Babylon. We often think it is easier to forgive someone if they “get what they have coming to them,” or some other type of misfortune befalls them.

If we forgive them, it is equivalent to them getting off without any consequences for wronging someone and possibly encourages them to continue with their negative actions.

The real problem that comes with unforgiveness is the bitterness that eventually starts to grow inside us. This bitterness continues to increase and begins to cast a shadow over so many aspects of our life.

Withholding forgiveness takes a toll on our happiness. To make matters worse, often times the person who committed the original transgression is totally oblivious to your bitterness and resentment toward them.

They continue going on with their everyday business, as if nothing has ever occurred in the past, while you are seething on the inside.

In order for us to overcome this resentment,

we have to assume the role of the bigger person. This is difficult to do, because we often want justice for others while wanting mercy for ourselves. I realized how difficult this was when I was faced with a situation as a union officer. (This seems to happen often to those who step up in the union). I had to make a conscious decision to forgive a small group of people who knowingly made false allegations again me. As a Christian, we are told, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 This is not something that comes easy to any of us and forgiveness is something we must learn to do. We can do it with our children on a frequent basis, but with coworkers it seems to be so much more difficult. Just as learning to pump an engine or start an IV, we have to learn this behavior.

But, unlike learning fireground skills where we have someone with previous knowledge and experience to teach or show us the proper methods, there usually is no one around that can teach us about forgiving others. So, in order to release the grudge and bitterness we build up over time, we MUST make a conscious decision to forgive others. In being “as wise as serpents,” we must be aware that this person’s motives may not always be pure and guard ourselves accordingly. But, true forgiveness will allow us to show kindness to a brother or sister who have wronged us.

In an effort to finally put this unfortunate incident behind me, I reached out to someone I know has experienced similar things and handled it in a Biblical manner. I reached out to my Pastor and he explained that the only one being hurt by unforgiveness is the person who is withholding the forgiveness. He did p Rick S ence give me one last piece of advice that still resonates with me. He said, “you HAVE to forgive them, but • • FF you don’t have to in CA a l p a Ch have lunch with them.”

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Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Can Stress be Good?

By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support

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time, with over 20 million views. In this talk, Dr. McGonigal suggests that the heightened intensity that is often associated with stress is actually a sign your body is preparing to optimize itself to meet the demands of the situation. The traditional “fight or flight” response can be seen as your body preparing for action. This shift in thinking allows me to see the typical stress response as positive rather than negative. It allows me to embrace rather than avoid the stress I experience.

While we have been taught to do everything we can to avoid stress, McGonigal delivers an unconventional message: “Stress isn’t all bad.

New research shows that stress can make us stronger, smarter, and happier—if we learn how to embrace it.” In her book, The Upside of Stress, McGonigal helps by sharing “practical strategies for transforming anxiety into courage, isolation into connection, and adversity into meaning.”

While I’m certainly not advocating searching out stressful situations, I would encourage you to consider the positive aspects of what being

under pressure can do for you. Recognize the h A. La C ogna se p ta o J additional focus, attention to detail, and energy that stress can bring to the demands you face. Find stress, not Fir t eR or escue Supp to be something to avoid at all costs, but rather a natural response to the demands you face; a response designed to keep you safe and help you be successful.

You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com.

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he fire rescue community knows all about stress and the dangers that stress can lead to. Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol are some of the medical challenges associated with high levels of stress.

In addition, there are all manner of mental health issues that are linked to stress.

So, we are right to warn you about the dangers of stress. We are right to help you reduce your exposure to stressful events. We are right to challenge you to find better ways to deal with stress.

We are right! Or are we?

Dr. Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University who specializes in understanding the mind-body connection. As a pioneer in the field of "science-help," her mission is to translate insights from psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies that support personal wellbeing and strengthen communities.

Kelly challenged the toxic notion of stress in her TED Talk, How to Make Stress Your Friend, which is one of the most viewed TED talks of all

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

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ne of the most important things leaders oversee is change management. Not coincidentally, change management is also one of the most difficult things a leader can take on.

The reasons why change management is so difficult are many; however, some of the most prevalent change management blocks are employee resistance, lack of meaningful planning, failing to see unintended consequences of change, lack of middle management buy in, failing to develop metrics to measure the results of change, and poorly communicating the reasons for change to relevant stakeholders.

With so many potential mine fields it is fair to ask how an organization successfully develops change strategy and a methodology for implementing the desired change. The first step is to recognize two very important drivers of change: • Employees are the main drivers of change.

In order to successfully manage organizational change, leaders must be willing to involve all levels of the organization into the change management process. Certainly buy in from rank-and-file employees is crucial, but often forgotten are the mid-level managers. Even the best change management strategies can be torpedoed by mid-level managers who are unwilling, or unable to articulate the strategy to the people who actually do the work • Organizational change is an ongoing process. Typically, organizational change is not a

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“one and done” deal. Successful organizations are always changing and evolving. Sometimes it is major change and sometimes it involves small calibrations and adjustments.

Now the logical question becomes, what strategy should be adopted to accomplish meaningful change? There are, of course, many but here are some of the most important.

• Clear goals should be set. Beginning change efforts without clear and defined goals is one of the main reasons why organizational change management initiatives fail. Change strategies should always identify specific outcomes expected from the change.

• Understanding the impact of change. Once clear goals and objectives are set, the next step is to determine the impacts change will have at all organizational levels.

• Employees need to develop a changecentric mindset. Without buy in from all levels of the organization, it is very difficult to implement change. At this point, it becomes crucial that mid-level managers are onboard with change efforts. Without the support of this very important group, change efforts stand little chance of being successful.

• Desired behavior should be reinforced using employee recognition programs. It is not realistic to think change initiatives are going to be successful by putting out a memo and hoping for the best. The best way to institute and reinforce change efforts is to use employee reward programs to reinforce the specific

employee behaviors that you are seeking.

REMEMBER, humans prefer to stay in their comfort zones. Employees facing organizational change will most definitely be outside of their comfort zones. Until organizational changes become second nature to employees, it is not realistic to assume that there will not be a measure of employee push back. This is natural, and should be expected and assuaged through support and empathy rather than threats and coercion.

• Lastly, change efforts should be measured.

Unfortunately, many organizations forget this very important step. If you have not developed a system for measuring the outcomes of your change initiatives, it is likely that your efforts have been wasted.

As noted previously, change is not normally, the preferred default position of humans. This is a universal trait of humans. We all prefer to remain in situations where we feel the most comfortable. However, when an organization, as a whole, refuses to leave that comfort zone, organizational evolution becomes non-existent.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for the rank-andfile members of an organization to assume a position of flying under the E ri c S m it h radar until change efforts either are abandoned or die on their own.

We have all heard the mantra “but this is the way we’ve always done it”. This risk averse • • Ba rr y U n i v e r sit y position is understandable, but twenty first century organizations often have complex issues and problems and need to be nimble and flexible to address those problems and issues. Leadership of change management initiatives is never easy.

It requires a large commitment of time and effort, but the alternative is an organization that is rife with dissention and toxicity. Your choices are to develop a plan to stay ahead of a changing environment, or to do nothing but hope problems will simply disappear. However, hope is not a strategy.

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Managing Your Promotional Process Part 2 - Preparation

By Dave Casey

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romotional testing should be a vital function in every fire department. It needs to reflect the actual job in the community being served, and above all – be fair. Testing can be an expensive investment, but if done wrong it can become much more expensive.

From Part 1, a couple trends should be apparent.

1. Make changes in processes with lots of time for candidates to react.

2. Make sure everybody knows of changes in the process.

3. Be sure the changes are defendable, make sense, and don’t allow for favoritism.

Purpose of the test: No hidden meaning in that question, what do you want to accomplish?

