December 2025 FFS

THE PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION

December 2025 • VOLUME 33 NUMBER 12

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Florida Fire Service is the monthly publication of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, provided to Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA) members, by the Florida Fire 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 Ngoc Huynh - Executive Director Rachel Pardo - Marketing & Member Services Coordinator Savannah Selski - Exhibit & Sponsorship Sales Coordinator FFCA Board of Directors Trip Barrs - President Ryan Crawford - 1st Vice President Mike Tucker - 2nd Vice President Michael Choate - Immediate Past President Carlos Aviles - Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Wagner - Northwest Region Director Brady Rigdon - Northeast Region Director Todd Allen - East Central Region Director Chantal Botting - Southeast Region Director Ian Kemp - West Central Region Director Gregory DeWitt - Southwest Region Director Ngoc Huynh - Executive Director Terry Parris - Foundation Chair Jeffrey Money - Senior Member

Editorial Submissions magazine@ffca.org (850) 900-5180 Advertising Scott Leisen, Editor in Chief scott@ffca.org (386) 717-0055

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 December 2025, Volume 33, Number 12 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 2025 by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association.

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

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

6 FEATURES Fire Point Leaders Get Grounded .10

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Do Your Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Strengthening Firefighter Families

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Through Connection . . . . . . . . .14 Advancing Florida’s Fire Service Through Training, Collaboration,

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32

and Leadership in 2026 . . . . . .32

FURTHERMORE The Miracle of Christmas . . . . . . .8 Hillsborough County Fire Rescue to Create Peak Rescue Division . . .16 North Port Fire Rescue Hosts MultiAgency MCI Drill . . . . . . . . . . .18 When Seconds Sink Structures . . .20 2026 Florida Fire &

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EMS Conference Program . . . . .25 Seminole County Celebrates Graduating Class . . . . . . . . . .30

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Guns N’ Hoses Charity Boxing Match . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 ESLI... Learning in an Environment for Success . . . . . .36 Firehouse Subs Awards Lake City Grant for SCBA’s . . . . . . . . . . .38 In brief . . . news from around the state . . . . . . . . . . . .40 St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Recognizes SWAT Medic Team . . . . . . . . .42 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Trip Barrs, Fire Chief FFCA President

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s we close out the year, I am proud to report that the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA) continues to deliver tangible results for our members through focused advocacy, training opportunities, and strong statewide collaboration. Our legislative efforts this past month clearly demonstrates the value of an engaged association speaking with a unified voice on behalf of fire and emergency medical services.

Legislative advocacy remains central to FFCA’s mission, particularly as the Florida Legislature prepares for the 2026 Session.

Over the last month, FFCA leadership and our Legislative Committee have been actively engaged on proposed property tax reform measures, most notably HJR 209, the only active property tax reform proposal currently advancing in the Florida House.

The FFCA provided formal testimony before the House Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and conducted followup meetings with members of the House Ways & Means Committee, securing a friendly amendment that provides the same protections for fire and EMS as the original bill had for police and schools. Our message was direct and consistent: fire and emergency medical services are essential services, and any changes to revenue structures must include explicit protections to prevent reductions in fire and EMS funding.

These coordinated efforts strengthened our credibility with legislators and ensured that public safety leaders spoke with one voice. As a direct result, legislators responded to FFCA’s request and approved an amendment to HJR 209 during the House Ways & Means Committee meeting on December 8. This amendment prohibits local governments from reducing funding for law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders beginning in FY 2027–2028.

Funding levels must be maintained at no less than the highest budgeted amount from either FY 2025–2026 or FY 2026–2027, 6

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regardless of any reduction in ad valorem revenue resulting from voter-approved property tax changes. This represents a meaningful legislative victory and a key FFCA priority.

Beyond legislative advocacy, the FFCA continues to make progress on several strategic plan objectives. This past month, FFCA leaders increased engagement with members through statewide forums and partner organization events. These conversations help ensure that our priorities reflect the realities faced by departments of all sizes across Florida.

Our association’s visibility across the state and beyond continues to grow. Board members represented the FFCA at the NFPA Symposium, interagency briefings facilitated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and regional chief officer meetings. These engagements allow the FFCA to bring national best practices back to Florida while reinforcing our role as the unified voice of the state’s fire service.

Looking forward, I encourage every member to prioritize attendance at the Florida Fire and EMS Conference, scheduled for January 5-9 in Orlando. This conference remains the premier professional development event for Florida’s fire and EMS leaders.

The 2026 program includes impactful courses such as Leadership From the Bottom Up, command-level courses like Data Driven Decision Making, and Fire Point Leadership; Fueling the Fire Within, Without Burning Out. These, along with EMS sessions and Hands on Training (HOT) classes at the new state of the art Orange County Fire Rescue training facility provide professional development for all ranks in the fire and EMS communities.

We are honored to present a powerful keynote presentation of “Step Up and Lead”,

by Deputy Chief (Ret.) Frank Viscuso, internationally recognized leadership expert

and best-selling author. This keynote is designed for officers and aspiring leaders who want to strengthen their leadership impact.

I also strongly recommend attending the Speed Mentoring Session, which provides aspiring officers and chief officers with direct access to experienced leaders from across the state. This session promises to deliver practical guidance, professional connections, and insight into statewide involvement that can shape careers.

The accomplishments of the past month reinforce what the FFCA can achieve when our members are engaged and our advocacy is focused. Thank you for your continued support of the association and for your daily commitment to protecting Florida’s communities. I look forward to continuing this momentum and to seeing many of you in Orlando this January.

Stay safe, stay engaged, and stay connected with FFCA.

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The Miracle of Christmas

By Rick Spence

T

his is the time of year where we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It was a birth that has altered and changed in a positive manner the course of history by changing the lives of many people, including my own. It is amazing how Jesus Christ’s life began in such a low and humble way, but He is still impacting the lives of many people over 2000 years later.

Jesus’ birth took place in a stable in the small agricultural town of Bethlehem. There was no fanfare, hype or publicity of any kind that made anyone aware of His pending birth. In fact, many people at the time missed the miracle of Jesus’ birth. The citizens and visitors of Bethlehem, along with the citizens of Judea and the Roman empire all missed the Miracle of Christmas.

Unfortunately, there are still many people today who miss the Miracle of Christmas.

The Miracle of Christmas is a change that takes place in your heart. It is the nudge that moves you to take a couple of cards off a Christmas Angel tree that has the names of needy children and the gifts they would like

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to have. It the sensation that prompts you to pay for a struggling family’s meal at a restaurant. It is the still and small voice you hear that has you sit down next to a coworker eating their lunch by themselves. It is the encouraging note you leave unexpectedly for your spouse or children when you know they are going through a rough patch.

These actions and so many other random acts of kindness and generosity, illustrate the Miracle of Christmas. These acts of kindness are done with no ulterior motive and with no expectation of being repaid. They were all done with the idea of making someone else’s life better, not our own life. We do these things only to bless other people. This is where the true Miracle of Christmas takes place. We do these acts to bless and benefit someone else. But this is only the beginning of the Miracle of Christmas. When we act selflessly, what happens is that we wind up feeling more blessed by giving of ourselves than the blessing the benefactor of our kindness receives. That is the Miracle of Christmas, the change and blessing that

occurs in our heart that we did not think about when we acted on the still small voice of God. It is the blessing that we experience when we reach out and help another person.

