Palm Beach County Fire Rescue News

High Rise Structure May 11, 2012

PBCFR was called to a report of a fire at the three story apartments on Gefion Ct at 6:43pm tonight. A neighbor felt heat in their apartment and maintenance found smoke/ fire in the apartment next door calling the fire department. Investigators report that maintenence work was being performed in a unit on the second floor today where the fire originated. The fire spread through the ventilation shaft to the third floor and roof of the building. Preliminary investigation reports this as an accidental fire. The apartment was unoccupied and no injuries were reported to any neighbors. The entire building was evacuated for safety and displaced residents are staying with friends or relatives. The Red Cross has also been called to assist the residents.

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Capt. A. Borroto
Posted on May 15th , 2012.

Nuclear Power Plant Emergency Response Drill

On May 2, 2012 the Palm Beach Regional Hazardous Materials Response Teams, a conglomeration of hazmat teams from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, West Palm Beach Fire Department, Boca Raton and Delray Beach Fire Rescue responded together to John Prince Park for the annual F.E.M.A. nuclear power plant emergency response drill. Palm Beach County is a host county for Martin and Indian River counties, should a catastrophic nuclear incident occur at the St. Lucie power plant.

The goals and objectives for this drill as they pertained to fire rescue and the mitigation of radiological contamination were:

A. Monitor & decontaminate emergency workers and their equipment for external radiological contamination.

B. Identify emergency workers suspected of having internal radioactive contamination for immediate transport to a pre determined hospital.

C. Monitor household pets & service animals for external radioactive contamination.

D. Provide the Risk County evacuee with the means & instructions so that the Risk County evacuee can decontaminate their own animal.

E. Maintain efficient pace of operations by assisting evacuees as necessary so as to expedite the evacuation.

This exercise reinforced radio communication and the ability to patch all agencies to a �common channel�. A unified command structure was built using representatives from all agencies who had an active role in the drill. This exercise was held in preparation of a much larger drill coming up in June.

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Capt. H.Park/ A. Borroto
Posted on May 11th , 2012.

Wildland/Urban Interface Challenges

Station 19 C shift did a wild land QAS May 8, 2012 at the Busch Wildlife facility in Jupiter. Consider the wild land urban interface and the defendable properties should we have a large brush fire. The Busch wildlife sanctuary has many different and potential hazards associated with its surroundings. One section has two three hundred pound Florida Black Bears in an enclosure surrounded by thick over grown brush. Another section has Florida panthers, poisonous snakes and endangered wild life.

Members from station 19 spent time with David Hitzig the executive director of the facility and discussed pre fire plans, hydrant locations, structure triage and hazards on the property. Defendable vs non-defendable properties as they apply to an urban interface was also addressed. All in all both parties walked away from this access survey with a better understanding and initial plan should a fire occur on the property.

What's in your zone that may pose a threat or hazard?

H. Park
Posted on May 9th , 2012.

SUV and Corn Truck Crash in the Glades

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Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 3rd , 2012.

Commercial Stucture Fire on May 1

On Tuesday May 1st 2012 at 2208 hours, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue units responded to a reported commercial structure fire at Brake World located at 1213 N State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. Reports to Dispatch from the Sheriffs Office unit on scene advised an audible alarm with smoke showing. Platform 29 arrived shortly after and reported " heavy smoke from side A & C of a 1 story commercial auto repair facility". Units opened numerous overhead doors to gain access to the fire which was discovered to be a pick up truck inside the building.Quick action by the units on scene prevented the fire from extending to the remainder of the facility.The fire was placed under control in under 30 minutes and the origin being investigated.

Units on Scene: E34, E28, E21. P29. R29. CP2. DC9. BC2. CH2. LA34. IV2 & 6

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A.Werkle
Posted on May 2nd , 2012.

PBCFR celebrates Florida Volunteer Month

Governor Rick Scott proclaimed April 2012 as Florida Volunteer Month supporting the theme of �Viva Volunteers�. This month celebrated volunteers who improve lives and communities across the state. To show support and appreciation for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Community Assistance Team Volunteers a special Appreciation Breakfast was held on April 30^th,2012. It was a small breakfast that gave thanks for their dedication to the team and their hard work on a daily basis. Team members that were unable to attend were; Rick Munroe, Mariya Lapkina, Ron Radwin, Emma Whitney, Dick Greene, Bob Albertson and Jerry Goldman. All team members received a Certificate of Appreciation.