It can be to allow the candidates to show they are prepared for the job by demonstrating representative skills and abilities, and that they can recall information applicable to the position. Normally hand in hand with that is some form of ranking to make a selection without undue subjectivity. A lot of Florida fire departments now require Fire Officer 1 certification by the state as a prerequisite, so much of the general knowledge (textbook knowledge) has already been determined as a qualifier.

Some agencies are small enough that a hard

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fast “pass/fail” may leave them without enough people on their promotional list. Others will have 10 candidates for every one position, and it becomes more of a run-off tool.

Preparing - Before the Process: Several factors must be considered as you prepare to have a promotional process. Some of what follows may be in your Collective Bargaining Agreement, Civil Service Rules, or policies.

• Selecting a firm or doing it yourself: If your agency or another unit of your local governance (such as the Human Resources Department) are to do your own testing versus hiring an external provider, there are factors that must be weighed. Doing it internally will in many cases result in a test that most closely resembles how you do things. It can stress what you want it to stress. Almost always you have plenty of subject matter experts right there to provide topics. What you may not have is somebody with a strong background in preparing written test questions or developing a fair grading process for practical exercises.

Another downside is if done internally, all the responsibility belongs to FD and city/district/county that governs it. Security, item validation, and any legal challenges we reviewed in part 1 are all yours. Also, there will

always be the concern for the appearance of improprieties of somebody sharing information or a candidate inadvertently accessing information that is left out, overheard, or witnessed. Note the following information is applicable to internal testing and external providers.

• Validating the Job Description or conducting a Targeted Task Analysis. This process is used to help determine what selection processes will demonstrate the desired knowledge, skill or ability (KSA). It also helps to prioritize those KSAs such as writing and/or speaking abilities; and specific knowledge such as tactics, policy, etc. When properly done, they can help verify policy versus actual practice (with regards to test items), help content validation for resource materials, and help determine your fire department practices for scenarios.

• Resource Materials: The resource materials need to be readily available and announced well before the process, preferably at least six months with longer being better. Textbooks need to be current, and relevant to your agency’s area and needs. Chapters or content that are not applicable to your agency need to be excluded from consideration and that information included in the announcement.

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Too many resources become more of a test of reading and retention than application to the job and can be a target for a legal challenge.

Another bad example is asking candidates to remember obscure fact such as the torque wrench setting for changing the air filter on a power tool. Especially since their stations were not issued torque wrenches and they were not allowed to make that sort of repair.

When selecting resource materials such as internal policies, consider if the candidates have already been certified (such as state Fire Officer 1) or tested on specific procedures, such as EMS procedures.

• Passing score: (By exercise, written exam, overall). A 70% score is the norm, but why 70%? Is it OK to do job 70% right? It’s the standard we are used to from certification testing, and to a lesser amount education. A set score creates two “classes”, those who pass and those who fail. Which group sues?

If you set a passing score – make it defendable. A consideration can be that no part of the process be pass/fail, and possibly even the overall score is not either. But the list proceeds top to bottom by score, with due consideration to “rule of three” or other CBA or Civil Service rules in effect.

Determining the types of testing/exercises • Written: Multiple choice testing is what candidates are most familiar with from school and are trusted by most candidates versus what can be perceived as subjective practical exercises.

Multiple choice tests offer a method to cover a wide range of material in a short period of time. On the surface they seem easily defendable as objective (the item is in book or it is not). There are multiple court rulings regarding adverse impact, and even the value of such testing in the promotional process.

Multiple choice is not the best way to assess higher-order thinking skills. They tend to measure recognition more than the ability to apply information. They are good for recall of SPECIFIC information the candidate needs to be able to recall immediately without access to resources in actual use.

One Court opinion was that standardized written testing is more of a measure “of the testtaker’s ability to recall what a particular text stated on a given topic than of his firefighting or supervisory knowledge and abilities.” Vulcan Pioneers, Inc. v. New Jersey Dept. of Civil Serv., 625 F. Supp. 527, 539 (NJ 1985).

Use caution with standardized written tests.

Limit the resource material. It must be relevant and applicable to your agency, you do not want a memory or reading ability test. And it must be information that is needed by the candidate

without time to go look it up. Written tests should not be the basis of selection and using them as a pass/fail either for candidates to continue the process or as part of the process.

• Assessment Exercises – Assessment Center types of exercises attempt to put candidate into processes that reflect work environment behaviors/decision making. Throughout their roughly 75-year history, they have proven to be a strong prediction of performance in the role being tested for. A US Supreme Court opinion endorsed Assessment Centers’ fairness and reduced bias over “paper & pencil” testing only.

They can include knowledge/ application of resource material and should reflect local procedures and practices. There are significant differences on how such exercises are developed and delivered between providers.

The exercises are Intended to measure a candidate's knowledge, application of procedures, communications skills, analysis, decisiveness, interpersonal skills more. They can be very discerning – or not (such as never put out the fire in an exercise). Concerns an administrator needs to have when looking at exercise content: o Does it put the candidate in a role to make observations as they really would with the knowledge they would have, and allow them to make decisions, communicate, and interact as they would in reality? o Does it measure “street” skills? o Does it reflect your agency and how you do things? o Do the methods employed move from just “recall” to “application” o Does it test what you want the candidates to know? o Do the results tell you something that is useful? o Is the scoring objective with clearly defined expectations that reflect the agency’s way of operating?

Setting the Process Any significant changes from past processes require early notice. It is common in many agencies for candidates to start their study a year (or more) ahead of time. That dedication should be awarded by not making significant changes to resource materials late into the process. And if a new process is implemented, having a detailed orientation on how scoring is done, what to expect, and how everything works can reduce candidate suspicion and concern.

Selecting a vendor Before selection, (in the bid response or in meetings) determine how the provider handles challenges. Also, what reports do you get, and when? Do you get more than just ranking? Get a sample Task Analysis from them, and review

their grading forms, rubrics and final report.

In detail determine how they do the specified events. Are events static (candidate reads and/or views a static image or document and responds), does the candidate respond on video to a video, or do they interact with live role players and raters?

Require insurance – General Liability and Professional Liability. And do due diligence of checking past customers, and a suggestion, get your union local to do likewise.

Wrap Up Make sure the process: • Reflects your agency • Tests applicable knowledge • Surveys incumbents to determine what is important, “need to know”.

• Results tell you something that is useful, defendable?

• The exercises reflect the above.

Questions, comments, or war stories? Please contact me at Dave@ascendleadershipllc.com, Dave Casey is a managing partner at Ascend Leadership, a promotional testing and officer development training provider. Dave retired as the Superintendent of the Florida State Fire College and later was also the Director of the Louisiana State University’s Fire & Emergency Training Institute, combined overseeing firefighter training and certification testing for over 10 years. He served as Clay County’s Fire Chief for 11 years and as the Northeast Director for FFCA.

Please check us out on social media

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

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

@FlFireChiefs

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Doing the Right Thing

By Trip Barrs, Fire Chief, Treasure Island Fire Rescue

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have attended seminars, read books and had conversations with many outstanding leaders during my tenure as a chief officer. During all of this study, I have learned that what we are taught in the company officer classes only provides the basic outline of what is needed to be a good leader. The concepts of chain of command, span of control and unity of command are important to a leader, but not as much as knowing how to be a caring human being. One would think that this is basic common sense and does not need repeating in a fire service publication. Unfortunately, something happens to us once we put on those bugles and we sometimes forget how to see things from other people’s perspectives.

For officers to exercise leadership effectively, they must recognize the needs of both the organization and of the individuals actually

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doing the work. As an officer, taking the time to think about how a new policy or even something as simple as the daily assignments will be viewed by others helps that leader to see how their “great” idea may be viewed by others as mediocre or even plain dumb. For example, a company officer who knows that he has sports fans on his crew should refrain from scheduling company training drills during the Superbowl. This officer should also know that the organization requires the training to be completed and ensures that is completed….just not on that Sunday.