For unto us a child is born, a son is given. He will be called “Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,” and “Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Rick Spence retired as Assistant Chief from the Reedy Creek Fire Department after 30 years. He is currently the Chaplain for the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, Central Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, Reedy Creek Fire Department, Lake County Fire Department, Clermont Fire Department, Maitland Fire Department, and the Florida Professional Firefighters. He serves as Sergeant of Arms for the Florida Professional Firefighters and International Association of Firefighters. He was selected Florida Professional Firefighter of the Year in 2018. He has been married to his wife Alecia for over 30 years

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Fire Point Leaders Get Grounded

By Doug McGlynn

I

live in Palm Beach County, Florida, where lightning is a constant part of life. Our state experiences approximately 1.2 million lightning strikes each year. Storms here move fast, and the first strike often arrives before the first drops of rain ever appear. Over the years, I have responded to lightning incidents at ball fields, beaches, front yards, and job sites.

Countless people found themselves caught off guard, as their afternoon outings were interrupted by tragedy. Storms can reach our shores suddenly and without warning. I pondered, “What are we doing today to prepare for life’s storms, so we are not caught off guard in similar manner?” I found a correlation by looking at what happens long before a strike occurs.

Lightning forms when a storm cloud develops a strong negative charge at its base while the ground below builds an opposing positive charge. As this difference intensifies, tension builds within the gap until it reaches a critical threshold. At that point, the imbalance is released in a sudden, explosive discharge. A typical strike can carry around 300 million volts and release energy equivalent to roughly 250 kilowatt hours, enough to power an average home for more than a week if the energy could be captured.

Before we proceed, it is helpful to connect this to something I wrote about in the June 2025 issue of Fire Service Magazine. In the article

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"The Fire Point Leader: Discovering Your Point of Origin," I described how Heart, Habit, and Attitude comprise the core components of Fire Point Leadership, much like fuel, heat, and oxygen make up the essential elements of the fire triangle. The theory outlines the basic chemistry of how a leader ignites and sustains influence through a firm foundation of their character, which serves as the fuel that drives decisions and behavior. If you haven't read it, I encourage you to revisit it here: FFS Magazine, Volume 33, Number 6, Page 18 What I want to introduce now is the next layer beneath that foundation. I call it, Grounded Gap Theory.

My theory was inspired by the eighteenthcentury philosopher David Hume. He taught us that what something “is” does not automatically tell us “what ought to be,” and that a gap exists between the two. Furthermore, as the gap widens, tension begins to increase pressure.

Although a philosopher, I expanded my theory with Victor Frankl’s work on Logotherapy, as presented in his classic work, Man’s Search for Meaning, where he discovered that purpose can be found in the space between stimulus (a reality to which we are exposed) and our response to the stimuli.

Take something simple. You are running late for work. That is the reality of “what is”. In that moment, the pressure begins, and the mind starts looking for escape routes. Perhaps you

start speeding or weaving through traffic to get to the office or station on time. But deep down, you know that is not what ought to be. Being late does not justify putting other people at risk.

The tension between those two truths is the gap. The gap between “what is” and what “ought to be”. How you respond under that tension says more about your character than the clock ever will. Fire Point Leaders excel in navigating their decisions and behaviors in the gap, when the pressure is at critical points.

Narrow the Gap Most people look to close the gap the wrong way. They justify their actions as a means to an end. “I’m late, so I have no choice but to speed.” But that is not logic. That is rationalizing behavior we already know is wrong. Hume warned us that facts about reality do not automatically tell us what ought to be.

Fire Point Leaders understand that. They slow down long enough to think, take responsibility for their actions, and stay accountable for the choices they make. They choose the response that does not put others at risk because of their own decisions. That is where self-awareness meets self-discipline, and each encounter forges another layer in the foundation of the leader’s character.

The Grounded Gap Theory identifies the space between the heart and the mind, where this tension builds in humanity, much like the formation of positive and negative forces that

generate lightning in a storm. The heart is the foundation, the ground of who we are, encompassing our values, ethics, and intentions.

The mind is the cloud above, carrying the negative charges we accumulate over time, like worry, anger, excuses, and doubt. When the heart and mind fall out of alignment, the gap widens, and the tension grows until it seeks a release, much like a violent bolt of lightning.

Fire Point Leaders are emotionally intelligent, and they work hard to narrow the gap and stay grounded when these tensions arise. They hold to their principles and stay honest with themselves. When a decision or choice challenges their values, they do not run from it.

They face it with moral courage and regulate their response, rather than reacting impulsively.

Moral Injury The thing about being struck by lightning is that the injury goes deep into the inner tissue and core organs of the body. Moral injury can work in a similar way. It can occur when we face a reality that conflicts with our conscience, when what we see contradicts what we believe ought to be. If that reality comes from our own choices or failures to act, guilt, shame, and regret only deepen the wound left from the experience. Left unaddressed, these injuries can harden the heart, close the mind, push us toward destructive coping mechanisms, leaving us feeling burdened, bitter, numb, or in despair.

As first responders, we often have a front row seat to human suffering. We witness things that violate what ought to be, and those images tend to stay with us. In a recent study titled, Moral Injury and PTSD Symptoms in First Responders: The Role of Potentially Morally Injurious Events (Science Direct, 2025), nearly half of all participants, 48.6%, reported doing something or failing to act in a way that conflicted with their moral beliefs, and over 80% reported witnessing events that violated their values.

Another study, Prevalence and Correlates of Moral Injury Among First Responders (National Institutes of Health, 2025), found that 18.4 percent of first responders who experienced these moral-injury events developed symptoms strong enough to meet the threshold for clinically meaningful moral injury.

Neither study required a traumatic event for moral injury to occur; instead, it stemmed from the steady accumulation of difficult moments that challenged a responder’s conscience.

These non-trauma-related strikes can come without warning, and we can’t always avoid them, but we can choose to be grounded before the strikes in life arrive.

Get Grounded Just like lightning that strikes a house in a thunderstorm, if the home is grounded with a lightning rod, the violent discharge does not blow out the circuits or race through the structure. It gets channeled safely to the grounding rod. Fire Point Leaders act the same way, grounded and prepared for the storm long before it arrives. We cannot prevent every strike, but we also do not have to take on the hits of life without any surge protection. When we stay grounded in principles and values that extend far beyond our own strength, the hit can happen to us without traveling through us, and without destroying us from the inside out.

Burn Protocol When an actual bolt of lightning strikes a human being, the trauma burns deep into the core tissue of the body. How we treat these injuries matters. As paramedics, we treat physical trauma in a standardized way. First, we assess the wound before covering it, applying direct pressure, wrapping it with a bandage, and focusing on managing the pain. The wound is packaged for transport and left for further evaluation, cleaning, and healing at a later time and place, such as a specialized hospital. That is the trauma protocol for physical injury: stabilize now, definitive care later.

