FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE June 2017 32 Lake County Fire Rescue Promotion By Elisha Pappacoda, Public Information Officer Lake County Fire Rescue Firefighter/Paramedic Patryk Lesniewski was promoted to rank of lieutenant. He has been with Lake County for eight years and finished his fire officer series last spring. “Promoting employees to the next level of supervision is always an exciting time for an organization,” said Fire Chief Jim Dickerson. “Lieutenant Lesniewski has the preparation needed to be an effective supervisor. We congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion.” Paramedics Complete the Paramedic Orientation By Janel Vasallo, MPH, Public Information/Education Officer Out of its 151 Emergency Response Personnel, 72 of the Lakeland Fire Department’s (LFD) responders are Firefighter/Paramedics. Five of the department’s firefighters are recent paramedic school graduates and undertook new paramedic orientation throughout March. This training includes 116 hours of didactic, video and scenario-based training, exceeds requirements set forth by the Florida Department of Health’s recertification standards, exceeds Advanced Airway training requirements from the Office of Medical Direction and makes LFD’s Firefighter/Paramedics the highest trained force of emergency responders in Polk County. Of the new hires, one is already certified as a paramedic while the others are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Tampa Fire Rescue Recruit Class 2017-01 By Jason A. Penny, Public Information Officer Tampa Fire Rescue’s newest recruit class who were sworn in on March 24. Front from left: Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Jamaal McRae, Kandi Kuder, Angeles (Angie) Farrulla, Shane Garvey, Jessie Gutierrez, Nicholas Stowers, Fire Chief Tom Forward. Rear from left: Jamison Hinds, Osley Benitez, Daniel Fanti, Jake Elliot, Lenton Meeks, , Ashley Pownall, Michael Plate. Lake County Personnel attend National Fire Academy’s Florida State Weekend By Elisha Pappacoda, Public Information Officer A dozen Lake County Fire Rescue personnel attended the National Fire Academy’s (NFA) Florida State Weekend Training recently, bringing up the division’s attendance rate to far above the national average. The classes, held annually in Emmitsburg, Maryland, offer professional firefighters an opportunity to further their experience and education with instruction from experts, as well as networking with fellow students. Lake County Fire Rescue members studied fire investigation and strategy and tactics for the initial arriving company officer. Thus far, more than 40 Lake County Fire Rescue personnel have attended NFA training. “While the national average for fire departments is less than two percent attendance, Lake County Fire Rescue is now proud to have 19 percent of its staff having attended - an unbelievable accomplishment,” said Fire Chief Jim Dickerson. “As fire chief, I am overwhelmed that Lake County continues to surpass national averages. My goal is to have all members attend at least once in his or her career.” Attendance to the academy is free of charge for students and provides a lifetime of networking with fire service professionals throughout the world. For this reason, Public Safety Director John Jolliff, who is set to retire later this month, has long supported the training for his department. Hillsborough County First Responders Educate on the Dangers of DUIs for Prom Season By Myesha Johnson, Public Education Technician Hillsborough County Fire Rescue teamed up with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Tampa General Hospital to educate students on the dangers of driving under the influence. The Mock DUI is a live reenactment of the aftermath of a crash scene involving a drunk driver. Juniors and Seniors witnessed the field sobriety test and arrest of the drunk driver, vehicle extrications, transport of a critical patient by helicopter, and a deceased passenger from the scene. In total, 3,275 students were educated from Alonso, Brandon and Wharton High Schools. Deputy Chief Receives Chief Fire Officer Designation By Kate Lind Deputy Fire Chief Noble Taylor has been awarded the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation. The Commission on Professional Credentialing bestows this prestigious accolade on those demonstrating exceptional accomplishments in the fire and emergency services profession through their education, leadership and management skills. Deputy Fire Chief Noble Taylor holds a master’s degree in Operations Management and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program. He has been employed with Volusia County Fire Rescue since 2015 and oversees the division’s Support Services team.