The chief officer who fails to consult with her labor leadership about a policy change before implementing it can also be guilty of not gaining as much perspective as possible.

Seeking input as a leader does not imply weakness or indecision but lets those you lead know that you value their opinions and want to satisfy the needs of as many stakeholders as possible. This should be the goal of any leader; getting the organization’s objectives accomplished while simultaneously making the shift/station/department an enjoyable place to work. This concept should be practiced at all levels within the organization. Whether it’s new

company officers or a seasoned command staff officer, nothing makes a fire chief’s job easier than having their whole team pulling in the same (and right) direction.

One of the biggest realizations that I have come to in my career is that all leadership is based upon relationships. Knowing what causes the people they lead to perform best will almost always help a leader to present issues and opportunities in the best manner possible.

By appealing to what motivates those you are trying to lead, the leader can help to ensure a full measure of effort is directed at accomplishing the organization’s goals. This can be as simple as being flexible with scheduling to allow for a better work/life balance or making some other concession to help a subordinate deal with a problem that is important to them. Seeing others’ needs as comparable in importance with the organization’s builds support from the workforce. As much as your policies allow you to do so, fire service leaders need to be willing to be flexible for last minute emergencies and even failure to plan ahead by subordinates.

This willingness to support your employees’ needs will be seen and noticed by not only the individuals that you are helping but by many others as well. A leader’s stock value is sure to rise when the rest of the organization views her as being genuinely concerned about the firefighters under her command.

Some may worry that this type of extra effort

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at accommodating an employee’s need will result in management “setting a precedence” that requires the leader to do the same thing for everyone in the future. This situation can be avoided by only doing what you can within the confines of your policy or collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Boundaries and limitations addressed in your CBA should always be respected by both labor and management. What I am suggesting is that when able, a leader should consider all of the factors for a given situation and then make a decision based upon what’s best for everyone.

Because most situations have unique factors that should drive the leader’s decision making, being fair does not always mean doing the same thing you did before.

Sometimes what is best for the organization in the long term is to give the employees what they are asking for. Again, this is not a sign of weakness in a leader, rather validation that the leader knows his people and is maintaining a positive work environment, which is always going to be more productive for the organization. One tactic that has worked for me is to default to “Yes” unless I can find a valid reason to say no. This and a good explanation of why I made the decision I did, makes it easier for the employees to understand when I must tell them no.

As bosses, we are not always going to be liked by our subordinates but by considering their perspectives and acting accordingly when we are able, it will make those times when we have to decide otherwise much easier to bear and have less impact on m “Trip” Ba illia rrs the morale in your W organization. For those interested in a great book on this topic, Columbia School as s ur of Business Professor Re e Is l a n d F ir e Michael Feiner’s 50 Basic Laws that will Make People Want to Perform Better for You is a great read.

Reference Feiner, M. (2004). The Feiner Points of Leadership

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National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Goes Virtual Light the Night Information E

very October, a grateful Nation honors its fallen fire service heroes at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, located on the campus of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend is the official national tribute to those firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year.

Nearly everyone knows a firefighter. You are

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our family, friends, and co-workers. You respond to a stranger’s call for help without hesitation, and serve with pride and compassion. You are our local heroes. When a firefighter dies in the line of duty, an entire community grieves.

This year’s Memorial Weekend was scheduled for October 3-4, 2020, but due to the global pandemic, we have decided to hold a virtual

service on Sunday, October 4, 2020, until we can all be together safely in Emmitsburg. In these unprecedented times, we want to ensure the safety of families, the fire service, program participants, and the public. The Foundation worked closely with our local, state, national, and federal partners to make the decision that we will still honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On Sunday, October 4th, the lives of 82 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2019 and 21 firefighters who died in previous years will be remembered during America’s Tribute to Fallen Firefighters online at 10:00 am (EDT).

A Candlelight Service is normally held for the families on Saturday evening. While the Candlelight Service is not possible this year, we are asking landmarks and fire departments across the country participate in “Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters.” Lighting your fire department in red on the evening of October 3rd, or any time during that week, would be a symbol of support and comfort to the families whose loved ones are being remembered.

This nationwide lighting event honors those firefighters who died in the line of duty and lets the families know that we will always remember.

Last year, some of the most iconic buildings and bridges, as well as over 150 fire departments participated in honoring our fallen. They included: One World Trade Center in New York City, the Willis Tower in Chicago, and the TD Garden in Boston. We hope that you will join this extraordinary display of recognition, especially during these trying times.

You can be a beacon of hope to Fire Hero Families and firefighters nationwide by joining us for Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters.

We want to recognize your participation on our website and social media. Please visit https://www.firehero.org/events/memorialweekend/about/light-night-fallenfirefighters/department-support/ to sign up and learn more about America’s Tribute to Fallen Firefighters. If you have any questions or would like more information about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, please contact Donna Clark at dclark@firehero.org and thank you for your consideration.

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burnout, childhood adversity, compassion fatigue, COVID-19 resources, critical incidents, depression, emotional health and survival, family support, financial fitness, goal-setting and achievement, grief and loss, healthy habits, heart health, ICAC coping and resiliency, injury prevention, intrusive traumatic images, major life events, marital guidance, mental toughness, mindfulness, nutrition, panic attacks, parenting tips, peak performance, physical fitness, physical therapist videos, posttraumatic stress, relationship success, resilience, sleep optimization, stress management, substance abuse, trauma, suicide risk and prevention, work-life balance, YFFR Yoga for First Responders® videos, and much more.

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By Jason Perrigo, Acting Assistant Chief of Training, Orange County Fire Rescue

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n 2020 Orange County Fire Rescue set forth on its most ambitious hiring effort to date with a goal to hire approximately 250 new firefighters by the end of the year. The recruitment effort was the largest in the department’s nearly 40-year history, but one that was paramount for the department, which has 42 fire stations, new stations under construction, and serves a growing community. In the midst of these recruitment efforts, however, the departments across the nation faced a global health pandemic.

COVID-19 presented unique challenges, and with little time to adjust, OCFRD was forced to adapt orientation protocols to comply with the Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Initial concerns included the health of both recruits and trainers, how to minimize cross-contamination with field and training personnel, and compliance with new social distancing guidelines within a program dependent on hands-on training scenarios and close contact with peers. The OCFRD

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training facility met a multitude of needs, but it did not provide the space needed to maintain social distancing guidelines.

Full Sail University, which boarders OCFRD headquarters, had temporarily closed its campus to students as a result of the pandemic. A valued partner, it generously welcomed the department’s training section, providing ample access to its classrooms and grounds. The recruit class was divided into two main groups, which were then broken down into five squads consisting of 5-6 people each. Extrication drills, which require close contact and team coordination, were run in rotation with small groups of 5-6 recruits and an instructor. This reduced the potential for the entire class to become infected should any recruits or instructors become ill.

Measures expanded to all components of the recruit orientation program. Days started with wellness and safety screenings that encompassed questions related to all known COVID-19 symptoms, as well as temperature checks. Instructors enforced social distancing in all aspects of training, not just classroom

instruction, but also physical training. Handson portions were adapted to follow social distancing measures.

“Preserving the health of the firefighter recruits and their trainers – it was paramount.

The department needs these firefighters, as does the community. Training large classes can present unique challenges anyway, but training large classes in the midst of a global health pandemic – unprecedented. I’m quite proud of the work our team did,” said Division Chief of Operations Mike Wajda.

Despite these challenges, OCFRD successfully trained two recruit classes, equating to more than 100 new Orange County firefighters during the peak of the pandemic, and the team remains on track to retain its new firefighters by years end.

