A publication by the staff of the City of Boca Raton Fire-Rescue Services Department
May-June 2015
BOCA FIRE RESCUE NET http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/fire/newsletters.shtm 2015 Paramedic of the Year Lieutenant Shannon Frederick Fire Chief Report By: Thomas R. Wood CFO, MIFireE
Transitions Captain Mitch Greenberg (27 years of service), Fire Inspector Chris Schulz (31 years of service) and Firefighter Ron Devecki (25 years of service) will be retiring on May 29, 2015. Captain George Fox retired on April 13, 2015, with 15 years of service. There will be a “Last Roll Call Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, May 29, 2015 at 9:00AM to honor all four employees.
Lt. Shannon Frederick was nominated by Captain Jeff Ross. During this past year, and the year prior, Jeff had the opportunity to work with and observe Lt. Frederick during the delivery of Fire Rescue Service in our community. In the course of Jeff’s career with Boca Raton Fire Rescue, he has worked with hundreds of department members, most of them exceptional, several being award-winning. He has found them all to be dedicated professionals. It is his opinion that Lt. Shannon Frederick is right at the apex of the exceptional individuals that he has had the good fortune to have worked with.
Lt. Frederick takes every aspect of her job and applies a very high personal standard. In the delivery of service to the public, Lt. Frederick is a highly-skilled EMS practitioner, providing compassionate, thoughtful and medically-appropriate care to our customers. Two calls, of many, illustrate the expertise of Lt. Frederick’s care and leadership. On August 13, 2014, Medic Unit 1 and Truck 1 responded to an unresponsive 39-year-old man, the victim of a narcotic overdose, who did not respond to routine treatment. Lt. Frederick was able to manage the call and intubate the patient’s difficult airway, even after two prior attempts by other team members were unsuccessful. On January 21, 2014, Medic Unit 1 responded to a walk-in clinic for a patient having chest pain. The patient was quickly assessed and rapidly transported to the hospital as a cardiac alert, arriving in just over 17 minutes from the time of initial patient contact. He was promptly moved to the catheterization lab for definitive care. There are many more such calls, both “routine” and unexpected, that characterize the body of work by Lt. Frederick over the past year.
Irena Elmstrom was promoted to Fire Prevention Officer on April 7, 2015. Rhett Martin was promoted to Captain on April 17, 2015. Eric Alexander was promoted to Lieutenant on April 17, 2015. All three promotions were recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015.
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As a leader of firefighters on the fire ground, Lt. Frederick is decisive and exceedingly proficient, fulfilling her assigned tasks with expert ability. A prime example is a structure fire on February 5, 2015. Lt. Frederick and the crew of Medic Unit 4 were assigned as the search-and-rescue group in the initial stages of this fire. After effectively completing that assignment, she and her crew were re -assigned to investigate for fire extension in the attic above the room of origin, a task that was rapidly assessed and safely completed. Lt. Frederick pays attention to the details, which makes everyone else around her better. Additionally, Lt. Frederick has extensive experience with Documed, gained during her assistance with the initial program roll-out, from which she makes frequent suggestions to the EMS Division, identifying operational issues with the software and suggesting potential remedies. In summary, Lt. Frederick provides outstanding EMS care and demonstrates high ability and teamwork on the fire ground. She is always ready to learn and train and is selfmotivated to get “it” right the first time. Shannon can be relied upon to exercise superior judgment, leading to correct decisions, with our customers’ best interests at heart. In every facet of her work for our department, Lt. Frederick leads by example and provides a template for how this job should be done. Lt. Frederick was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations!