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C.Craig
Posted on May 1st , 2012.

Apartment Fire in Belle Glade

On Monday, April 30, 2012, at a little before 3:00 pm, crews from the 7th Battalion of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to a reported apartment fire in the Covenant Village apartment complex in the northwest section of Belle Glade. Crews from Station 73 arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the front of the first-floor apartment. The fire was quickly extinguished, but not before doing extensive damage to the apartment. The firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to the adjacent apartments.

The two occupants that were home were able to get out safely and no firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

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Cpt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 1st , 2012.

Special Operations Conducts Confined Space Training

Personnel from station 34 "A" shift participated ain a confined space rescue drill at the FPL western power plant. The exercise involved an injured worker deep within a confined space with minimal access. Crew members monitored for any hazardous atmosphere, utilized the confined space gear and built advanced rope systems to facilitate the rescue.

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Cpt. Houston Park
Posted on May 1st , 2012.

PBCFR hosts National Child Passenger Safety Certification Class

14 Students recently attended the 32 hour National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program here at HQ. The students in the class were from Bethesda Hospital and Wellington Hospital, Boca Raton and Boynton Beach Fire Rescue, among those from other Organizations. Bob Smallacombe, Jeff Heinz, and Elyse Brown from BOSS�s Pub Ed Section were Instructors alongside Lead Instructor Kelly Powell from the Palm Beach County Safe Kids Coalition. Upon successful completion of the course and required skills tests, these newly certified Child Passenger Safety Seat Technicians can assist citizens with their car seat installation challenges. If anyone is interested in attending any future Child Passenger Safety Certification Courses, you can call or email any of the Fire Safety Specialists in BOSS�s Public Education Section.

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A.Borroto
Posted on April 30th , 2012.

Battalion One pet mask donation

Mr Greg Watts of Jupiter Farms, donated 7 pet oxygen mask kits to Battalion 1 today.

He saw the news story and gave one for each station in the north county area.

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M. Wells
Posted on April 30th , 2012.

Accident Interstate 95 April 25

On Wednesday April 25, 2012 units from PBCFR responded to a MVA on Interstate 95. On arrival they found a multiple vehicle accident with one patient still inside a car. Crews utilized extrication tools to safely remove the patient from the vehicle. Two patients were transported to local hospitals, one being transported by helicopter.

Units on the incident included: E93, R93, R91, E35, CP3, DC3, TH2

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A. Borroto/K. Rao/ T. Ding(FDOT)
Posted on April 30th , 2012.

Baby Born in a Ford Expedition

Last Saturday, 4/21, as a mother was driving her pregnant daughter to the hospital , things went a little quicker than planned. The baby started to deliver as they reached the intersection of Seminole Pratt and SR80 and they immediatly pulled over. Our dispatcher, Lanard Hunt, talked the mother and daughter through a very excited few minutes and made sure the baby was ok and was kept warm as Rescue 21 rushed to the scene. Today, Channel 25 interviewed our crew, the mother, grandmother and their new favorite person, Dispatcher Lanard Hunt. The story is scheduled to air, April 27, on Fox 29 and on Channel 5 News.
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D DeLucia
Posted on April 27th , 2012.

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Recognizes Fire Rescue Employees for Years of Service

Pictured are some of the 90 Fire Rescue personnel who were recognized by the Board of County Commissioners for achieving 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service with the County on April 24, 2012.

From left to right

Deputy Chief James St. Pierre, District Chief Sam Eaton, Driver Operator Alfredo Cusell, Captain Steve Collins, District Chief Michael Amelung, Fire Chief Steve Jerauld, Battalion chief Mike Wells, Captain Steen Eriksson, Inspector Jamie Love, Captain Robert Eastberg, District Captain Craig Prusansky, Battalion Chief Mark Anderson

The strength of our Department is our people. The personnel who were recognized have served our community for a combined total of almost 2400 years! That is a reason to be proud, and that is part of the reason we provide such excellent service to the community.

Congratulations to all of those who were recognized.

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A. Borroto
Posted on April 26th , 2012.

Bosque Lane Fire April 23, 2012

Units from stations 33, 36, 34, 29, Distrist Captain 9 and District Chief 10 were called to a residential structure fire in suburban West Palm Beach at 11:58pm. First arriving crews reported fire from the the front of the building and heavy smoke from both the first and second floors. An aggressive fire attack had the fire under control and all four units in the quadriplex checked and cleared within twenty minutes. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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A. Borroto
Posted on April 24th , 2012.