Initially chartered as the largest certified classes to date, Classes 89 and 90 will go down in history not only for the sheer number of firefighters onboarded, but for the department’s ability to sustain operations and train new recruits while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

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By Scott H. Chappell, US&R/Haz-Mat Program Coordinator, Division of State Fire Marshal

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raining and exercise are sometimes terms that are used interchangeably in the fire service. While there may be overlap, they are far from the same. Training consists of developing new knowledge, skills, and abilities, or building upon those which you already have, while exercises allow individuals or teams to demonstrate their abilities and find areas in which additional training may be needed.

While we may hear these terms often, let’s start by defining what is meant by knowledge, skills, and abilities. Using fire nozzles to facilitate the discussion, knowledge of nozzles may include which end water flows into vs. which end the water comes out of, how to fully open and close the bale, how to hold the nozzle, etc. The knowledge part of nozzle operations can be taught in a classroom where no water is flowing.

Skills, on the other hand, require some action. For nozzle skills to be developed, a firefighter will need to utilize a charged hose line, flow water through the nozzle at a designated target, and perhaps move from one location to another to ensure the stream

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reaches its intended target. Once the knowledge and skills of a particular operation are learned, we can train on our abilities.

In the case of operating fire nozzles, firefighters will train to develop their ability to utilize a fire nozzle to extinguish a fire. As basic abilities are developed, instructors can provide additional instruction and increase the level of difficulty of each training evolution. For example, training on with a first floor fire near one of the entryways of a building may be a good start for training on nozzle operations and abilities. As abilities are mastered, the objective (fire) may be moved to a less accessible area on the first floor, on an elevated floor, or somewhere else to increase the challenge.

Training should be incorporated specific to each increased level of difficulty. Firefighters at all levels of competency can be pushed to increase their abilities simply by inserting various challenges as well as brief training sessions with specifics on how to overcome these challenges.

Training should increase the students’ knowledge, skills, and/or abilities.

Exercises on the other hand are designed to evaluate abilities. To keep with the nozzle example, a crew may be given an exercise scenario with a third floor fire (or simulated fire). In order to extinguish this fire, they will need to position their apparatus, select the

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improvement will be found. Either way, this brings us back to training. We will either work on the areas identified in the previous exercise, or begin training on new or . Chapp more advanced abilities. ott H ell Sc This can be viewed from a company level, where officers identify the various training needs of their crew. However, when multiple io a n M of S companies are sent t a t e F ir e through the same exercise, trends can be identified which may show gaps in fire department training programs.

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was likely not designed with sufficient challenges to test the abilities of that crew. In essence, an exercise that does not challenge its participants is merely a demonstration of what they already know they can do.

Exercises, when conducted and evaluated properly, help identify the areas in need of future training.

The proper flow of training and exercise will start with training to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform a certain function. Once these abilities are learned, an exercise will give this crew an opportunity to put what they have learned into action. Their abilities will be validated and/or areas for

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various hose lines/nozzles, force entry, access the fire floor, advance the into the area of the fire room, flow water, and so on. This single scenario will provide opportunities to evaluate the various abilities required to extinguish a fire on an elevated floor. When things do not go perfectly (and they rarely will), we have identified the areas for our next round of training - and the training/exercise training cycle starts over. If there is time, ad hoc training sessions can quickly review opportunities for improvement so, when presented with these challenges again, the crew will have the ability to rise to the occasion. If everything does go perfectly, then the exercise

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By Tara Cardoso, Community Education & Communications Team and PBCFR 30th Anniversary Yearbook Committee

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he fire service has always been rich in tradition and history and as it has changed dramatically over the past several decades, so has Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. PBCFR is a relatively new fire and rescue department, however we have seen our fair share of transitions, advancements and enhancements over our 35 plus year history. We have adapted, overcome obstacles, and grown into a department that values customer service and excellence in service delivery above all. It all started with the vision to merge several different fire districts into one large fire department to better serve the community’s needs.

On October 1, 1984, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was officially established when 12 independent fire departments along with Palm Beach International Airport Fire Service merged into one department covering the unincorporated areas of Palm Beach County.

Brice Chief Herman W. Brice became the first Administrator. Chief Brice’s

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mission was to standardize the level of care for the 295,000 citizens of the county while establishing one unified department with common goals and functions.

Committees were established to assist in the many needs of a new department which included assigning battalions and boundaries, developing training and standards for employees, and identifying needs such as pay grades, shift hours, uniforms, and equipment.

The tasks were considerable, but the new department was strong with 490 employees and 23 fire stations, covering 538 square miles at that time.

The initial services included dispatch, fire suppression, emergency medical services and fire prevention services, but as time went on and population grew Palm Beach County Fire Rescue began to specialize in more areas. In 1992, the Special Operations Team was consolidated to include: hazardous materials response, heavy rescue, dive rescue, high angle, and building collapse. Although Special Operations had always been a part of the smaller, divided departments, with the consolidation came a need to unify as well as

identify the strengths and limitations of these units and their personnel. Also in 1992, came the Trauma Hawk, the area’s first aeromedical helicopter. Over time, there were a few more mergers as smaller departments recognized the service benefits and fiscal sustainability in consolidating and working under one cohesive model.

A difficult economy during the Great Recession years of the early 2000’s forced Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to meet many new challenges with declining budgets. However, in the years that followed the recovery phase, PBCFR evolved to provide more services than

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ever before. PBCFR is now an all hazards emergency response department, planning and preparing for routine emergencies along with large scale events such as potential natural disasters like hurricanes. With President Donald Trump owning property in Palm Beach County, our department has also become an integral part of the Commander in Chief’s public safety detail when working and vacationing in Florida.

Emergency medicine continues to grow as our revolutionary new Mobile Integrated Health Program provides services to patients after the 911 emergency phase, acting as a bridge to help patients get the needed connections with social services. As 2020 brought a completely novel public health emergency with COVID-19, our department has adapted. We are venturing into new territory, offering additional medical services including community based mobile and homebound COVID-19 swab testing. As of this date, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has grown to more than 1600 personnel, servicing close to one million people and covering nearly eighteen hundred square miles with 49 fire stations.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue is looking forward to another 35 years of great success and growth under the new leadership of Fire Rescue Administrator, Chief Reginald K. Duren.

Our newly established 2020 core values include: integrity, unity, compassion, Duren accountability and dedication as we deliver the highest caliber of emergency services. Our 2020 vision is clear.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue continues to provide “Excellence Today” while also “Improving Tomorrow.”

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Podcast Keeps Residents Well Informed

By Joel Gordon, Battalion Chief, Plantation Fire Department

Front and center: The City of Plantation Podcast was the central focus during a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon where the hosts discussed how the COVID-19 outbreak has affected local businesses.

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nder the best of conditions, keeping the public informed with the most accurate information regarding an event or incident is a challenge.

When the COVID-19 outbreak began to emerge in March, Plantation City Officials were committed to ensuring the public would have the best possible information so they could make the right decisions at the right time.

Even with all the current communication tools available, the City’s Joint Information Team still found it challenging to keep up with the rapidly changing information about Covid-19. As a result, the City added an additional communications tool in the form of a Podcast.

The Podcast was the brain child of Acting EMS Division Chief Ezra Lubow. Already a veteran of Podcasting with his program “A Paramedic’s World,” Lubow had the tools and the knowledge to begin programming within only a few days.

Over the course of several weeks the Podcast has played host to several guests including Mayor Lynn Stoner, Police Chief Howard Harrison, Fire Chief Donald Todd, and several other City officials.

Outside guests included directors of local hospitals, members of the business community, a clinical psychologist, and most recently Rachel Guran, RN. Guran is an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist for the Memorial Hospital System in Broward County. She spoke about the current state of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is currently being managed.

During the interview, Guran cited that although tremendous and rapid progress is being made in managing the virus, the most effective efforts in stopping the spread still involves the public and their behaviors.