As firefighters in our personal lives, we try to do the same with moral injury and emotional trauma. We cover it, apply pressure, stuff it down, wrap it up, and focus on pain management. Each trauma wound is packaged to be dealt with later, but that later never comes.

Coping mechanisms rise to numb the pain. The trauma protocol does not work the same way for moral injury, and we wonder why we carry systemic illness from the wounds of our past.

Can you imagine treating a burn patient that way? Would you release them without follow-up?

Traumatic burn injuries are some of the most painful, not because of the initial strike, but because of what must come next. The bandages are removed, the wounds are scraped and cleaned deep into the tissue, and specialized burn teams remove all the dead skin and tissue to properly debride the wound.

Intensive Wound Care Debride comes from the French word debrider, (pronounced day-bree-day-r), which means to unbridle. A bridle on a horse is meant to restrain and guide it. To unbridle is to free it from the barrier that holds it back. To debride a wound is to remove the dead tissue, freeing the injury from the barriers and burdens that prevent healing. For people with real trauma and emotional scarring, those deep wounds often must be unbridled and debrided by a specialist before healing can begin.

Conclusion Fire Point Leaders recognize that storms will come, and for some, strikes will be inevitable.

But they learn how to navigate those strikes without getting burned. They do this by remaining grounded and narrowing the gap.

As mentioned earlier, a grounding rod only discharges a lightning strike because it is connected to something far greater than the structure itself. That rod is driven deep into the earth, so the energy has somewhere safe to go. In the same way, leaders must be anchored to a source far greater than themselves. A house can sit on a firm foundation and still fail. If it is not anchored and connected to the foundation, the storm can still sweep it off the slab. The foundation matters, but the anchors and the connections are what hold when the storms roll in, and the lightning finds its mark. As leaders, we must challenge ourselves to answer certain questions, such as: • What is the foundation that we’ve built our lives upon?

• How do we operate under pressure, and how well do we manage the tension within the gap?

• What are we anchored to, and is it strong enough to channel some of life’s biggest strikes of energy that are set to take us out?

For more on Fire Point Leadership; Fueling the Fire within, Without Burning Out, come see us at our live presentation at the FFCA’s Florida Fire & EMS Conference on Wednesday, January 7 at 2:30pm.

Doug McGlynn is a Division Chief of Emergency Management for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and a 29-year veteran of the fire service. Doug is an Executive Fire Officer (EFO) of the National Fire Academy, a designated FOIV, and a Chief Fire Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He holds an AS Degree in Fire Science from Palm Beach State, a Bachelor’s in Public Administration from Barry University, and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Chief McGlynn is a graduate of both the Emergency Services Leadership Institute (ESLI) of the Florida Fire Chief ’s and the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI 11) of the IAFC. He also serves as an elected member of the Board of Directors for the Fire Chief ’s Association of Palm Beach County. In addition, Doug serves as the Section Chair for the Executive Leadership Development Section of the FFCA and is a Program Champion for FSEDI and ESLI. Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

11

Do Your Best

By Matthew C. Trent, MPA, CFO, MIFireE, Assistant Chief of Training and Safety, North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District

T

he fire service in Florida is changing fast.

Our communities are growing at a pace we have never seen before. Calls for service are increasing. Risks are more complex. At the same time, fewer people are entering the fire service. That reality places a heavy responsibility on today’s firefighters and young officers— heavier than what many before them experienced.

If you are a Firefighter, a Driver/Operator, a Lieutenant, or a new Captain, you are being asked to do more, know more, and decide faster than ever before. That can feel overwhelming. It can feel unfair. But it is also proof that the fire service believes in you.

The title of this article is simple: Do Your Best. That may sound basic, but in today’s environment, doing your best truly matters.

And that is all we can ask of each other.

Doing your best does not mean being perfect. It does not mean knowing everything or never making mistakes. It means showing up prepared. It means caring about your craft. It means putting in the effort even when the job is hard, when staffing is short, and when expectations feel high. You will make mistakes.

Every firefighter who has ever worn a badge has made them. Every officer who has ever led a crew has made decisions they wish they could

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take back. Mistakes are part of learning. They are part of growth. What matters is what you do after the mistake—own it, learn from it, and move forward better than before.

You may also face moments where you do not meet expectations—your own or someone else’s. That can be discouraging, especially early in your career. When that happens, remember this: one moment does not define you. One call does not define you. One bad day does not define your future. What defines you is your character, your effort, and your willingness to improve.

Florida’s fire service needs strong leaders at every level, not just in the command staff.

Leadership starts with relationships built in the kitchen, on the training ground, and at the emergency incident. Know that your firefighters are always watching you. Younger members are learning from how you talk, how you act, and how you make decisions. Whether you realize it or not, you are setting the standard.

Being a leader does not mean having all the answers. It means asking the right questions. It means taking care of your people. It means making sound decisions with the information you have at the time. Sometimes those decisions will be clear. Sometimes they will be wrong. But making a thoughtful decision is always better

than making no decision at all.

The fire service has always been built on trust—trust between you and your personnel – you and your fellow firefighters – and – you and the public. That trust is earned by consistent effort and honest leadership. When your people know you are doing your best, they will follow you, even when the situation is difficult.

As Assistant Chief of Training and Safety, I see firsthand the pressure placed on today’s firefighters and officers. I also see their strength, their drive, and their commitment to our great profession. The future of the fire service is not weak. It is capable. It is motivated.

And it is already stepping up.

Remember why you chose this profession.

Remember the pride that comes with serving your community. Remember that you are part of something bigger than yourself. The fire service needs you—not someday, but right now.

So keep training! Keep learning! Keep asking questions! And most importantly take care of your people and yourself!

The fire service will continue to change. The demands will continue to grow. But one thing will always remain the same: this job needs people who are willing to give their best, every day.

And that is exactly what you are doing.

Strengthening Firefighter Families Through Connection

By Dr. Sejal Barden, PhD, LCMHC and Benoit Aubin

F

irefighters and their families live a life most people don’t see. Long shifts, missed meals, late calls, emotional exhaustion, and trying to switch gears the second you walk through the door, it all adds up. None of this means anyone is doing something wrong. It’s just the reality of the job: demanding, unpredictable, and impossible to fully leave behind when you walk into your home.

After a while, that pressure shows up in small ways. You’re quiet. Your partner or spouse is worn down from having to hold everything together. Conversations get shorter. Patience gets thinner. You start feeling like you’re on different pages. Every fire family hits this spot at some point. It’s normal. But reconnecting doesn’t have to be complicated or timeconsuming.

That’s exactly why Project SHIELD in Harmony was created. It’s a relationshipeducation program designed for first responder couples, especially firefighter families, who want practical, easy-to-use tools that fit real life. No therapy talk, no judgment, no unrealistic expectations. Just simple strategies that help couples stay connected, communicate clearly, and show up for each other through the ups and downs of this lifestyle.