Excellence Award Captain Ron Hartley
Ron was nominated for the 2014 Firefighter of the Year award by Firefighter/Driver Tory Buckman. While he wasn’t chosen for that honor, based on the narrative Tory wrote, he deserves recognition. Tory wrote the following: Throughout the year, Captain Ron Hartley has led his crew and has provided excellent service to this community. Captain Hartley has gone above and beyond on numerous occasions but on April 30, 2014, he was tasked with responding to and mitigating several serious incidents, including a gas leak, medical care for a gunshot wound (the patient survived), and a structure fire. In this job, responding to calls can become routine. But doing the right thing in many cases, and going above and beyond, is what sets Boca Raton Fire Rescue apart. Captain Hartley embodies these values and demonstrates them at every available opportunity. During the April 30th shift, Captain Hartley and his crew responded to a medical alarm in their zone. The woman who had set off the alarm had communicated to Dispatch that this was a false alarm, but Captain Hartley wanted to make sure the woman was okay. She was a bit unsettled and Captain Hartley spent 15 minutes talking with her. By the time the call was over, she was hugging him! She later wrote a letter of appreciation to Chief Wood, expressing her gratitude for Captain Hartley’s compassion and caring. Also, the structure fire during this shift had damaged the kitchen of the residence
and, seeing that the family was distressed, Captain Hartley took it upon himself to order pizzas and have them delivered to the residence. Captain Hartley didn’t tell the family he had ordered the pizzas. He simply told the pizza delivery to let them know they were from Boca Raton Fire Rescue. You see, he didn’t do any of the things that day for the recognition. He did them because they were the right thing to do; he has spent more than half of his life as a Boca Raton Firefighter, doing just that. For all his efforts, Ron is hereby awarded our Department Excellence Award, which is inscribed with the Vince Lombardi quote: “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Ron was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations! Excellence Award Captain Tom Carroll
Tom was nominated for the 2014 Firefighter of the Year award by Division Chief Norm Engel. While he wasn’t chosen for that honor, based on the narrative Norm wrote, he deserves recognition. Norm wrote the following: Tom’s contributions to the Fire Department throughout his career and more specifically with the Hazardous Materials Program have helped us
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to be recognized as one of the premier teams in the region. Tom has a long list of accomplishments that has brought our team’s capabilities to where they are today. His knowledge of chemistry has made Tom our resident expert on our Hapsite (Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer) chemical identification analyzer. Tom created a training program and taught our Haz-Mat Technicians, giving our personnel a better understanding of the machine and its capabilities. Over the last couple of years, Tom had led and coordinated the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) annual refresher competency training. This is no easy task, since it requires lecture and handson skill competency assessments to satisfy the SERC’s requirement. Tom made sure that the core of the training was “hands-on” with very little simulation so our personnel will be as ready as possible, when dispatched to a Haz-Mat call. When we were faced with the Ebola crisis, I was tasked with coordinating the training for our personnel in the donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). My first call was to Tom. I explained what we needed and the short time we had to get it done. Within two hours of that phone call, we had units at Fire Support learning about Ebola and, more importantly, learning how to don and doff their PPE without cross-contaminating themselves or each other. This was a huge undertaking, and Tom “stepped up,” making us one of the first agencies in the region to train specifically for the Ebola crisis. Altogether, he taught sixteen sessions over the next four days. Once the training was completed, Tom worked tirelessly to get the Department’s Donning and Doffing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved and completed. Tom worked on this night and day, and I can personally attest to that since he would text and email me at
night, asking me “what I thought” of the latest change. The SOP was finalized, approved, and now it’s part of our way of doing business thanks to Tom’s research and hard work. For all your efforts, you are hereby awarded our Department Excellence Award, which is inscribed with the Vince Lombardi quote: “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Tom was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations! Excellence Award Lieutenant Tony Armijo
Tony has been chosen for a “Distinguished Service Award” and an “Excellence Award.” His nomination was written by EMS Captain Jason Stout, and it included the following narrative: Lieutenant Tony Armijo is deserving of the “Distinguished Service Award” for his performance in the new position of Lieutenant in the EMS Division. This newly-created position has become an integral part of our administrative staff, and to this department, mainly because of Tony. He has been given many responsibilities, including the CPR/AED programs, Patient Advocate, and HIPPA Compliance Officer to name a few. Since taking over the CPR/ AED program, Tony has helped automate and simplify the registra-
tion and scheduling system, making it easier for customers to register and keep instructors informed of scheduled classes. According to the students taking the classes, their experience with Tony has been wonderful. He promptly calls them back to handle any scheduling issues and goes out of his way to help accommodate them, even teaching a class himself for just one caregiver who had a special needs child and needed the training to facilitate care. He has added more classes, as well as advertised at events like the Fire Expo and Mizner Park Fitness fair, which has brought more students to our program and put more potential lifesavers on the street. As the Department Patient Advocate, he has successfully assisted a frequent caller, a diabetic, with coordinating care between her endocrinologist and dialysis office to help stabilize her condition and nearly eliminating her need to call 911. Tony’s positive attitude and passion for his work is an example we should all strive to obtain when we come to work. He was an asset to the Operations Division when he was on shift, and is proving to be as much of an asset to the EMS Division. For all your efforts, you are hereby awarded our Department Excellence Award, which is inscribed with the Vince Lombardi quote: “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Tony was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015.