She reiterated that while advances have been made in treating patients with COVID-19 and a vaccine or drug therapy may be on the horizon, the most important factors require people to maintain their distance, wear masks, and wash their hands.

Guran was asked to address the debate regarding a lack of evidence that masks actually help. She cited several other countries that have mandated masks where the infection rates are far less than the United States. “The evidence speaks for itself,” she said.

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Rachel cited some of the key advances in treating COVID-19 including the use of the medication Remdesivir and Convalescent Plasma, which is plasma taken from COVID-19 survivors and may contain antibodies which help relieve the symptoms.

“These are by no means cures,” said the infectious disease specialist.

“But they help speed recovery.”

She also admitted that early treatments which included placing patients on ventilators may not have been the best options. “We have found much better success with high flow oxygen and BiPap. She also indicated that, to date, there is absolutely no evidence that Hydroxychloroquine helps at all.

When asked for her prediction of how the nominal flu season will affect COVID-19 she raised some serious concerns. “However,” she added. “Getting a flu vaccine will help.”

Nurse Guran expressed a little frustration when asked about testing.

She stated that the testing process, in general, has been a learning process. Each type of test measures something different and overall results take far too long to get back to the patient, which only leads to further disease spread.

When asked about the controversial question of school reopenings she emphatically said that schools should not open. “Children get infected and spread the disease as readily as adults. This would be a mistake.”

She was also asked why we haven’t heard anything about herd immunity and what it will take to get there. “For herd immunity to be a factor,” Guran explained, “We have to have an 80% infection rate.

We don’t want that.”

Finally she was challenged with the question that if we live in one of the most advanced countries in the world, why can’t we seem to manage this? Boldly she answered,” We have way too much independence. People are just too selfish.”

Now with 22 episodes filed the Plantation Podcast has covered a variety of topics including COVID-19, Storm and Summer safety tips, car seats, drowning prevention, and general City news. The Podcasts can be found at https://www.buzzsprout.com/945655.

Hearing from the experts: Infectious Disease Specialist, Rachel Guran, RN (lower left) discusses the latest COVID-19 issues with Division Chief Ezra Lubow (c) and Battalion Chief Cary Blanchard (r) during a recent City of Plantation Podcast.

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By Michael Allen Covell, Fireman Tower 1, Orlando Fire Department

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’ve been diving recreationally for about five years now, and am fortunate enough that I work at the Orlando Fire Department, who has its own dive rescue team. I knew once I joined the department I wanted to be a part of this team.

To be considered for the team, prospective divers must complete the following courses: open water diver, advanced open water diver, rescue diver, and dry suit diver. Candidates then have to complete the department’s timed swim test with a passing score, which is an annual test for all members on the dive team. The test consists of a 500 meter freestyle, an 800 meter with a mask, snorkel, and fins while only using their legs, a 15-minute water tread with the last two minutes without use of their arms, and a down diver tow. Once passed, new divers take to the pool to go over all of their competencies. They begin by getting familiar and comfortable with the equipment and learning where each tool is in their pack. First, you doff your buoyancy compensator (BC) and then don it, then swap from their full face mask to a regular dive mask and perform search patterns, and a variety of other skills. This is all accomplished with and without communication lines.

We are fortunate enough to have a tag line that has built-in communication lines, which enables the diver(s) to have direct

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communication with the tender who is either onshore or in the boat.

This is typically the engineer who is assigned to that apparatus. Once the pool competencies are met, divers go to the lake and start honing these skills in dark and hydrilla filled waters. Once divers are approved in the lake, they are eligible to be on the department’s dive rescue team when a spot is available.

There are so many aspects to the dive rescue world and it’s something we constantly train for. Knowing how to search and mark a car, using airbags for lifting underwater, performing car hookups for the tow truck company, Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) operations, and so forth. Each time we dive it’s generally a one-person searcher performing half-moon sweeps on a targeted area. The area is narrowed down by any witnesses or information that we can gather; this is primarily the lieutenant’s responsibility. Once the area is targeted, the engineer will be the one directing the search pattern. One diver will go into the water and one will stay above the water in full gear with their BC deflated and RIT kit nearby in case the primary diver has some sort of emergency themselves. The primary diver will swim backward keeping an eye on the engineer and maintaining verbal contact, granted the communication system is working properly. He will tell the diver when to stop and go under and direct them to the area he wants them to search first. Once the diver hits the bottom, he will give three readings to the tender: air, visibility, and depth.

Then the search will begin.

There are a lot of variables when it comes to dive rescue and I feel like I have only scratched the surface with what I described here. I hope this can give some insight and a small glimpse into the world of public safety diving. Like anything, it’s all about repetition.

Repetition builds confidence and confidence makes for competence. I’m very lucky that I have a crew and firehouse full of firefighters who love to train and constantly strive to master their craft.

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Why Fire Departments Should Consider Virtual Reality Training for Firefighters

By Scott Eskwitt

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ire service training breaks down into three basic categories: online, classroom, and fireground. Many departments use online training for National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses, annual right-to-know and bloodborne pathogen refreshers, and other standardized training. With technological advances, classroom training has progressed from straight lectures with study materials to animated and video-simulated fireground training.

Then there’s fireground training generally, and live-fire training specifically. Historically, live-fire training has been the gold standard of fire training. It’s where we feel our firefighters get the most realistic experience and can get as close as possible to learning what to do in lowfrequency/high-risk situations.

However, there are significant economic, environmental, and human costs we endure to provide live-fire training: • Economic costs include the operation of apparatus, support vehicles, and equipment; construction and maintenance costs for burn structures; and costs associated with facilities, materials, and qualified trainers. There are also expenses related to ensuring compliance with state law or NFPA 1403: Standard on Live Fire Training Operations, and the potential for liability costs if something goes wrong during the training.

• Environmental costs include exhaust from apparatus, generators, and mechanized equipment; water and foam discharge; wastewater runoff from repetitive and extended live-fire training operations; and air pollution caused by setting materials to burn.

• Human costs include exposure to carcinogens, pollutants, and contaminants, as well as the risk that firefighters will be seriously injured or killed during the training.

Let’s focus on the human cost. Whenever a

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firefighter, especially an inexperienced one, dons full PPE and goes out for a training evolution, the risk of injury or death stares us in the face. That risk is real. According to NFPA annual tracking, in 2018 there were over 8,000 training injuries (14% of all firefighter injuries), and 11 training deaths (17% of all firefighter deaths).

Speaking as a firefighter, I’ll accept the dangers of our profession, doing whatever I can to minimize risk. Still, I didn't sign up to become permanently disabled or die in training. Speaking as a chief, why would I want to live with the knowledge a firefighter was permanently injured or killed in training for which I was responsible?

On top of all this, most current training is postponed due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. So, how about we apply some continuous improvement principles and consider virtual reality (VR) as a complement to live-fire training?

What Is Virtual Reality?

As defined by the Virtual Reality Society, VR describes a three-dimensional, computergenerated environment that can be explored and interacted with by an individual. That individual becomes part of this virtual world, immersed in this environment. While there, they can manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.

Applied to fire service training, VR uniquely places firefighters in a multitude of scenarios.

In all these scenarios, VR breaks down response, arrival, size-up, search and rescue, and suppression activities. Firefighters learn and put their skills to the test, and build on those skills in a safe environment.

Advantages of VR Training The positive impact VR training has on economic, environmental, and human costs is so comprehensive that it becomes self-evident

how important this technology is to the fire service. Apparatus and fuel-powered equipment isn’t used, providing economic and environmental savings. Water doesn’t flow, materials aren’t burned, pollutants aren’t breathed or absorbed, and PPE doesn't have to be washed. Finally, and most importantly, VR minimizes the risk of serious injury or death.

Indeed, VR training supports any department’s sustainability programs and goals.