One of the tools we teach is the C.A.R.E. Connection Ritual. It’s quick, 2-5 minutes, and fits anywhere in the day. You can do it in the kitchen, on FaceTime during a shift, or in the car. You don’t need a long talk or perfect timing. You just need a few intentional moments together.

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The C.A.R.E. Connection Ritual C-Check In: Each partner shares one feeling from the day, anything from “exhausted” to “good”.

A-Appreciate: Name one thing your partner did that you noticed or appreciated.

R-Relate: Share a quick moment or story from your day, serious or not.

E-Encourage: Offer a brief word of support, gratitude, or affection.

Couples who practice C.A.R.E. feel more connected, less tense, and more like a team again. Communication gets easier. Home feels lighter. And because it only takes a few minutes, it doesn’t become another task, just a daily reset that helps both people feel seen.

This matters because the job stretches families thin. The fire service pulls you in and out of home life constantly. It’s easy to go days without feeling truly connected, even when you’re physically in the same room. C.A.R.E. closes that gap. It slows things down long enough for you and your partner to tune in, even during exhausting weeks.

For firefighters, C.A.R.E. also helps with the transition home. A couple of minutes of connection can shift your mindset and help you step into the house with more patience and presence, which makes a difference for everyone involved.

Fire service leaders can support this, too. You don’t need to run a big program to help families. Simply encouraging firefighters to try everyday tools like C.A.R.E. sends a clear message: your relationships matter. Strong families help firefighters stay grounded, healthy, and connected throughout their careers.

Fire families need tools, real ones. Simple ones. Tools that work with shift schedules, long nights, and the unpredictable nature of the job.

C.A.R.E. fits that perfectly.

And C.A.R.E. is just one small part of Project SHIELD in Harmony. The full program teaches firefighters and their partners how to stay connected through stress, rebuild closeness when life gets overwhelming, and support each other through the realities of long shifts and emotional fatigue. Every part of SHIELD in Harmony is built for the fire service lifestyle.

Firefighters show up for their communities every day. SHIELD in Harmony exists to help firefighters and their partners show up for each other, too, stronger, closer, and more connected, one small daily moment at a time.

About the authors Dr. Barden is Professor and Chair of Counselor Education and School Psychology at the University of Central Florida, Executive Director of the Marriage and Family Research Institute, and Principal Investigator for Project Harmony.

Benoit Aubinis a Graduate Research Assistant at the Marriage and Family Research Institute, a mental health counseling intern, and a doctoral student in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Central Florida.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue to Create Peak Rescue Division

By Rob Herrin, MSFES/DM, Public Safety Information Section Chief, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

H

illsborough County Fire Rescue is creating a Peak Rescue Division of roving paramedics and ambulances that will offer efficient and quick response times to medical calls and transports, helping to save lives throughout the County.

The Peak Rescue Division will add 48 Hillsborough County Fire Rescue first responders. They will include 20 rescue lieutenants and 26 paramedics. A section chief and training officer will manage the division. The goal is to have the Peak Rescue Division, which will be administered under the Rescue Division, operating in the spring of 2026.

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The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved the new division at its Nov. 5 regular meeting. It also approved the purchase of five new rescue units for the Peak Rescue Division.

The division will have a total of 10 units that will be on the move and operating away from fire stations. It will be staffed 12 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

The units will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., which is the busiest time for emergency calls.

Because the Peak Rescue units won’t be assigned to a fire station, they will be more nimble and flexible to respond to calls wherever they may be needed, helping to reduce response times.

This will also free up paramedics assigned to specific stations to respond to additional calls for service.

While Fire Rescue expects the number of medical transports to increase, the revenue from medical transports will offset the additional cost of managing the

additional units.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue has been diligently exploring options to better serve the emergency medical needs of Hillsborough County’s growing population.

In May 2024, it created a pilot program with five roaming three-person units using existing crews to cover peak periods in key areas. The pilot program proved a success. It helped reduce response times by increasing staff numbers and availability during periods of high demand. In certain circumstances, a rescue unit in the pilot program could arrive two minutes faster than a rescue unit leaving from a fire station, a critical improvement when every second counts to save lives.

North Port Fire Rescue Hosts Multi-Agency MCI Drill

By Dave Ingalls, District Chief/PIO, North Port Fire Rescue

F

or three days, North Port Fire Rescue (NPFR) transformed its flagship Station 81 into a high-intensity training ground, conducting a multi-agency Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) drill that pushed crews through six challenging scenarios. With the building scheduled for demolition at the end of 2025, the structure offered the perfect environment for realistic, full-scale training that firefighters rarely get to experience in such depth.

Crews from NPFR were joined by Sarasota

County Emergency Services and Venice Fire Department, bringing together a regional team of firefighters who worked side-by-side to sharpen their skills. The exercises simulated everything from building collapses and interior structure fires to large-scale patient management—scenarios designed to test decisionmaking, communication, and coordinated response under pressure. Some drills included up to 25 patients, requiring crews to rapidly assess, triage, treat, and transport while operating in dynamic, unpredictable environments.

The training went far beyond fire suppression and patient care. Multiagency MCI drills provide an essential opportunity for responders to practice interoperability, ensuring that when a real incident occurs, agencies can integrate seamlessly. Whether advancing hose lines, stabilizing compromised structures, or managing patient surge, the crews demonstrated the kind of regional cooperation that strengthens the entire emergency response system.

A special thank -you goes out to our partner agencies, including Venice Fire Rescue Department and Sarasota County Emergency Services, whose participation 18

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and professionalism elevated every scenario.

Their commitment to training ensures our communities remain prepared for large-scale emergencies.

NPFR also extends sincere appreciation to the many volunteers and support groups who made the drill possible. The IslandWalk Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Bobcat Trail CERT, Gran Paradiso CERT, Citizen Public Safety Academy (CPSA) graduates, Sarasota Memorial Hospital - North Port staff, and the George Mullen Activity Center team dedicated their time to serve as patients and support personnel, helping create a realistic, fast-paced training environment that tested every aspect of the response.

Finally, the drills would not have been complete without the outstanding coordination provided by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher team. Their involvement added an essential layer of authenticity, mirroring the

communication challenges responders face during real emergencies.

As Station 81 prepares for demolition, NPFR made the most of this final opportunity to train within its walls. The lessons learned over these three days will carry forward—enhancing preparedness, strengthening interagency partnerships, and ensuring that when the call comes in, our region is ready.

Photo’s by Cody Dynarski, Ivey Young and Laura Guasca

When Seconds Sink Structures: WCFR Digs Deep in Building Collapse Preparedness

By Corey Dobridnia, Public Information Officer,Walton County Sheriff ’s Office

E

nding the 2025 training year on a high note, Walton County Fire Rescue (WCFR) personnel took part in an intensive Building Collapse Tabletop Exercise.

The effort was an opportunity to sharpen critical decision-making skills long before they’re tested in a real-world emergency.

With large-scale structural failures becoming increasingly common across the country, WCFR continues to place a strong emphasis on readiness, teamwork, and interagency coordination.