Congratulations!
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Excellence Award Firefighter Jack Culligan
Jack has been chosen for a “Distinguished Service Award” and an “Excellence Award”. His nominations were written by Battalion Chief Scott Ward and Captain Bob Schade, and they included the following narrative: Firefighter Jack Culligan has been a paramedic for 25 years with Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services. His experience is unparalleled, as demonstrated by having been a preceptor to over fifty newly assigned probationary firefighter paramedics. Firefighter Culligan’s primary assignment is to an ALS Engine, which means many of the EMS-related calls he responds to are very serious in nature, including cardiac arrests, respiratory arrests and trauma alerts. Firefighter Culligan also frequently serves as an Acting Lieutenant on our Medic Units. Over the past year, there were several emergency incidents that Firefighter Culligan handled, that had very positive patient outcomes. Firefighter Culligan's expertise was evident during an EMS incident on August 15, 2014. Medic 5 was dispatched to a 62-year-old male with a chief complaint of "unable to walk." Further examination revealed the patient also had chest pain, with an unremarkable EKG. Firefighter Culligan quickly determined that the patient’s symptoms closely mirrored that of an aortic aneurysm, and the chest pain protocol should be withheld. The diagnosis was later confirmed by
the emergency room physician, who advised that the patient’s prognosis would have been severely diminished, if Firefighter Culligan had not identified and treated the patient accordingly. For all your efforts, you are hereby awarded our Department Excellence Award, which is inscribed with the Vince Lombardi quote: “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Jack was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations!
Firefighter/Driver Kevin Sullivan and Assistant Fire Chief Michael Gergora are hereby recognized with Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services Innovation Awards. The awards are acrylic paperweights etched with the Department logo and the US Marine Corp motto, “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.” Kevin and Mike were recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations! Citizen Courage Award Justin Schluraff
Innovation Awards Assistant Chief Mike Gergora & Firefighter/Driver Kevin Sullivan
On December 13, 2014, Firefighter/ Driver Kevin Sullivan highlighted the age and limitations of the old GPS system on board Boat 3. Boat 3 had just completed two significant nighttime deployments into the Atlantic Ocean on December 4th and December 9th, when radar would have been helpful. Kevin made a recommendation for an improved Radar/GPS system. Assistant Fire Chief Michael Gergora had recently purchased and installed a similar system on his personal boat, and offered to handle the project for Fire/Rescue Boat 3. The parts were ordered and the installation took place between February 26th and February 28th, 2015. The new, improved Radar/GPS system can easily be moved and remounted on a new boat, when it is finally purchased.
The following account was relayed by EMS Captain Shaun Fix: On February 24, 2015, at 3:38PM, we responded to Alarm 2015-2712, reported to be a natural gas explosion with a serious injury. When we arrived, Mr. Justin Schluraff, a bystander, had applied a “makeshift” tourniquet to the victim in an attempt to stop very serious bleeding. If Mr. Schluraff had not acted as quickly as he did, I am confident the blood loss would have been critical and possibly life threatening. We are thankful for his actions. He was awarded our “Citizen Courage Award,” which is inscribed with the following C.S. Lewis quote: “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” In addition, we are offering Mr. Schluraff a free CPR class, here at Fire Rescue. Mr. Schluraff was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations!