In addition to the above, VR is a cost-effective alternative to live-fire training. It provides a wide range and choice of scenarios, creates a highly engaging training environment, and provides a method for data collection, allowing for adaptive learning.[1] One additional benefit is the potential impact on recruitment and retention. VR gives applicants as realistic an introduction as possible to the world of firefighting. Currently, we perform psychological and physical tests and background checks to assess a candidate’s fit for the job, sometimes accompanied by introductory films designed to give them some familiarity with the world they wish to enter.

Imagine, though, being able to provide applicants a method that virtually puts them in the scene. Not just by watching another firefighter with a GoPro on their helmet, but by immersing them in that burning structure or wildfire. The impact on retention will be worth measuring as VR becomes more prevalent.

The Range of VR Options VR spans a broad spectrum in terms of experience, functionality, and cost. Options include: • An app: To access different fire scenarios in which firefighters can participate using a cardboard viewer into which their mobile device fits.

• A VR headset designed for use alone or in a group: Training can be held online using apps

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or training programs with more immersive technology.

• A fully immersive VR ensemble with helmet, turnout gear, headset, and nozzle: This ensemble allows the user to experience heat, water pressure, breathing apparatus, and even smell while placed into structural, wildfire, hazmat, search and rescue, and other scenarios.

How VR Complements Live-Fire Training As I stated earlier, virtual reality training for firefighters complements, rather than replaces, live-fire training. Indeed, the current limitations of VR are well documented. For VR to work seamlessly for firefighter training, we will need to: • Develop technology that more accurately demands, tests, and measures physical and psychological responses to scenarios.

• Build firefighter acceptance of this new technology.

• Create team capability. Currently, the technology puts the firefighter into the scenario alone, rather than the way we routinely work—with another firefighter or a crew.[1] Despite these current limitations, VR provides immersive learning technologies well suited to fire training objectives. Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) allows instructors to create animated visual content with imaging software. CGI is modular, scalable, and deployable, so instructors can create training scenarios and easily share them with firefighters.

Another option is replaying 360-degree video filmed in real life to the viewer via a VR headset. The content is consumed passively and allows for intuitive classroom learning. A third option is the creation of photorealistic content, which creates real-life experiences in virtual environments. Although time-intensive, this type of content is beneficial for highly tactical, skills-based training.

The New Tool in the Training Toolbox Although VR is in its infancy in the fire service, departments and states are increasingly discovering its benefits. The Houston (TX) and Cosumnes (CA) fire departments have integrated virtual reality into their training programs. Kentucky has approved firefighter VR training.[2] The reduction VR provides in the economic, environmental, and human costs associated with fire training, and the tangible benefits it offers, are too significant to ignore. Add in today’s environment where social distancing further complicates training, and it becomes clear that fire agencies must consider VR training.

References 1. Engelbrecht H. A SWOT Analysis of the Field of Virtual Reality for Firefighter Training. Frontiers in Robotics and AI Vol. 6 (2019): 101. Retrieved 5/23/20 from https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frobt.2019.00101 2. Virtual Reality Preps CA Firefighters for the Real Thing.

Firehouse. December 15, 2019. Retrieved 5/23/20 from https://www.firehouse.com/tech-comm/video/21118218/virtualreality-googles-prepare-ca-firefighters-for-the-real-thing.

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

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Training for the “Hot Spot”

By Tim Croft

Reprinted with permission The Star, Port St. Joe

P

atrick Foy chose, chose mind you, to spend last Saturday in 40 or so pounds of bunker gear on a hot and humid day.

Foy, with the South Gulf County Volunteer Fire Department, spent eight hours, not on the beach, but under the watchful eye of instructor Charlie Frank, demonstrating some of the tools required of those who achieve Firefighter 1 status.

And that certification is required, coming only after nearly 200 total hours of training, to enter the “hot spot” of a fire, whether in a structure or a dumpster, Frank said.

“You have to be dedicated,” said Frank, the Florida Volunteer Firefighter Coordinator, said.

“Patrick did very well; he is very dedicated.

“He will be a good firefighter.”

Foy was put through the paces on a number of elements of the job, including raising and setting ladders, rescuing an injured firefighter down a ladder, tying off ropes during a fire and self-rescuing by pushing through walls into another room through a confined space.

All in 40-50 pounds of bunker gear no less; over eight hours.

“Firefighting is a hard, hot, dirty profession,” said South Gulf Assistant Chief Mike Barrett.

“Proper training is the lifeblood of the fire service.

“Putting on 40-50 pounds of bulky bunker gear and an air tank in any weather is not easy.

Factor in the heat and humidity and it makes firefighters’ mission even harder.”

As the state’s volunteer coordinator, Frank’s

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job is to cover the entire state and assist volunteer and combined fire departments with training, recruitment and retention and other facets of the profession.

That recruit and retention component is becoming more and more important.

Astonishingly, two-thirds of all certified firefighters in the nation are volunteers.

The importance of certification, Frank said, cannot be overstated.

“If I am not a Firefighter 1 I cannot go in to put that fire out and, by law, the commander on scene cannot send that individual into a fire,” Frank said. ”(That commander) is responsible for that individual.”

Among the country’s population of 328 million, there are just 1.15 million certified firefighters; Gulf County is served entirely by volunteers.

“This county and its residents are blessed with so many hard-working men and women serving it its fire departments,” Barrett said.

Frank said the chronic issue of maintaining the ranks of volunteer fire departments hardly stops on the Gulf County borders.

“It’s everywhere,” Frank said. “It’s not just a local issue, it’s not just a Florida issue, it’s not a national issue. It is a global issue.

“Everywhere you are seeing a decline in volunteerism, in volunteer firefighters.”

In the past couple of years, the state has made it easier for volunteers to earn their Firefighter 1 certification.

An online course has been established at no cost to participants, Frank said, adding the only requirement is a physical exam prior to starting the course.

A portion of the training, as with Foy last Saturday, requires demonstrating skills for a certified instructor, which Frank, a firefighter since 1983, is.

In addition, part of Frank’s job entails facilitating grants to local fire departments.

A Firefighter Assistance Program established by state lawmakers set aside one million dollars for grants to assist in the purchase of bunker gear, instructor costs and other equipment.

The state will also provide a five percent match for certain purchases of major equipment such as pumpers or engine trucks.

Frank also helped establish the Northwest Florida Volunteer Firefighter Weekend, Inc., which is an annual training event in Niceville, which includes six “live burn” training sessions.

Frank noted that South Gulf sent several firefighters last year and will likely do so again this year.

“It’s a clear passion of mine and it is of Mike’s (Barrett),” Frank said. “We need more of that kind of passion.”

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St. Lucie County Appoints New Assistant Chiefs

Lakeland Received Firehouse Subs Grant

By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

By Janel Vasallo, Public Relations and Information Manager

St. Lucie County Fire Chief Nate Spera announced the appointments of Deputy Chief Jeff Lee and Deputy Chief Marti Newport to assistant fire chiefs at the July 15th fire board meeting.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Lee (left) has been with the fire district since 1997 and has most recently worked as the interim Clerk-Treasurer. A new clerk treasurer has been appointed, but Chief Lee will continue to oversee the finance department. In addition, Chief Lee will supervise; operations, ambulance billing, information technology and the training division.

Assistant Fire Chief Marti Newport (left) has been employed by the fire district since 1994 and has been part of the administrative staff since 2015. Her duties include; the health & safety division, community risk reduction, international accreditation, fleet maintenance, compliance, and public information. Chief Newport is the first female assistant fire chief in St. Lucie County.

“These promotions advance our organization with two individuals of great capability, integrity, and fortitude. I am confident that these are the right people to move our organization forward now and into the future.