Dozens of firefighters, fire officers, administrators, and members of the Technical Rescue Team (TRT) came together in a classroom transformed into a simulated disaster zone. The scenario: a sudden multi-story building collapse caused by a sink hole resulting in multiple victims, complex debris fields, and evolving operational hazards.

Guided by facilitators, crews walked through each step of incident response from

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establishing command and identifying operational needs to deploying rescue teams, requesting regional assets, and managing communications across multiple agencies.

Using maps, photographs, resource lists, and problem-solving injects, participants were challenged to think through realistic complications that often arise during large-scale incidents.

The newly certified Walton County Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Team, TRT106, played a key role, offering subject-matter expertise on the specialized tactics required in collapse environments.

TRT members advised on shoring

considerations, confined-space rescue operations, victim location strategies, and the inherent risks that accompany unstable structures. Their input helped shape decisions throughout the exercise, reinforcing the bridge between command-level strategy and technical field operations.

“This type of training is invaluable,” said Walton County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Austin Pugh. “A building collapse is one of the most demanding and resource-intensive emergencies any fire department can face. You don’t get a second chance to make the right call.”

Tabletop exercises like this ensure that responders from the newest firefighter to the most seasoned officer understand their roles when chaos strikes. They also highlight the importance of unified command, rapid resource deployment, and strong communication with partner agencies such as emergency management and state rescue teams.

Beyond operational planning, the training underscores what is ultimately at stake: lives.

Structural emergencies often unfold without warning, and the success of rescue efforts hinges on how quickly and effectively responders can organize, assess risks, and execute their plan.

Walton County Fire Rescue continues to invest heavily in preparedness, recognizing that large-scale multi-casualty incidents demand more than just physical skill they require practiced coordination, mental agility, and the confidence that comes only from repeated training.

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Elite Sponsor

Five Bugle Sponsor

Padfolio Sponsor

Water Bottle + Basic Digital Sponsor

Premium Digital Sponsor

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026: ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER - SOUTH CONCOURSE, B HALL Start 7:30 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM

End 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 9:15 AM

Format

Session Name Registration Open Fireground RIT: Basics & Command Opening Ceremony & FFCA Awards Presentations

8:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM

5:00 PM 10:00 AM 11:30 AM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM

HANDS-ON GENERAL SESSION Specialty EMS TRACK EMS TRACK Specialty Specialty

9:15 AM 10:30 AM

11:45 AM 11:30 AM

KEYNOTE EMS TRACK

12:00 PM 1:30 PM

5:00 PM 2:30 PM

TRADESHOW EMS TRACK

1:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM

3:30 PM 2:30 PM 2:30 PM

HIGHLIGHT BREAKOUT BREAKOUT

1:30 PM

3:00 PM

BREAKOUT

1:30 PM

3:00 PM

BREAKOUT

1:30 PM 2:30 PM

3:30 PM 3:30 PM

EMS TRACK EMS TRACK

2:30 PM

3:30 PM

BREAKOUT

2:30 PM

4:00 PM

BREAKOUT

Fire Point Leadership; Fueling the Fire Within, Without Burning Out

3:00 PM

5:00 PM

WORKSHOP

3:30 PM

4:30 PM

BREAKOUT

3:30 PM

4:30 PM

BREAKOUT

3:30 PM

4:30 PM

BREAKOUT

Florida Association of PIOs & PIO Deployment Team Annual Workshop So You Want to Be a Company Officer? What They Didn’t Teach You in Class ISO Training - Documentation and Creditable Training Activities Empowering Firefighters to Take Command of their Retirement – Plan Your Retirement like an Ops Section Chief

ESLI: Marketing Fire & EMS EMS Roundtable: Panel Discussion Conflict Resolution PIO: FAPIO Advanced PIO Skills Workshop (Day 2/2) PIO: FEMA L0105 Public Information Officer (PIO) Basics (Day 3/3) Step Up and Lead Delivering Under Pressure: Emergency Obstetrical Care for First Responders Tradeshow Open Autism & Emergency Responders: Effectively Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Leadership From The Bottom Up! FFCA Winter Business Workshop Data Driven Decision Making - You’ve heard it... but what does it all mean?

Fit, Function, and Fireground Reality: Practical Tips for Evaluating Bunker Gear The Mayday Mindset - Surviving the Modern Fireground Ultrasound Use in the Pre-Hospital Setting Between a Shark and a Hard Tank: Dive & Water Emergency Strategic Decision Making for the First Officer/Chief

Instructor/Facilitator

Dr. Pete Tokar, PhD Chair Mike Jachles Chair Mike Jachles Frank Viscuso Dr. Melanie Altizer, MD, MBA, FAOG

Location South Foyer S230-C S330-EFGH S230-D S230-B S230-A S230-G S230-H S330 S230-B Exhibit Hall S230-B

Dr. Kim Spence

Candance Ashby President Trip Barrs Jim White, Center for Public Safety Excellence David Squires, Aaron Rhodes, and Vince Cinque Robert Ramirez, The Mayday Mindset Dr. Aldo Manresa Dr. Ben Abo

S330-EFGH S230-C S330-AB

Joseph A Manning, Largo Fire Rescue Doug McGlynn & Chantal Botting, Firepoint Consulting, LLC Chair Mike Jachles

S330-AB

Lindsey Kensinger, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Kyle Biles, ISO/Verisk

S330-AB S330-CD

Scott Chappell

S230-EF

S230-EF S330-CD S230-A S230-B

S230-C

S230-H

*Subject to change and will be updated accordingly Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026: ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER - SOUTH CONCOURSE, B HALL Start 7:30 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM

End 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 10:00 AM

Format

9:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM

5:00 PM 11:30 AM 10:00 AM

Specialty HIGHLIGHT EMS TRACK

9:00 AM

11:30 AM

EMS TRACK

Session Name Registration Open ESLI: Community Risk Reduction Florida Fire Chiefs’Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting PIO Symposium Danny’s Story Beyond the Call: Responding to the Future of EMS Leadership Emergency K9 Care

9:00 AM

10:00 AM

BREAKOUT

High-Preformance Leadership

9:00 AM

10:30 AM

BREAKOUT

Speed Mentoring Session

9:30 AM

11:30 AM

BREAKOUT

10:00 AM 10:00 AM 10:30 AM

5:00 PM 11:30 AM 11:30 AM

TRADESHOW WORKSHOP EMS TRACK

10:30 AM

11:30 AM

BREAKOUT

Insights on Firefighting Operations in Mega-Mansions & Large Area Residentials Tradeshow Open Small Department Round Table Shockwaves & Shrapnel: Understanding and Treating Blast Injuries Suicide: The Silent Killer of Firefighters

12:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM 1:30 PM

2:00 PM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM 3:00 PM 3:20 PM 3:30 PM 3:30 PM