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Citizen Courage Award Elizabeth Bennett
The following account was relayed to me by Tony Cellana: I’d like to acknowledge Elizabeth Bennett of our Risk Management Division for saving my life on Monday, April 13, 2015. During lunch, I was in the middle of swallowing some water when I ended up inhaling some. Spitting the water out of my mouth, I ended up starting to regurgitate my lunch, when standing to go to the nearby sink. My next recollection was me sitting on the floor, her arms around me and asking if I was okay. She let me know afterwards that I had collapsed, turned quite purple, and was nonresponsive. She had performed the Heimlich maneuver on me five or six times before I started to come around. Without her quick, instinctive action, I don’t believe I’d be alive to write this note. For this, I’d like to acknowledge her as a lifesaver amongst our civilian workforce.
Red Cross Smoke Detector Giveaway Program Our Benevolent Association has teamed up with the local American Red Cross Chapter to install brand new smoke detectors in homes in Boca Raton. The first neighborhood chosen was Delray Manors and the Red Cross volunteers, along Firefighter/Driver Scott Hauss, Firefighter Jesus Barrera and Firefighter Joe Germano, installed 33 smoke detectors on March 21, 2015. They also replaced dead batteries in several homes. A recent study of Boca Raton revealed that only 60% of our homes have working smoke detectors. We can do better than that! A big “thank you” to Steve Bayer at the Red Cross for getting this program started.
Administrative Services By: Michael LaSalle Assistant Chief
Employment The Administrative Division, in coordination with the City’s Human Resources Department, has begun the arduous task of selecting the best candidates for employment. Approximately 125 Firefighter/ Paramedic applications were received so far. The next step in the employment process includes a written exam, skills testing (medical and fire), interview board assessment, polygraph test, psychological evaluation, and extensive background evaluations. We conduct this entire process so we can be assured that the candidates we select for employment will be the “cream of crop.” Once completed, our list of top candidates will be available to present to the Chief for a hire date.
Until next time…be safe.
We are thankful for your actions. You are hereby awarded our “Citizen Courage Award,” which is inscribed with the following C.S. Lewis quote: “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Ms. Bennett was recognized at a “Badge & Award Ceremony” at the 6500 Building Auditorium on Friday, April 29, 2015. Congratulations!
Sunday, May 10
Annual Fire Station Open House The ANNUAL FIRE STATION OPEN HOUSE is being held to invite parents and children to visit their “NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE STATION” and meet their local Firefighters and Paramedics. The City of Boca Raton’s eight fire stations will be proudly opened to the public on Saturday, May 9, 2015, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Visitors will be taken on a complete tour of the Fire Rescue Department’s ultra-modern facilities and shown demonstrations of the latest in firefighting techniques and emergency medical vehicles and equipment. Please contact Open House Coordinator Richard Rafalski if you wish to volunteer or assist with this worthwhile program.
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Hurricane Season The 2015 Hurricane Season is rapidly approaching and, as such, we have completed our annual review and update of the City’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. Nicole Gasparri and representatives from all City departments are busy planning and working closely together to prepare for the start of the Hurricane Season. History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. It is our responsibility to prepare our families and homes for the hurricane season which runs from June 1st until November 30th. This year’s Hurricane Preparedness Week will be held May 25th through May 31st. The goal is to inform the public about hurricane hazards and provide knowledge which can be used to take ACTION. This is the ideal time to conduct your family’s disaster plan, your home’s shutter drill, and to complete your stock of hurricane supplies. Remember: you are considered essential employees and you want to be sure your loved ones are prepared in case you have to report to work. The internet has many informative sites that can be searched for more helpful information regarding hurricanes, including NOAA, FEMA, and NWS. The City’s website is also an excellent resource for hurricane information. Hurricane Season June 1—Nov 30
Fire Explorers Firematics Competition By: FF Jesus Barrera This year’s annual Firematics Competition was hosted on April 19, 2015, by Coral Springs Fire Explorers. It was attended by 13 teams from South Florida and held at the Coral Springs Fire Academy. Our Explorer Competition Team received many compliments regarding their professionalism and sportsmanship throughout the event!