This is yet another historic day for the St Lucie County Fire District as we celebrate the promotion of our first female Assistant Fire Chief. Chief Newport has consistently pursued excellence and development over her entire career, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to recognize and reward her efforts.”- Fire Chief Nate Spera

The Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) was awarded a generous grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, for the purchase of 16 helmet and vest sets to protect firefighter/medics in dangerous situations. The gear is intended to be used by the department’s firefighters as part of its new firefighter Rescue Task Force (RTF). The task force will be made up of trained LFD emergency responders, and the protective gear will allow them to treat patients in active shooter and hostile environment response (ASHER) conditions. This new gear will allow department firefighters to deploy with armed law enforcement officers during ASHER situations; firefighters will not be armed. The protective gear will be worn by firefighter/medics during initial emergency medical response when they are treating and removing patients from warm zones, prior to patients being moved to safer triage and transport areas during active shooter situations.

The new gear is valued at approximately $15,373. The grant has helped with the formation of this new task force, which LFD has supplemented with a contribution of 16 tactical medical equipment bags and extensive training for personnel. The training, which is currently in development, is anticipated for deployment in Fall 2020. The training will focus on proper gear and medical equipment use, as well as medical techniques in and high danger/stress situations.

This initiative was born from a national trend of violent active shooter and hostile environment situations. The Lakeland Fire Department prides itself on being prepared to provide exceptional emergency response services in a variety of circumstances. The grant was applied for in 2019 and awarded in early 2020. The grant was one of 67 Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation awarded to public safety organizations across the country during the most recent grant application period.

Pinellas’ County Medical Director Fitted for Mask

By George Bessler, Assistant Chief

On Friday July 17, Dr. Jameson, the Medical Director for Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services (PCEMS), was fit tested for the new N95 mask and P100 Filter mask that PCEMS is moving to due to the challenges of maintaining the current N95 masks and the P100 Full Face masks in our system. Dr. Jameson wanted to see that the clinicians under his supervision continue to be properly protected. Chief Bessler fit tested Dr. Jameson in the new N95 mask and a new full face P100 filter mask so Dr. Jameson could personally ensure their quality. He validated that all the hard work that David Hudak did to secure different supply line for N95 and P100 filter masks was well worth David’s hard work.

Due to Dr. Jameson’s leadership, David Hudak’s ingenuity, and the leadership of the entire Command Staff; with nearly 2000 clinicians in Pinellas County, there has not been one verified case where a PCEMS first responder contracted COVID-19 from patient contact. That statistic speaks volumes of the commitment of Dr. Jameson, David Hudak, the entire Command Staff and the dedication of the nearly 2000 PCEMS clinicians to keep yourselves safe, your peers safe, your patients safe and ultimately your families and friends safe.

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Hillsborough County Welcomes Class 20-01

By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

Responding to more than 113,000 calls a year even before the rise of COVID-19, manpower has always been Hillsborough County Fire Rescue’s greatest resource. With emergency responders needed now more than ever, HCFR responded by welcoming 40 new recruits in July – one of our largest recruit classes.

For his personal welcome, the Fire Chief normally meets with everyone in his office, but to maintain COVID-19 precautions, the class spread out and went outside to hear Chief Dennis Jones’ words of greeting, wisdom, and congratulations on a worthy career choice.

The new recruits are now going through their combat orientation to prepare them for their role “on the street.” HCFR extends a warm welcome to the many talented and caring people who’ve joined its mission to save lives and keep the residents of Hillsborough County safe. We appreciate your dedication, and look forward to your many successes.

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St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Gets New Equipment

Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park Join Forces

By Lt. Steven Lawrence, Deputy Fire Marshal

By Stephen Gollan, Assistant Fire Marshal, PIO

The City of St. Petersburg’s City Council has approved the request for purchasing new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus’s (SCBA). Why might St. Petersburg Fire Rescue need this device? This device is worn to provide breathable air in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). The decision to replace the current SCBA units that firefighters rely on to perform their duties, in an IDLH atmosphere, is based on the safety and well-being of all men and women involved. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue prides itself on helping and supporting the community in the safest way possible. Therefore, we ultimately made the decision to go with the SCOTT X3 Pro because of its ratings in the evaluation process and its outstanding safety features. The safety features of this device focus on enhancing three key aspects for today’s firefighter: cleanability, comfort, and connectivity. Furthermore, this device has been approved for meeting the newest fire protection standards, provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In addition to the SCOTT X3 Pro, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue is pleased to share that we have also purchased SEEK Thermal imagers for the new 133 air packs purchased by the City of St. Petersburg. The thermal imagery will help to assist with firefighter’s self-rescue.

The purchase breakdown included: 133 Airpack Harnesses, 286 Cylinders (45 min), 77 Spare Harness Assemblies, 370 Masks, 4 RIT PAK III, 8 RIT Cylinders (60 min), 4 PakTrackers, 5 years’ worth of AA Batteries (15,960), 133 SEEK Thermal Imaging Cameras with Gear Keepers and 5 years annual flow testing and service contract.

The new air packs have been delivered and training for all the fire department personnel has begun. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue looks forward to safely continuing their commitment to protect and serve life and property in the City of St. Petersburg.

In Mid-July, Oakland Park Fire Rescue (OPFR) personnel were hit hard by the COVID virus. This resulted in staff working extended hours to cover the call volume.

Mutual-Aid was a short-term option, however the Chiefs from both agencies knew they needed to formulate a plan.

Soon after an agreement was reached and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (FLFR) was staffing a Rescue at Station 20 alongside OPFR personnel. This 12-hour truck is staffed with two overtime personnel from FLFR and one from OPFR. What could have been a challenge to some, ultimately showed the importance of the partnership between these agencies and our ability to unite forces when needed.

East Lake Hosts Practical Air Transport Training

By George Bessler, Assistant Chief

On July 20, 21, and 22 East Lake Fire Rescue hosted practical Air Transport training with Air Crews from Bayflight 3 and 4 at East Lake Station 57.

Personnel from East Lake, Oldsmar, Tarpons Springs, Safety Harbor and Sunstar participated each day.

This was a comprehensive training session to review of safety features, emergency procedures and patient loading procedures for Bayflight 3 (from BMC) which is an EC 135 rear patient loading helicopter.

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Panama City Beach Fireman Now a U.S. Citizen

By Shawn Fiddler, Battalion Chief/Paramedic

Congratulations to Liman Mahmud, a firefighter/EMT on C Shift, who recently became a U.S. citizen!

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liman’s citizenship status was delayed a few months but he was awarded his citizenship by way of a drive-thru ceremony in Montgomery, AL, on July 23.

A native of Nigeria, Liman moved to America with his mother and sister six years ago. He joined the PCB Fire Rescue in April of this year after working nine months with the Mexico Beach Fire Department.

“It feels great,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be an American. I watched movies about America and always wanted to be here. My favorite movie was ‘Coming to America.’”

When he first moved to the United States, he was at a disadvantage.

“I came here at 17 with no friends and I had to learn English,” he said.

One of the highlights of his time in this county was seeing snow for the first time while he was in Atlanta. “I don’t do cold,” he remarked, deciding that Florida was a pretty good place to be.

Liman was working at Lowe’s when a coworker suggested they go to the Gulf Coast Fire Standards program and train to be firefighters.

Liman said he was attracted to the profession because of the camaraderie. “I like the brotherhood. It’s like a family.”

Studying for citizenship was difficult. He said he received a packet of information to study. “It was all American history. It was a lot!”

Batt. Chief Shawn Fiddler said Liman is an asset to the department.

“The dedication and hard work he’s put in not only to the job but to getting his citizenship has been remarkable. He is always willing to jump in in wherever he is needed.”

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.

August 2020

8/18/20 1:45 PM

Tim Grenz tgrenzevr@yahoo.com 321-576-4421

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Plantation Lieutenant Honored for Years of Service

WWII Veteran Thanks Delray Beach Fire Rescue

By Joel Gordon, Battalion Chief

By Dani Moschella, Public Information Officer

In years to come, the name of Beth Martins will be synonymous with commitment and dedication. On August 4th, at the monthly meeting of the Fire Inspectors Association of Broward County (FIABC), president Tommy Demopoulos acknowledged Lt. Martins for 15 years of service as Secretary of the Association.