MEETING EMS TRACK HIGHLIGHT BREAKOUT WORKSHOP MEETING EMS TRACK

1:30 PM

3:30 PM

BREAKOUT

2:30 PM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM 3:30 PM 4:00 PM

4:00 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM

MEETING EMS TRACK BREAKOUT WORKSHOP BREAKOUT

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

BREAKOUT

Specialty MEETING

Instructor/Facilitator

Chair Terry Parris

Clyde Gordon Stephen Shaw, Jupiter Fire Rescue Department Dr. Jennifer Brown, Florida Veterinary Rehab and Sports Medicine Kingman D Schuldt, Emergency Services Management Group Doug McGlynn, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Christopher J Naum, Command Institute Chair Mike Choate Dr. Kenneth Dumas

Brian Twiss, The Villages Public Safety Department Cadet Section Awards Committee Chair Todd Coulter Lightning Strikes and Electrical Emergencies Dr. Andrew Smith Reefer Container Awareness - BC Eddy LODD Rodney Wiggins Urban Flood Rescue Operations Andrew McIntyre FFCA EMS Section Workshop Chair Bill McGrath/Tony Tedesco Fire Chief Support Group Division of State Fire Marshal Florida Man Attempts to Wear Snake as Belt, Regrets Dr. Ben Abo Everything Quickly: An EMS Snakebite Story Tactical Reasoning, Making Good Decisions in Bad Dennis Reilly Situations Five Bugle Cadet Review Board Chair Todd Coulter Advanced Skills Lab for Wound Care Dr. Antonio Gandia Think Like an Incident Commander Thomas Dunne Five Bugle Roundtable President Trip Barrs Today’s Environment and Challenges for a New Ernest Spreitzer Training Chief (or Administrative Chief) NERIS Update Willie Saulsberry

*Subject to change and will be updated accordingly 28

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Location South Foyer S230-D S222 S330-GH S330-EF S230-B S230-A

S330-AB S230-EF S330-CD Exhibit Hall S230-C S230-B S330-AB S222 S230-B S330-EF S330-CD S331-C S230-EF S330-A S330-AB S222 S230-B S330-CD S230-C S330-EF S330-AB

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Seminole County Fire Department Celebrates Graduating Class

By Doreen Overstreet, APR, Public Safety Information & Education Officer, Seminole County Fire Department

R

ecently the Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) celebrated the addition of 18 new recruits as part of Class 2025-02. The ceremony was held at CrossLife Church in Oviedo and led by Fire Chief Matt Kinley. At least half of the new graduates grew up in or currently live in Seminole County and are now fully prepared to serve their community as probationary firefighters with the Department.

Many of the recruits graduated from Seminole State in Fire Standards. SCFD requires a 9-week training before entering the field as a firefighter. The new recruits are now stationed throughout the County at a number of the 21 fire stations at SCFD. Fire Chief Matt Kinley provided remarks and shared advice from his recruit class at SCFD in 2001. Some things have never changed about fire: the job, and the effort you put in as a crew every day, speaks volumes about the kinship, respect, and trust you build with each other, “said the Fire chief during his keynote address. “The bond you create in a station—spending 24, sometimes 48 hours together— is lifelong. That trust allows us to fight fires, run life-saving EMS calls, and support each other in both good times and bad.”

New Probationary Firefighters include: Robert Barton, Christopher Gomez, Jeremiah Gudinez, Mikela Konz, Parker Sorrentino, Jayden Floyd, Maxxwell Foley, Colton Graves, Joshua Scher, Austin Camden, Kevin Edman, Victor Furquim, Seth Kozlowski, William Moxley, Tyler O’Brien, Chase Prather, Jarod Raghuraj and Marlon Vega.

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Advancing Florida’s Fire Service Through Training, Collaboration, and Leadership in 2026

By Aaron Rhodes, Assistant Chief, City of Orlando Fire Department

A

s we look ahead to 2026, it is worth pausing to reflect on what the past year has meant for Florida’s fire service. It has been a year defined by challenges and change, by hard-earned successes, meaningful wins, and solemn losses that we have honored and remembered together. Through it all, Florida’s fire service has continued to demonstrate resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Those qualities give us every reason to believe that the future of our profession, and our people, is bright.

With that spirit in mind, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA) is proud to begin the new year by bringing the fire service community together at the 2026 Florida Fire & EMS Conference. This annual gathering remains the cornerstone professional development event for fire and EMS leaders, instructors, and practitioners across the state, and this year’s program is truly exceptional.

The 2026 conference features a robust lineup of high-impact presentations, in-depth and timely workshops, and collaborative meetings that bring together state, local, regional, and interdisciplinary partners.

Attendees can also take advantage of two full days of hands-on training, hosted at Orange County Fire Rescue’s brand-new, state-of-the-art 32

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Training Center and the Valencia Fire Academy. These venues will serve as the backdrop for some of the most relevant and realistic fireground training currently being delivered in Florida.

Participants will find many of the state’s strongest Training Divisions and most respected instructors working side by side to deliver cutting-edge instruction. From fireground operations to leadership development, from EMS and special operations to instructor development, the conference is designed to reflect the evolving demands placed on today’s fire service professionals.

The FFCA Board of Directors has charged the Training and Education Section with developing a conference that brings together the best and brightest from across Florida and the nation. Our goal is to create an environment that delivers practical, actionable information while fostering critical dialogue on issues that directly impact every Florida fire department. These discussions include, but are not limited to, ISO and accreditation considerations, updated standards, emerging technologies, and statewide policy and process changes. By addressing these topics head-on, we aim to ensure that our members begin the year informed, prepared, and positioned for

success.

Equally important is our commitment to the fire service's future. The conference is designed not only for seasoned leaders, but also to attract and engage the next generation—the up-andcoming officers, instructors, and professionals that our organizations will increasingly rely on in the years ahead. By pairing high-quality presenters with meaningful opportunities to network with colleagues across Florida and beyond, the conference's value far exceeds the cost of registration.

The Training and Education Section remains committed to continuous improvement. We actively welcome feedback and ideas from our members and partners as we work to make each year’s conference better than the last. If you have suggestions, are interested in serving as a presenter, or know someone who would be a great fit, please reach out to any member of the committee. A call for presentations for upcoming conferences will be issued soon.

We hope you enjoy a week filled with learning, collaboration, and professional growth—while also reconnecting with old friends and building new relationships along the way. On behalf of the FFCA Training and Education Section, here’s to a safe, successful, and prosperous 2026.

Guns N’ Hoses Charity Boxing Match

By Jenn Samsel, Independent Journalist

T

he 26th Annual Guns N’ Hoses Charity Boxing Match, benefiting police and fire charities, featured an intense showdown where the Hoses emerged victorious over the Guns six wins to five.

The event took place at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, drawing approximately 4,000 attendees.

“Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, we’ve got a lot of great fighters that fought the night, fought valiantly, and it’s all fun, but at the end of the day, once the fight is over, it’s all love because we’re doing it for a great event,” said Percy Golden, Fire Chief for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

He continued, “This FOP and IFF event, and I know they appreciate the support, and it’s going to help a lot of families with this event.

We’re very appreciative of that.”

“It’s for a good cause, so we’re excited about it and thank you for coming out, and for supporting,” said TK Waters, Sheriff of Duval County, Jacksonville With fierce competition, the boxing match served a great cause, supporting various organizations while allowing both teams to showcase their skills in the ring.