05/01 05/06 05/08 05/14 05/17 05/17 05/21 05/21 05/22 05/23 05/27 05/27 05/30 05/30 05/30 05/31
MAY Neil Duffy Joseph Gandolfo Mark Lacho Norm Engel Jerry O’Brien Jonathan Taylor Pat Lao Jon Vought Dan Rush Chris Burden Tom Carroll Alexandra Kennedy Jon Emmons Mike McBrien Maverick Daughtrey Joseph Lozano
06/01 06/02 06/09 06/11 06/14 06/17 06/19 06/19 06/22 06/23 06/24 06/25
JUNE Tony Armijo Tom Karbowski Ryan Hardy Joseph Salhab Karl Richards Rhett Martin Irena Elmstrom Tory Buckman Joe Majhess Andrea Entus Doug Webb Joseph Vesce
07/04 07/05 07/07 07/08 07/08
JULY Nina Margetis Matt Tupper Ed Cervi Brian Marlen Jason Stout
There were eight events related to Firefighting tasks and EMS skills, which were evaluated based on accuracy of completion and then time for any tiebreakers. Our Explorers who competed were: Team Captain Josh Ghanem, Explorer Chief Tyler Zegers, Drill Instructor Tyler Tupper, Dylan Maggard, Serena Laws and Noah Valdez. This team began practicing three months prior to competition day, and the degree of members’ experience was wideranging, from three members who joined the program just two months ago, to Chief Zegers who has been a competition member for four years! For Team Captain Ghanem, this was his second competition; Explorer Maggard attended last year’s competition only as a spectator in support of the team. The competition results are impressive, given the amount of team experience, and reflect positively on the level of ability and commitment that these future firefighters possess. The competition outcome was based on total points gained per team. Boca finished with a Second Place win overall, against the other 12 teams. Individual event wins were as follows:
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1st – Barrel Push 1st – Hose Deployment 1st – Trauma Scenario 2nd – Hose Roll 3rd – Pittsburg Drill 3rd – First Aid Overall TROPHIES 1st – Coral Springs 2nd – Boca Raton 3rd – Pembroke Pines Firefighters Vought and Barrera lead competition team mentoring, with assistance from the following Firefighters: Francisco Ramirez, David Weaver, Joe Johnson, Robert Parks and Matt Tupper. We appreciate the Department's continuous support, which allows our Explorer Program to thrive!
prior to you beginning treatment. EMS By: John Treanor Division Chief
Paramedic of the Year and Distinguished Service Award Recipients Congratulations to Lieutenant Shannon Frederick for being named the 2015 Paramedic of the Year. I would also like to congratulate Lieutenant Tony Armijo and Firefighter Jack Culligan for receiving the 2015 Distinguished Service Awards. All of these individuals are extremely deserving of these awards, as well as being tremendous assets to the department.
EMS Week Events EMS Week is from May 17th – May 23rd this year. Expect a warm reception at all local hospitals during this week, as they express their appreciation for all that you do. On May 23rd at 11:30 am, Delray Medical Center will be honoring paramedics that received a “Call of the Quarter Award” last year. The 19th Annual "First There First Care" Conference will be held May 20th & May 21st at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Clerical Corner
By Susan Sova Just an FYI pertaining to Travel Voucher Procedures: If you travel for the department and per diem is owed to you upon your return, if the amount is under $49, Finance requests that it is reimbursed out of our petty cash. I will send you an email, asking you to come by to pick up the cash and sign the petty cash slip. Please do so in a timely manner. If the amount is over $49, you will receive a check from Finance. Any questions, you can call me at extension 4026. Thank you.