Commercial Structure Fire 821 North Military Trail

On Thursday April 19^th 2012 dispatch received a call at 22:01 hours for smoke coming from the roof of a business at 821 N. Military Trail. District Captain 10 was in the vicinity and reported "Smoke Showing" from a clothing store. A supply line was stretched across Military Trail requiring the road to be closed in both directions. Multiple hand lines were deployed to control the fire and extensive overhaul was required. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Units on Scene: Engines 33 24 23 39 34 31 36 93 & 20 Rescues 24 34 29 39 & RP81

Platform 29/ DC 10 3 & 9 / BC 3 / Capt 10 & 9/ SO34/ Chief 2/ OPS 1/ IV 2 3 & 4

LA34 S930 AT4

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A.Borroto/A. Werkle/J. Ferguson
Posted on April 23rd , 2012.

Battalion One Structure Fire

Battalion One units responding to a structure fire on Thursday April 12, 2012, found heavy smoke and flames coming from a second story condo.

The crews did an excellent job getting water on the fire within three minutes and had the main body of fire quickly under control.

The incident commander states at one time the crews had up to six separate smaller fires to extinguish on the roofs due to dry weather and windy conditions.

Thanks to their hard work this fire was extinguished rapidly and there was no damage to surrounding structures.

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A. Borroto/S. Trimble
Posted on April 13th , 2012.

PBCFR Recieves Pet Oxygen Masks

Palm Beach County received a donation of Pet Oxygen Mask Kits from local business All County DKI today. These masks will be placed on the District Captain's vehicles and allow crews to provide oxygen therapy to injured pets.

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A. Borroto
Posted on April 13th , 2012.

Active Shooter Drill in Belle Glade

On Thursday April 5, twenty members of Battalion 7 and three members of Battalion 9 were involved in a training session at West Tech campus. The drill was a simulated active shooter incident on a school campus. Numerous obstacles were thrown in the crew's path including sound and light deprivation, a train blocking access, and, of course, an active shooter. Everyone did a commendable job with diagnosing moulaged student volunteers and evacuating the students from the building. Channel 25 and Channel 5 were both on site to cover the event. Additionally, Glades crews were visited by Deputy Ken Fischer III (son of former DC Ken Fischer) who went over the drill and explained PBSO's strategy if a real event were to occur.
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D DeLucia
Posted on April 9th , 2012.

PBCFR Station 20 Hosts a Dinner

This past February Station 20 A Shift were invited to the Old Wellington Mall by Wellington Councilman Matt Willhite for a special flag presentation. Mr. Neil Taslitz a long time Wellington resident, wanted to present the crew with his father Jack Joseph Taslitz's Navy burial flag. Mr. Taslitz speech included kind words for the crew's compassion and care for his father during his illness. The crew graciously accepted Mr. Taslitz desires and invited Neil along with friend Tom Weinham back to Station 20 in March for dinner. BC Mike Arena arranged to have the flag properly encased and the crew mounted it inside the station where it will remain in memoriam of Jack Joseph Taslitz life. Nice touch Station 20!

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D/C Richard Seamon
Posted on April 3rd , 2012.

PBCFR Annual Awards Ceremony March 31, 2012

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue held its annual awards ceremony on March 31, 2012. This yearly event recognizes employee achievements from the previous year. Employees and their guests were treated to a breakfast served by the Department Chiefs and support staff. The emcee this year was local celebrity Tara Cardosa and everyone in attendance was treated to a great presentation. Congratulations to this year winners!

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Story and Photos by A. Borroto
Posted on April 2nd , 2012.

PBCFR participates in Drinking and Driving demo at Palm Beach Central HS

On Thursday March 29, 2012 Palm Beach County Fire Rescue participated in a pre-prom event at Palm Beach Central High School to reinforce the dangers of drinking and driving. This event was done in partnership with multiple area agencies including the Palm Beach County Sheriff�s office. Units from Station 34 and Station 30 performed a demonstration of what Fire Rescue does on vehicle accidents. Several hundred students watched from the bleachers as crews showed how patients are triaged, extricated, and then transported to a Trauma Center. Thanks to all the crews for doing an excellent job!

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A Borroto
Posted on March 30th , 2012.