“The Fraternal Order of Police Foundation puts on the event and then distributes money

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out to the Police Athletic League, Muscular Dystrophy, K-9 United, and various organizations,” said Trevor Hall, Event coordinator for Guns N’ Hoses Boxing Alongside Brady Acosta, assistant event coordinator: “Come out, keep it electrifying, have fun, be safe, and have a good time.”

“It’s a little scary to me, I don’t want anybody to get hurt, but I love this, there’s no better thing than to see everybody here together, making sure that our first responders know they’re loved and appreciated,” said Donna Deegan, Mayor of Jacksonville.

ESLI... Learning in an Environment for Success

By Jason Fair

T

he Emergency Services Leadership Institute (ESLI) is a six-module program covering; • Human Resources and Labor Management • Personal Qualities, Leadership and the Organization • Government Relations and Public Policy • Marketing Fire and Emergency Services • Finance and Budgeting • Emergency Management.

The program is designed to directly address essential concepts in emergency services that influence the success of public leaders and their organizations. The focus and content of the six-course Emergency Services Leadership Institute (ESLI) program are consistent with upperlevel academic achievement and address issues that are either not prominent in other curricula or not structured in a manner that allows for an integrated learning experience over a two-day period per module.

The Emergency Management (EM) module of the program is delivered in an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in order to provide an integrated learning experience by engaging the participants in an environment that helps to bring realism to each subject area and allows the student to sit in the seat where decisions are made by senior executives and emergency managers during actual incidents.

On December 2 and 3, Orange County Fire Rescue, Division of Emergency Management, opened their EOC doors to host the most recent Emergency Management program delivery of the ESLI curriculum. This state-of-the-art facility serves as the primary operating center where the various emergency management functions for the county are coordinated, including planning, response, sheltering, mass care, mitigation, recovery, and grants management, to name a few. These are all subjects covered in the ESLI-EM curriculum, and the location proved a fitting environment for this EM course, fully immersing the 41 students representing 28 agencies in an EOC command room 36

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atmosphere that provided greater engagement in EOC operations. The Florida Fire Chief’s Association and the Emergency Services Leadership Institute are grateful to Orange County Fire Rescue and their Emergency Management team for hosting our fire service leaders. Special thanks to Emergency Manager Lauraleigh Avery, Assistant Manager Carlos Durden, and Ashley Forbes for allowing us to “activate” their EOC facilities to deliver this EM module. A special thanks to Division Chief Kimberly Buffkin for her opening remarks and warm welcome.

Over the course of two days, students learned the history of emergency management at the federal level, the history of FEMA and the various programs that FEMA administers that affect our state including the Stafford Act, which supports disaster response, and the Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program which governs wildland fires. The students examined the details of the national mutual aid program, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and the associated details of resource typing. Following the introduction to all things federal, students were exposed to the history of emergency management in Florida, examining the various emergency management programs and requirements prescribed by Florida law. The Emergency Management overview concluded with the fundamental operations of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, including tribal, county and local emergency management programs.

Reinforcing the vast amount of information covered, and to provide knowledge of real-world experiences, several guest instructors from our statewide governmental partners made presentations. Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) Regional Coordinators Elizabeth Caison and Austin Beeghly, provided information on FDEM operations, state statutes, rules, FROC, and Florida’s emergency management system.

TJ Lyon, the former FFCA Emergency Response Committee Chair, and 34-year veteran of Orange County Fire Rescue, provided updates on the FFCA State Emergency Response Plan (SERP), Ready-op and managing emergency service resources on a statewide platform. These presentations, to include the first-person expertise of those delivering them, greatly contributed to the course and students, while building upon the foundations of the ESLI program.

Bringing context to the material covered, a capstone exercise was conducted to reinforce the program objectives. Students were assigned various roles and responsibilities representing government officials and community partners who would be making and or influencing decisions during EOC operations. Through facilitated, open discussions the class worked through diverse issues and unplanned challenges that might present themselves during emergency activations. This is where the rigidity of concept becomes the ever-flexible plan needed to provide for the best possible response in protecting a community during a disaster.

The exercise reinforces the tenants of emergency management and gives value to their purpose and importance. The program is not intended to have the students leave as emergency managers, rather it highlights the many subjects and issues that emergency managers must deal with and the critical decisions that they must make.

The ESLI – Emergency Management module aims at providing an indepth awareness and orientation, specific to Emergency Management EOC operations. While not all Emergency Management programs are managed through fire service agencies, it is expected that the fire service will have decision-making representation engaged in a local or state EOC during an activation. This ESLI module provides students with an understanding and subject awareness that will enhance their effectiveness working within an EOC and supporting Emergency Management operations.

The Emergency Services Leadership Institute is sponsored by the Florida Fire and Emergency Services Foundation, and modules are generally offered throughout the year in various areas of the state.

Details and schedules are located on the FFCA website at www.ffca.org/emergency-services-leadership-institute, and specific questions can be directed to ffca.esli@gmail.com.

serves as State Emergency Response Team Liaison to the State Emergency Operations Center and as part of the State ESF 4/9 IST. He has been a Special Operations Instructor and Foreign Affairs Expert in Emergency and Disaster Management and Response since 2003, consulting/instructing civilian and military throughout the US, Caribbean and Asia.

As a Florida native, Jason Fair began his professional career in Public Safety in 1992. His career has spanned an array of specialties including Fire, EMS, Urban Search and Rescue, Swift-water and Urban Flood, Hazardous Materials, and Emergency Management. Across these fields he has moved through the ranks in both private and public service.

Jason represents Region 6 as the State Emergency Response Plan Coordinator and serves on various Committees as part of the State funding Group on Domestic Preparedness and as FFCA appointed representative to the Domestic Security Oversight Council. Additionally, Jason Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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Firehouse Subs Awards Lake City Grant for SCBA’s

By Jenn Samsel, Independent Journalist

T

he Lake City Fire Department received a $39,000 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation® to purchase new lifesaving equipment.

The event was held at the Firehouse Subs Restaurant in Lake City, where Firehouse Subs hosted “Touch-A-Truck.” This fun, interactive, and educational event was designed for the whole family, offering guests a unique opportunity to explore a fire truck and meet the dedicated heroes who operate it.

The new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) and cylinders will provide firefighters with more breathing tanks, ultimately improving lifesaving capabilities when called into action.

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“We’re very thankful for Firehouse and the Foundation, the company as a whole, but also our local Firehouse Subs. They always help us out anytime we need. We’re very thankful for the support.

We were able to purchase equipment to supply our trucks and to make our community better. We’re so thankful for you guys and

what you do and thank you for everyone who came out to the event,” said Fire Chief Josh Wehinger, Lake City Fire Department.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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St. Petersburg Fire Rescue EMS Excellence Award Krawl’n for the Fallen Honors Fallen First Responders

By Jenn Samsel, Independent Journalist The 11th Annual Krawl’n for the Fallen event, honoring First Responders who have fallen.