The EMS Providers of Palm Beach County will be honoring all of them at the end of May. Once the date and location is announced, I will ensure everyone is notified. Opiate Overdose This time last year, I wrote about the use of naloxone auto injectors by the general public. Since then, the State of Florida has been begun the process of creating legislation (CS/HB 751) to allow naloxone to be given by a “family member, friend, or person in a position to have recurring contact with a person at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose.” In addition, the proposed legislation will also allow police officers to administer the medication. If CS/HB 751 is written into law, expect to encounter patients that have received this medication
Training By: Jeffrey Rupp Division Chief
Greetings again from the Training Division! We are almost halfway through another year; hopefully, you have all enjoyed the training thus far. It only gets better from here! Thank you all for the training suggestions. We are working hard to fulfill the training needs of our personnel, as well as the standards set forth by the City, County, State and ISO.
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As a reminder, please be diligent about entering training into Target Solutions. Every member must have 192 hours of company, 18 hours of Facility, and 6 hours of HAZMAT (awareness level) training every year. In addition, every officer must have 12 hours of officer training and every driver must have 12 hours of driver training per year. It is the station officer’s responsibility to enter company, officer and driver training. The “daily activates” do not meet these requirements. The Training Division is responsible for ensuring the other hourly requirements have been satisfied. This month, CPR training will be conducted. Please pay special attention to the video that is presented; hopefully, we will never have to use this technique (thank you FF Salhab for this suggestion). It is imperative that all members complete this training. The State of Florida requires that all EMTs and Paramedics have a current BLS/ CPR card. If you plan to miss, or have missed this training, please be sure to make it up prior to the end of May. We are also planning live fire training and fitness testing in the next couple of months. No need to fear, ACLS is near!! As always, feel free to contact the Training and Safety Division if you have any suggestions for training or safety issues. We are here for you. Until next time, be safe!
Monday, May 25
Fire & Life Safety By: David Woodside Assistant Chief
May Mike LaSalle Warren Cann Brunna Cinotto
24 16 11
June Curt Berryman Carmen Aragona Mike Altamuro Bill Puchalski Thomas Karbowski Kevin Sullivan Mike McBrien Jason Owens Bill Pazanski Robert Batista Steve Betancourt Anthony Davis Brian Glisson John Gonzalez Eric Hanks Anthony Jerina Francisco Ramirez Scott Sieben Joseph Vesce
10 15 13 13 13 13 12 12 11 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
July Tony Armijo Jeff Ross James Smith Loyd Putnam Suzanne Dickens
20 20 20 16 2
FAU Construction Construction has started on another building related to FAU’s medical school. This new building will be constructed between Buildings 43 & 71 on the south side of North University Drive. An access road that would allow the Fire Department to reach the wall-mounted FDC located on the NE corner of the Physical Sciences building (#55), as well as the rear of the other buildings in this area, is blocked due to underground work being conducted to supply water and sewer to the site.
The Mark The Mark at Cityscape received their TCO. As a recap, the Mark is a 12story, 280-unit high-rise building with 18,000 square footage of retail stores on the first floor and a 686-space parking garage. The high-rise will be
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serviced by a 1000 GPM fire pump. The fire pump is located on the block of S.E. 1st Ave. The FA room is located on the southwest area under the breezeway. The best access for FD will be to approach from southwest of Plaza Real. The Knox Box will be located by the fire command room and contain a fob key and a master key for the building. Downtown The New Downtown Hyatt Hotel, located on the southeast corner of Federal Highway and Palmetto Park Road, is just starting to begin foundation work. The hotel will be twelve stories tall, with five floors of parking and seven floors of rooms. On the ground floor will be an 8,000 square foot restaurant space; additionally, the hotel will have some meeting space on part of the second floor. Also under construction downtown is the Palmetto Promenade project. You can see the two cranes in place, and the first two floors well under way. Kast Construction is the General Contractor on both projects. University Park The University Park apartment complex is currently open and leasing under a TCO certificate (temporary certificate of occupancy). As of May 1, 2015, the current occupancy is approximately 100 students. The leasing office has stated they do not anticipate much more growth until the fall college semester opens. For responding units, please note that the occupancy is spread out within the structure but is mainly limited to the 1st and 2nd floors.