Community Assistance Team Completes CPR Training

Congratulations go out to the Community Assistance Team on recently completing CPR training. This team of volunteers perform an invaluable service in the community assisting operation crews when called. The team will now be able to provide an enhanced level of service to the citizens of Palm Beach County when they are on duty.

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Csrrie Craig
Posted on March 30th , 2012.

Lantana Council recognizes DO Sindie Grimes

DO Sindie Grimes (#37 �A�) received a very nice farewell from the Lantana Town Council on Monday, March 26^th. DO Grimes� last day was March 22 when she completed a 26 year career with Lantana Fire-Rescue and P.B.C.F.R. . Town Mayor Dave Stewart nicely summarized Sindie�s accomplishments and contributions to the Town and citizens. Sindie had a chance to give a heartfelt thank you to the Council, the members of P.B.C.F.R., her crew and her family. She received a standing ovation from the capacity crowd. Sindie�s crew and the members of �B� shift along with B/C Mackey, D/C Haubert and DCapt. Springthorpe were privileged to attend the tribute.

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Author: D/C Sam Haubert
Posted on March 27th , 2012.

Single engine plane runs into a yard prior to takeoff

Friday March 23 was a busy day in Palm Beach County for aircraft incidents. This Piper aircraft that veered into the back yard of a home in the Aero Club of Wellington was the second incident of the day. Earlier in the day a County Sheriff's helicoper made a crash landing. Luckily, in both cases, no one was injured. This plane veered off the grass runway for an unknown reason and spilled a quantity of fuel in the homeownwers backyard and pool as it lay upside down. Luckily fire crews were able to spread a blanket of foam over the area before anything ignited. The pilot was treated and released that night.
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D DeLucia
Posted on March 26th , 2012.

Australian and PBCFR Volunteers Establish Sister Stations

The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Volunteer Battalion is proud to have the South Hedland Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service as a sister station. South Hedland is a suburb of Port Hedland in Western Australia. This arrangement became official on March 17 as representatives of each organization exchanged plaques, decals and more. We hope to have a PBCFR Volunteer attend South Hedland 's award dinner next year, and to have them represented at next years awards breakfast at HQ.

Port Hedland is the highest tonnage port in Australia and largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, with a population of approximately 14,000, including the satellite town of South Hedland, 18 km away.

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K Rattey, Vol. Battalion Chief
Posted on March 23rd , 2012.

Australian and PBCFR Volunteers Establish Sister Stations

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K Rattey, Vol. Battalion Chief
Posted on March 23rd , 2012.

Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band meets PBCFR Pipes and Drums

The Dublin Fire Brigade pipe band and our pipe band marched together in the Delray Beach St. Patricks Day parade on March 17. The band is going to Dublin in May to play again with them at the Brigades 150th yr anniversary.

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Jon Ferguson
Posted on March 20th , 2012.

Pipes and Drums represent PBCFR in Port St. Lucie

Members of the Honor Guard, Pipe Band and Engine Co. 31 ( C shift) were in Ft. Pierce for the funeral of Lt. Mark Morrison who passed away on duty . The funeral was on March 9.

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Jon Ferguson
Posted on March 14th , 2012.

Fire Rescue Unites a Victim with his Rescuers

On October 27, 2011, a rescue crew from PBCFR responded to an accidental strangulation. 21 year old, Michael Kochanowsky, who has some neurological and medical issues, somehow got his backpack wrapped around his neck and it became hung up on the doorknob of the front door of the family home. When his parents found him he was unresponsive and pulseless. The mother immediately began CPR and called 911. PBSO Corporal Jeremy Gelfand was the first to arrive on scene and assisted with CPR. By our crew�s arrival, Michael began spontaneous respirations and had a pulse. We had a viable patient.

If it were not for the quick actions of his mother and Deputy Gelfand the outcome could very easily have been different. We reunited the family, Deputy Gelfand and our rescue crew here at Fire Rescue headquarters. Chief Steve Jerauld gave Deputy Gelfand a Certificate of Appreciation for his lifesaving efforts emphasizing the great partnership we have with law enforcement, in this case, PBSO. District Captain Bruce McAdam wrote a letter of appreciation which was given to Corporal Gelfand's supervisor.

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D DeLucia
Posted on March 13th , 2012.

