FY24 Annual Report by sarasotafire

Sarasota County Fire Department

MESSAGE FROM THE FIRE CHIEF

I am immensely honored to present the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report.

In February 2024, we became internationally accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International While this is an achievement worth celebrating, it is also only the beginning of years of continuous improvement to come.

I have communicated before that increasing firefighter staffing on the remaining two-person engine companies is my top priority In FY24, Engine 3, located on Lido Key, received a third firefighter as part of its daily staffing model This helps our marine and fire rescue response by supporting more efficient crossstaffing of the fire rescue boat, which requires a minimum of three personnel to operate

With the support of our County Commission and County Administration, we have completed the design phase, issued the purchase order and the notice to proceed for the Regional Fire Training Academy. This is a major milestone as we plan for construction and aim for a project completion date of Summer 2026.

On March 22, 2024, we celebrated the grand re-opening of Fire Station 23, newly constructed to replace a 30+ year old facility in Nokomis to increase functionality and resistance to wind and flood waters

In FY24, we added a research statistician position to our team to increase our ability to make datainformed decisions An analysis of our call processing data led to a change in the dispatch process for call handling. Partnering with the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Bureau, we reduced call processing time by 60 seconds. This allows us to provide service one minute faster to patients requiring life-saving service when seconds matter.

Equipping our first responders with necessary equipment is critical to carrying out our mission The current portable radios used by our first responders have reached their end of life and replacement with the latest technology will increase resiliency in communications

This year, ballistic protective equipment was provided to all SCFD first responders to provide greater protection when responding to potentially violent situations such as active shooter and hostile event responses. We also initiated a safety review of our structural firefighting gloves after a firefighter hand injury occurred during a structure fire. This led to the identification of a larger issue that may have been prevented with the replacement of structural firefighting gloves. Departmentwide replacements are now underway

Fire Chief David Rathbun

Over the summer of 2024, we reinstated the SCFD open houses to foster community engagement and to provide risk reduction services such as fire and life safety education, CPR trainings, bike helmet fittings, car seat installations, demonstrations, and more. These monthly open houses will continue at rotating fire stations across our community.

In FY25, we look ahead to the grand opening of a new Fire Administration Building, conversion of Medic 1 to a second transport unit at Fire Station 1, adding a third person to Engine 4 and Engine 6, beginning the transition of Fire Station 7 back into Sarasota County, a fire station location study, and much more I am excited about where we have been and where we will go in this next year, and I am thankful to our members and citizens for advocating for excellence in all we do

Sincerely,

David Rathbun

Leadership Philosophy

SARASOTA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

SARASOTA COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

Michael A. Moran Neil Rainford

MISSION & VALUES

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY THROUGH A NETWORK OF SKILLED

PROFESSIONALS DEDICATED TO SAVING LIVES AND PROTECTING PROPERTY

MISSION MISSION VALUES VALUES

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WITH P.R.I.D.E.

PROFESSIONALISM

RESPECT

INTEGRITY

DEDICATION

EXCELLENCE

AT A GLANCE

472

415K

10 Resource Hospitals

NUMBERS

BY THE NUMBERS

110,853

BY THE NUMBERS

OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF

SCFD ORGANIZATION CHART

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

ACCREDITATION MANAGER

TOTAL (A,B,C SHIFT)

BATTALION CHIEFS (12)

LIEUTENANTS (96)

FIREFIGHTERS (412)

SHIFT)

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

SPECIALS OPS CAPTAIN

WILDFIRE MITIGATION SPECIALISTS (2)

LIFEGUARD MANAGER

LIFEGUARD CAPTAINS (2)

LIFEGUARD LIEUTENANTS (8)

LIFEGUARDS (21)

FIRE/EMS TRAINING CAPTAINS (2)

EMS TRAINING CAPTAIN

TOTAL (A,B,C SHIFT) ISO CAPTAINS (3)

BATTALION CHIEF PLANNING FIRE RESEARCH STATISTICIAN

YEAR 2024 FISCAL YEAR 2024

BATTALION CHIEF SAFETY/RECRUITMENT

LOGISTICS BATTALION CHIEF

LOGISTICS CAPTAIN

FIRE LOGISTICS TECHNICIAN

EMS LOGISTICS TECHNICIAN

WAREHOUSE COORDINATOR

WAREHOUSE CLERKS (2)

FIRE/EMS FACILITIES

MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

FIRE/EMS FACILITIES

MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

SUPERVISORS (2)

FIRE PLANS EXAMINERS (4)

FIRE SAFETY INSPECTORS (9)

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

PUBLIC EDUCATION COORDINATOR

EMPLOYEE SERVICES SPECIALIST

FIRE/EMS RECORDS CUSTODIAN

REVENUE AND FISCAL SUPERVISOR

OPERATIONS/BUDGET COORDINATOR

$122,013,312 FY24 BUDGET

Darin Wallentine DEPUTY CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION

ACCREDITATION

Sarasota County Fire Department was awarded international accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) on February 27, 2024.

SCFD is one of approximately 35 internationally accredited agencies in the state (of more than 460 fire departments statewide).

International accreditation is a commitment to the future of the department as it demands planning and continual improvement in SCFD’s response, which will directly benefit the residents and visitors of Sarasota County

CFAI Hearing in Orlando, Florida February 27, 2024

CREDENTIALING

The credentialing process through the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) helps fire and EMS leaders achieve continuous professional improvement and gain recognition for their career achievements and excellence Pursuing a Fire Officer (FO) designation signifies a commitment to leadership and operational skills in firefighting. Visit cpse.org/credentialing to learn more.