Logistics & Support By: Michael A. Gergora Assistant Chief
Hello from the Logistics and Support Division! At this time they do have 24-hour security onsite, both in the leasing office/Gym/Clubhouse area, as well as a roving security officer for the parking lot. While the security gates have been installed, they are not fully operational at this time. The entrance driveway off of NW. 20th Street was designed to allow emergency vehicles to drive straight into the parking area and in front of the building. A Knox key switch to open the security gates is located on the backside of the security call box located at the first security gate. Activation of this Knox switch will open all the gates, once the gates are fully operational. A second emergency access gate is located at the rear of Plum Plaza on the northwest corner of that property where it connects to the southwest corner of the University Park parking lot. A Knox key padlock (red in color) is located on this gate, which is different from our normal red padlocks that are associated with a 2396 key. Fire Inspector Chris Schulz is scheduled to hang up his badge at the end of May. Chris has been with the department more than thirty years, spending the last thirteen years in the Fire and Life Safety Division. Chris has been a valuable asset to the Fire and Life Safety Division and will be truly missed. Please take a moment over the next few weeks to congratulate Chris and wish him a good retirement.
We are pleased to announce that during the month of May, we will be fitting our personnel for the new EMS-style pants and Nomex jumpsuits. The fitting will take place at Fire Support during the week of May 19th -22nd. All personnel will receive two pairs of pants and one jumpsuit, if you have elected to receive one. The new pants will be worn as your frontline pants and the current cotton pants will be your back-up pants. The department will conduct a survey at the end of a 6month evaluation of the new pants, in order to determine if they will become a permanent replacement for the cotton pants. We will be looking for your feedback on color fastness, comfort, and durability. A directive from the Fire Chief will be issued at the time for issuance of the jumpsuits, instructing personnel on when they may be worn while on duty.
The bid for the new SCBA equipment has been completed by our staff and is currently at the Purchasing department for final review. The bid is scheduled to be posted on May 4th and closed at the end of May. Once a vendor has been selected, it will go to City Council for approval in either July or August. We would anticipate delivery of the new equipment within 120 days of the approval.
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Operations By:
ern construction techniques, how they influence traditional tactics and strategies and the hazards they pose to the safety and health of the firefighter.
Glenn Joseph Deputy Chief
The entire document is located at www.nfpa.org/firetactics
Other outstanding Fire Rescue issues: Apparatus: Med 2 repairs have been completed from the fire damage; it was placed back in-service on Friday, May 1st. Equipment: Hose testing has been completed and new hose will be ordered this month. Facilities: Many of the Fire Stations will be receiving new dining room chairs and some office chairs over the next two months.
As always, Be Safe, Be Competent, Be Professional. Rules of Engagement: Tactics that enhance firefighter safety and survival Conduct a size-up: conduct a 360 view of the structure and report fire and smoke conditions to the incident commander.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvements to our equipment, stations, or uniforms; and stop in my office anytime that you are at Fire Administration.
Apply water as soon as possible – from the outside to areas where the fire may have self-vented to cool the environment and slow the chemical reaction – use a narrow fog/solid stream.
Wishing all of you the very best - always!!! Until then Stay Safe and Professional!
Limit ventilation in an enclosed structure fire – limit opening doors and windows or the haphazard breaking of window glass.
Welcome to the World!! Connor James Rubino Born Monday, March 9 to Heather & Robert Rubino Just in time for ...
When you have to operate in a ‘flow path,’ control and cool the gases by applying water until the firefighter reaches the seat of the fire. Limit fire growth and reduce temperatures by closing doors and windows – apply water to the fire as a coordinated attack.
Retired Fire Chief Alan Brunacini and Chief Tom Wood at the Customer Service Seminar on March 15, 2015. A publication of : Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services 6500 Congress Avenue, Ste 200
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2851
Interior attack to begin after conditions inside the structure become safer – improves the speed and effectiveness of the fire attack and the survivability of any trapped occupants and firefighters working inside the structure. These are excerpts from the 2014 Urban Fire Forum position statement on fire behavior and tactical considerations. Company officer and incident commanders must spend time learning the hazards posed by mod-
FATHER’S DAY! Sunday, June 21