PBC Council of Firefighters donate to Habitat for Humanity

The palm beach county council of firefighters donated 850.00 to habitat for humanity of palm beach county. Jack norris member of 2928 takes a break from work at a lake worth job site to present the check to site supervisor Roland bouchard.

Firefighters from all over palm beach county have supported hfhpbc for many years helping them build over 110 homes for deserving families. They routinely volunteer on the job sites and raise funds for the local affiliate who's mission is to provide decent affordable housing to hard working families who pay for the homes using an interest free 30 year mortgage.

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Jack Norris
Posted on March 8th , 2012.

PBCFR Volunteers Acquire Pet Lifejackets

As part of the lifejacket "Wear It" campaign, the volunteers held a fundraiser to acquire pet lifejackets and O2 masks. The lifejackets will be added to the flood response trailer and used for educational purposes by the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County. In addition, a set will be carried on Marine 970.
The pet 02 masks will be carried on all volunteer apparatus, including M970. The theme of this year's Memorial Day Boating kickoff will be, Pet Safety on the Water.

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Volunteer Battalion Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on March 8th , 2012.

Semi-trailer vs car in the Glades

At 7:25 pm on March 7, 2012, units from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 73 were dispatched to a reported crash in the 31000 block of County Road 880 just east of Belle Glade. The crash involved a car, a semi-trailer cane truck, and a utility truck. The driver of the car was the only injury. The crash resulted in the closure of County Road 880 for over an hour, and is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Crews on scene: Q73, R731, CP7, DC7

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Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 8th , 2012.

Daylight Savings Time begins 3/11/12

Change Batteries in Smoke and CO Alarms This Weekend

Daylight Saving Time begins March 11

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms this weekend for Daylight Saving Time. This year, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 11. Fresh batteries allow smoke and CO alarms to do their jobs saving lives by alerting families of a fire or a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in their homes.

CPSC estimates there was a yearly average of 386,300 residential fires resulting in nearly 2,400 deaths between 2006 and 2008.

Two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes where there are no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. That is why it is important to replace batteries at least once every year and to test your alarms every month to make sure they work. CPSC recommends consumers have smoke alarms on every level of their home, outside bedrooms and inside each bedroom.

CPSC estimates there was an annual average of 183 unintentional non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with consumer products between 2006 and 2008. CO is called the "invisible killer," because it is a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas. Because of this, people may not know they are being poisoned. Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete burning of fuel in various products, including furnaces, portable generators, fireplaces, cars and charcoal grills.

That is why it is important to have working CO alarms in the home, on each level and outside each sleeping area.

DD from the US Fire Administration
Posted on March 8th , 2012.

Jerry Yang, World Series of Poker Champion Visits Fire Rescue

The 2012 Butch Smith Poker Classic is fast approaching! We are only seven weeks out!!

Monday, February 26, Jerry Yang - World Series of Poker Champion, who is playing in our event on April 22nd, came to visit Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. The Training Division welcomed Jerry, escorted by Sam Eaton and John Sluth to observe operational crews at the PBCFR Burn Building participating in a live fire drill. Jerry was given a portable radio to listen to the fire ground communications, and with his camera in hand, proceeded to take it all in. He has been a big supporter of the fire service back in California, but after watching our crews train that day, he left with a much better idea of what firefighting is all about and that hazards that are faced in these emergencies. Jerry took a moment to pose with Chief Jerauld, Chief Beesley, Ricky Grau, Joel Brier, Butch Smith Poker Classic Committee Chair Sam Eaton and Benevolent Fund Chair John Sluth. He also jumped on Platform 29 for a photo opportunity, meeting that crew of firefighters.

Jerry was very excited about his visit and impressed by the level of professionalism that was shown to him that day! Special thanks go out to the Training Division for this opportunity and for the crews that shared their expertise with Jerry!

During his stay in Palm Beach County, Jerry also visited the Quantum House which is one of the benefactors of the Butch Smith Poker Classic. He was very impressed by the operation and the awesome staff there. In fact he was so impressed, he promised and delivered, a portion of his winnings to the Quantum House.

The entire committee is excited and hope that you participate in the event, sponsor a table as a group, donate, or volunteer.

Visit us at: www.allinforfirefighters.com and "LIKE" us on Facebook!
Thank you for your continued support of our efforts!

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Sam Eaton
Posted on March 5th , 2012.