Martins, who also serves as an investigator for Plantation, and served for many years as the Department’s Public Educator, was honored with the Association naming their Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year award in her honor. Moving forward the award will be known as the Beth Martins, Public Educator of the Year Award.

Beth joined the Plantation Fire Department in 2001 as a volunteer firefighter. She became a full-time inspector in 2009. She also maintains certifications as a car seat technician, Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer II, and a Fire and Life Safety Instructor.

On his 17th birthday in 1945, Tom Kaiser enlisted in the United States Navy to serve his country in World War II. His older brother Robert was already classified as missing in action when Tom signed up. He served for a year and a half during the war, but if you ask the 92-year-old about the scariest day of his life, it came many years later.

Last year, at age 91, he had a breathing problem so acute, Kaiser knew he needed help.

“I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs. There was a tremendous pressure in my chest, and it got worse and worse, so I said to myself, ‘You’re kidding yourself, pal’” Kaiser said. The director of his community dialed 9-1-1, and Delray Beach Fire Rescue arrived to transport him.

“By the time we got to the hospital, these guys had me laughing. It was my worst day, and they made it livable. It was like we were on a joy ride to the hospital. I calmed down by the time I got there,” Kaiser said. “Those guys gave me what I needed.”

He visited DBFR Station 115 on August 14 – on the eve anniversary of the end of WWII - to thank the firefighter-paramedics who helped him. There was a presentation of plaques, a DBFR challenge coin for Kaiser and more than a few great stories. Of the three people who treated Kaiser - Jeff Wunsch, Brad Essary and Andres Colon – two (Wunsch and Essary) are also military veterans.

Wunsch, whose service in the U.S. Army from 2004 and 2008 included a stint in Iraq, had heard Kaiser give a speech at a Veterans Day event about three weeks before the medical emergency.

“When people call 9-1-1, and we show up, we are strangers,” Wunsch said.

“Our residents trust us to take care of them and make them feel better on their worst days. When it’s a veteran treating a veteran, there is an instant connection, an automatic trust. For Mr. Kaiser, being a World War II veteran, I have the utmost respect for him and his whole generation.”

OCFRD Hosts First Brush Woods Truck Academy

By Lt. Dyana Alexander

The Orange County Fire Rescue Department (OCFRD) covers just over 1000 square miles, of which 53% is actually rural land. In 2019 the department responded to over 400 brush fire calls, which is an increase from the previous year. In response to these numbers and in conjunction with the department’s rapid growth, OCFRD’s launched its first Woods Brush Truck Academy.

Approximately 350 personnel are anticipated to complete the one week specialized training, which began in June 2020. The academy includes: wildfire tactics, brush and woods truck pump operations, off-road tactical driving, winch operations, use of specialized hand tools, water packs and chainsaw cutting techniques. In addition to the department’s subject matter experts, the Florida Forest Service dedicated their experts to participate in the instruction of plow lines, wildland fire communications, aerial and unified operations.

Largo Fire Rescue Donates Truck

By Summer Mahr, Public Education Specialist

Largo Fire Rescue donated one of their reserve ladder trucks to the St. Petersburg College Fire Academy, where it will now serve as their resident ladder truck to be used during new firefighter certification and in-service training. With this donation, City of Largo, Florida USA continues to support the development of current and future fire service professionals. A special thank you to Largo Fire Rescue Resource Specialists, the members of City of Largo Fleet Management, and Largo Fire crews at Station 41 that prepared the vehicle for delivery."

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Longwood Fire Department Promotions Longwood Fire Chief Michael Peters is proud to announce three promotions.

Pictured left to right are the newly promoted officers. Battalion Chief Robert Gibson, Lieutenant Lee Evans and Lieutenant James Miles. Gibson joined the department in 2005. Evans and Miles both joined the department in 2012. Congratulation to all

August 2020

8/18/20 1:45 PM

Pasco County “Push-in� Ceremony for Engine 36

By Corey Dierdorff, Public Information Officer, APIO

It was a beautiful day in Dade City as we pushed in the brand new Engine 36!

Engine 36 is an E-One Typhoon engine manufactured in Ocala Florida with input from our design and safety committee. That committee is comprised of Firefighters from the field and members of our logistics team.

The new Engine 36 boasts several features, including a pump that can operate up to 1500 gallons of water a minute, a newly designed hose loading platform, HiViz 360 degree lighting for night operations, a custom bumper to house battery-powered extrication gear, and our new paint scheme.

St. Lucie County - 2020 Firefighter of the Year and 2020 Support Staff of the Year

By Brenda Stokes, Public Information Officer

At the July fire board meeting, Fire Chief Nate Spera announced that Lt. Brian Sexton is the 2020 Firefighter of the Year and Bonnie DeSouza is the 2020 Support Staff of the Year.

Lt. Sexton started his career with the fire district in 1995.

He has served on several committees and boards through the years. Until recently, he was a special ops officer at one of our busiest stations. Lt. Sexton is now the B-shift station officer on South Beach.

Bonnie works in ambulance billing. She has been employed by the fire district since 2014. She goes above and beyond in her job performance and is always smiling. She is always available to volunteer and assists with all fire district activities and events.

HCFR Receives Grant for Now and the Future

By Eric Seidel, Public Information Officer

With many local fire departments on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, FEMA created the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP). Departments across the country could apply to a $100 million fund available to buy PPE and related supplies, including reimbursements to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. The catch? You had to apply quickly. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) met the May deadline and found out in July that it was awarded $329,480.00 in grant money for these much-needed supplies.

HCFR will use its share of the funds to purchase several thousand reusable isolation gowns and half-mask respirators with replaceable P100 filters. With previous access to one AeroClave machine to disinfect rescues, HCFR will now be able to buy seven more - one for each Battalion.

Pasco County Responds to an Aircraft Emergency

By Corey Dierdorff, Public Information Officer,

At approximately 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 11, 2020, Pasco County Fire Rescue responded to a reported aircraft down near the runway of Tampa North Airport.

Callers said that the plane flipped multiple times while attempting to take off. When Firefighters from Engine 13 arrived on the scene, they reported a single-engine aircraft down in a field. Firefighters quickly evaluated the two patients and checked the airplane for hazards. The two patients on board were transported to a local area hospital with minor injuries, and the plane checked clear of all hazards. Pasco County Fire Rescue turned the scene over to the FAA, who will complete the accident investigation.

Chemical Spill in Edgewater

By Lt. Heather Love

Volusia County Fire Rescue's Hazardous Materials team (HazMat) responded to a call with Edgewater Fire and Rescue and Edgewater Police Department. A motor vehicle accident involving a pool cleaning vehicle resulted in a spill of approximately two gallons of sodium hypochlorite and three gallons of muriatic acid. The spilled chemicals mixed and created a reaction. Sodium bicarbonate was used to mitigate the reaction and no injuries were reported.

Pasco County Responds to a Two-alarm Fire

By Corey Dierdorff, Public Information Officer,

At approximately 6:00 AM on July 6th, 2020, Pasco County Fire Rescue received a call of a reported commercial structure fire at the Icon Gentlemen's Club on US-19 in Hudson. When Firefighters arrived on the scene, they reported a single-story commercial building with heavy fire showing through the roof.

Command on the scene quickly called for a second alarm due to the size of the building and the heavy fire load inside. Firefighters searched the building and found no one inside. Two aerial ladders were set up for an aerial attack, and master streams were placed around the building for ground suppression. Lanes on US-19 were closed for several hours while Firefighting operations were taking place. It took approximately 90 minutes to bring the fire under control, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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