Held at the Keystone Heights Airport, Keystone Heights, Clay County, the event showcased displays from various police and fire departments, as well as motorcycles, boats, helicopters, and K-9 units. Attendees enjoyed food, listened to music, and had an opportunity to take photos with iconic Star Wars Stormtroopers.

There were trail rides and obstacle courses for both Jeeps and other 4x4 vehicles, all designed to honor the first responders who dedicated their lives to protecting the community while on duty. At the end of the evening’s final ride, each vehicle honored the fallen and supported their families by displaying blue and red lights and flags in their memory.

Krawl’n for the Fallen, proceeds raised go to help families get the counseling and support that they need when a first responder is killed in the line of duty.

By Lindsay Judah, DPA, CFO, CTO, CEMSO, Fire Rescue Division Chief St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Engine 2 recently responded to a patient in cardiac arrest. When FF/PM Alisa Adamo, FF/EMT Eric Benjamin, and Lt. Daniel Distasio arrived, they found a bystander (a trained RN) performing high-quality CPR on a patient.

EMS began the critical life-saving interventions to care for a patient in cardiac arrest. Engine 2 worked alongside the crew of Lealman FD Rescue 19; Firefighter/Paramedics Joseph Coticchio and Timothy Cline and Sunstar PM James Strobel and EMT Joel Oviedo. All Clinicians’ orchestrated efforts resulted in the successful resuscitation of this patient. The successful return of spontaneous circulation and ventilations that the crews obtained, laid the foundation for the patient’s recovery journey at HCA Florida Northside Hospital.

The Out-of-Hospital Chain of Survival relies on prompt recognition, highquality CPR, and activation of the 9-1-1 system. Our personnel received an EMS Excellence award which celebrates exceptional emergency services and the profound impact these life-saving efforts have on individuals, families, and communities.

Escambia County Fire Rescue Puppy Rescue

By Andie Gibson, Public Information Officer Not long after sunrise Monday, Nov. 24, Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to a call for a puppy rescue in the 2000 block of Bush Street.

Ladder 6 responded to the call and, once on scene, confirmed that one puppy had fallen through an HVAC vent opening in the floor and was stuck in the ductwork. The crew quickly got to work, accessing the crawl space and removing the ductwork to safely rescue the puppy. 20 minutes later, the puppy was freed.

We’re happy to report that the puppy was uninjured and has been reunited with its family. Great work, Ladder 6.

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St. Pete Country Fest

By Lindsay Judah, DPA, CFO, CTO, CEMSO, Fire Rescue Division Chief St. Petersburg Fire Rescue recognizes everyone who contributed to the success of St. Pete Country Fest at Vinoy Park in November 2025.

Through thoughtful coordination and planning, as well as tremendous partnerships this event went exceptionally well!

Thank you to our internal divisions, Prevention, Rescue, and Suppression.

As well as fellow City of St. Petersburg departments, St. Petersburg Parks & Rec and St. Petersburg Police Department and external partners Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, Sunstar Paramedics, and the event organizers.

St. Petersburg FR Recognizes Patrick Schwar

By Lindsay Judah, DPA, CFO, CTO, CEMSO, Fire Rescue Division Chief St. Petersburg Fire Rescue (SPFR) recognizes Patrick Schwar for stepping up in a big way by facilitating CPR training make-ups for our personnel. Patrick’s willingness to step out of his regular job duties (QA/QI lead for SPFR) and recertify many personnel was truly remarkable. His professionalism, initiative, and dedication to our organization’s mission made a significant impact.

Thank you, Patrick, for always being ready to support the team when it matters most!

6th Annual Middleburg Halloween Event

Starke’s Great Pumpkin Escape Celebration

By Jenn Samsel, Independent Journalist

By Jenn Samsel, Independent Journalist

Clay County Fire Rescue and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office joined forces for the 6th Annual Halloween Event in Middleburg, Clay County.

This year, they estimated that over 4,000 people attended the event.

Residents of Clay County, along with sheriff’s officers, had a great time dressing up and handing out a large amount of candy.

A variety of vehicles were present, including those from Clay County Fire Rescue Station 14 and Clay County Animal Rescue, many of which were decorated for the festivities.

Walmart generously provided the event location, and a grant was secured to help distribute the candy.

The City of Starke hosted its 29th annual Starke Great Pumpkin Escape in Starke, Bradford County.

The streets came alive with decorated adults and children in creative Halloween costumes.

The Starke Fire Department, in collaboration with Bradford County Fire Rescue and the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, assisted with the event.

Bradford County Fire Rescue set up an exhibition that allowed both children and adults to smash the car with a hammer, breaking windows and doors, and causing other damage to the vehicle.

“This is an annual event we have for Halloween to bring the community together and do something special for them. It’s not just about the candy; it’s about community involvement and having everybody come together to enjoy themselves,” said Andy Redding, Starke Mayor.

“Thank you, and we appreciate them coming out, and we hope we have a wonderful environment for them, and that they come back next year,” he said.

The North Florida Elite Cheer and Tumbling group performed tumbling moves. There was a cupcake walk sponsored by Walmart, a pet parade, pony rides, bounce houses, and a smash-and-bash, all taking place at the event.

The downtown businesses, along with the city, the Starke Chamber of Commerce, and the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, contributed their time, food, and candy to make this event possible.

The proceeds from the festival are donated back to the community to support two scholarships for individuals in vocational programs or high school. The scholarship drawing takes place in May.

Oviedo Fire Designated as Gold Helmet Department

By Lisa McDonald, Communications Manager The Oviedo Fire Department has earned the prestigious Gold Helmet Department designation from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a recognition reserved for departments that demonstrate exceptional commitment to firefighter health and safety.

The Gold Helmet honor is awarded to fire departments that enroll at least 50% of their active firefighters or a minimum of 300 members in the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer. The NFR is the largest national effort ever undertaken to study and reduce cancer risks among U.S. firefighters.

Through the registry, NIOSH collects data to better understand the link between firefighting activities and cancer, helping identify ways to protect firefighters from occupational exposures that can increase risk. Participation is voluntary and open to all active, retired, and volunteer firefighters nationwide.

“Firefighters face unique risks every day,” said Oviedo Fire Chief Michael Woodward. “By participating in the registry, we’re helping advance the research needed to protect those who protect our community.”

The Oviedo Fire Department is proud to be the first department in Central Florida to receive this Gold Helmet designation, highlighting its proactive leadership in safeguarding the long-term health of its members.

Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG

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By Lindsay Judah, DPA, CFO, CTO, CEMSO, Fire Rescue Division Chief, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

S

t. Petersburg Fire Rescue proudly recognizes SWAT Medic Team Commander Lieutenant Enright for his outstanding leadership and coordination efforts in successfully completing SWAT Medic Week 2025.

Through careful planning, interagency coordination, and attention to detail, Lieutenant Enright ensured a week of meaningful, high-level training that

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strengthened operational readiness and reinforced best practices for tactical medical response. SWAT Medic Week provided team members with valuable hands-on experience designed to enhance patient care, safety, and effectiveness in high-risk environments.

In addition, recognition goes out to the entire SWAT Medic Team for their dedication, hard work, and professionalism throughout the week. Your commitment to

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