Fire Officer Designations

Designation Conferred January 15, 2024

Designation Conferred February 15, 2024

Designation Conferred July 9, 2024

SCFD FACT: SCFD currently has 5 designated FOs, of less than 800 FOs worldwide.

Captain J Nilson

Lieutenant Paul Olson

Lieutenant Johnny Rigney

Lieutenant Jesse Schilling

In 2024, the SCFD Operations Section, which includes fire, EMS, and special programs, faced a challenging year marked by three named tropical storms and hurricanes, along with numerous other heavy rain events These extreme weather conditions tested our team's capabilities, but our members responded with resilience and professionalism, delivering critical services to the community.

Beyond emergency response, Operations focused on enhancing service delivery and competencies through various projects Key improvements included increased staffing on apparatus, additional paramedic certifications, more paramedics-in-charge, ongoing development of SCFD's whole blood program, and expanded special operations training across all disciplines Our team also sought to strengthen partnerships with mutual aid, healthcare, and community organizations, reinforcing our commitment to collaboration in normal conditions and during emergencies. Looking ahead, SCFD Operations will continue prioritizing member development in both leadership and operations, and strategic planning to meet the community's evolving needs and that of a contemporary fire department

37,485 EMS TRANSPORTS

EMS OPERATIONS

46.3% BYSTANDER CPR

32.7% RETURN OF PULSE

8.3% OVERALL SURVIVAL*

*This number represents patients discharged with good or moderate cerebral score (Florida 7.0%, National 6.6%)

SCFD FACT: SCFD exceeds the State and National average for Bystander CPR, ROSC, and overall survival to hospital discharge in non-traumatic cardiac arrests.

EMS OPERATIONS

Fall/RepeatedFalls

Acutepain,notelsewhereclassiﬁed

RespiratoryDistress(acute)

Dizziness/Lightheadedness

FIRE OPERATIONS

Containment of Fire by Origin

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

SCFD FACT: The special operations team is a state-deployable technical rescue team (TRT-647) and Type I hazardous materials team for the state of Florida (HM-6B).

SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM

69 TEAM MEMBERS

1,988 ACRES BURNED

29 PERMITTED BURNS

MARINE OPERATIONS

47 CERTIFIED BOAT OPERATORS

392 FIRE RESCUE BOAT DISPATCHES

134 UTV DISPATCHES TO SIESTA

TACTICAL MEDICS

8 TACTICAL PARAMEDICS

60 RESPONSE DRILLS

SCFD FACT: SCFD operates in partnership with Sarasota County Sheriff (SSO) and Sarasota Police Department’s (SPD) SWAT Teams.

LIFEGUARDS

United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) Southeast Regional Competition at Navarre Beach

Open age group medals won by Lyons and Arnberg

team

Lifeguard Mariano Martinez was awarded the County Superstar Award and the Fire Department Outstanding Act Award for his life-saving heroic efforts to rescue a family of seven who were swept off into a rip current in the Gulf of Mexico

USLA National Competition at South Padre Island, Texas

Mason Arnberg medaled

event with Lifeguards from Jones Beach, NY.

HONOR GUARD

16 MEMBERS

22 EVENTS

SCFD FACT: This year the SCFD Honor Guard participated in the National and IAFF Fallen Firefighters Memorial weekends in both Emmitsburg, Maryland and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

Each year, firefighters from across the country participate in stair climbs, scaling the equivalent of 100 floors in memory of the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.

HURRICANE RESPONSE

Hurricanes Debby and Helene

HURRICANE DEBBY MADE LANDFALL IN THE FLORIDA BIG BEND ON AUGUST 5, 2024, AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE.

LESS THAN 8 WEEKS LATER, HURRICANE HELENE MADE LANDFALL IN THE BIG BEND ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2024, AS A CATEGORY 4 STORM.

SARASOTA COUNTY SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTIES.

STORM-RELATED INCIDENTS

STORM-RELATED INCIDENTS STORM-RELATED INCIDENTS

HURRICANE DEBBY (AUG. 4-7) HURRICANE DEBBY (AUG. 4-7)

364 TOTAL INCIDENTS 364 TOTAL INCIDENTS

HURRICANE HELENE (SEP. 26-29) HURRICANE HELENE (SEP. 26-29) 278 TOTAL INCIDENTS 278 TOTAL INCIDENTS

Beginning in June 2024, the SCFD held its first monthly Open House With a focus on SCFD connecting with the community, we intend to provide important safety-related information to our residents and visitors We have invited various groups ranging from lifeguards providing beach safety materials to CPR demonstrations, public education on fire safety, free bike helmets, and car seat installations. Additionally, the SCFD is partnering with SunCoast Blood Centers Bloodmobile to encourage attendees to donate blood.

The budget process underwent significant improvements to more accurately align with the department’s specific cost centers, ensuring a more precise and transparent allocation of resources The Finance team, under the administration section, played a pivotal role in the successful execution of this revamped budget approach The department’s critical needs were addressed, including requests for additional staffing, the introduction of new programs, and the acquisition of essential resources These proposals are strategically aligned with SCFD’s long-term vision and objectives. The approval of these proposals marks a significant achievement for both myself and the leadership team, reflecting our commitment to enhancing the department’s operational capabilities and supporting its continued growth

Deputy Fire Chief Darin Wallentine

SAFETY AND WELLNESS

Sarasota County Fire Department twice hosted the Boulder Crest Foundation's "Struggle Well" 2-day training program for first responders within the organization and those from outside agencies This course supports participants in building resilience and promoting personal growth through a structured approach known as post-traumatic growth.

38 “STRUGGLE WELL” PARTICIPANTS