Baattalions 3 and 4 work a commercial structure fire

02/28/12
Battalion 3&4 units were dispatched to fire in a tanning salon at 5500 S. State Road 7 at 11:27 hours. Units were greeted by a medium smoke condition and operating sprinkler system. The fire inside the salon, which was open for business when employees discovered the fire, was contained to 2 tanning rooms. Units on scene used a handline to extinguish the remaining fire. The incident is being investigated.

Units on scene: E48 E32 E30/ R32 R46/ Q47/ CP9 DC4 BC4

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A. Werkle
Posted on March 5th , 2012.

PBCFR competes in a charity kickball tournament

This past weekend, February 18th, our very own kickball team competed in a charity kickball tournament put on by PBSO and hosted by John I Leonard HS. Numerous games were played including one against a celebrity team made up of personnel from Channel 25, 5, the Palm Beach Post and ESPN. Two major things were accomplished. The tournament raised over $2000 for the American Cancer Society and PBCFR soundly defeated the main PBSO team 1-0. A good time was had by all.

D DeLucia
Posted on February 23rd , 2012.

Volunteer Division is selling a new Challenge Coin

PBCFR Volunteers now have a Challenge Coin

The PBCFR Volunteer Battalion now has its first official challenge coin. The 1.75" coin highlights both the Battalion and the Volunteer's 501(c)3 Charitable Association. If you are interested in obtaining a coin please email krattey@pbcgov.org

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Kevin Rattey, Vol. Battalion Chief
Posted on February 22nd , 2012.

Large HazMat/WMD Drill at the Port of Palm Beach

Multiple Federal, State and local agencies participated in a HazMat/WMD drill at the Port of Palm Beach which began Tuesday February 21. This multiple day exercise was put together to test the ability of these multiple agencies to work together as a team and test the communications necessary to make it work. The Port is required to run drills every 18 months. Events took place both on land, shipboard and in the water.
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D DeLucia/Photos by Mike Jachles Chair of the RDSTF PIO Group
Posted on February 22nd , 2012.

Battalion 5 works a serious accident

Sunday afternoon on Feb. 12th, crews from Battalion 5 responded to an MVA w/ injuries near Yamato Road and 441 in Boca Raton. Just east of the intersection, E54 & R54 found a 2 car MVA with moderate to heavy damage. DC5, CP5 and R53 was called in for assistance. The gold vehicle made an illegal u-turn and drove into the path of another vehicle headed west bound. The T-bone impact sent the gold vehicle across the median and back to the other side of the road where it came from. The intrusion was at least 24 inches into the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver was "trauma alerted" by ground to the south county trauma center, Delray Community Hospital. The family of 3 in the white vehicle sustained minor injuries and avoided serious injury because of their seat belts. The crash is under investigation by PBSO.

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Story and pics by Lt. Tony Faso 5/C
Posted on February 15th , 2012.

Station 55 Works a Car vs. Tree

On Sunday , Feb. 12, at approximately 1531hrs, Batt 5 units responded to a reported MVA with heavy damage for the second time. Approximately 2 hours before E54, R54, R53, Cpt5, and DC5 ran a T-bone MVA in 54's area resulting in 4 pt's with 1 T/A by ground to DCH. This time it was 55's zone: E55, R55, Cpt5, and DC5. 55 units arrived to find a new Dodge Viper wrapped around a tree with severe damage. Remarkably the driver was still conscious. Crews did an outstanding job removing the pt from the wreckage, packaging him up, and transporting him off scene to the Trauma center in less than 10 mins. Great job done by 55 units.

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Louis Valdes
Posted on February 14th , 2012.

Brush Fire in Station 20's area

02/05/12 21:14:59

Station 20's Zone

During the Super Bowl units were dispatched to a report of a structure fire at State Road 80 and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. Additional calls reported a possible brush fire. E20 advised dispatch that a glow and column of smoke was visible from a mile away. Units discovered a large pile of vegetation burning at the location. A violation for illegal burning was issued.

Units assigned: E/R/B 20 E/R/B/T 21 P29 DC2 CP2

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A Werkle
Posted on February 14th , 2012.

End of Campaign Breakfast for Cancer

Today, February 2, was the end of campaign breakfast for "Making Strides for Breast Cancer" PBSO just barely beat us in the collecting competition ($12,000 vs our $9,250). Despite the fact PBSO beat us again, our total collected funds exceeded $21,000. All for a great cause. Our soon to be pink pumper was on display and John Fischer made a grand entrance playing the bagpipes. It was a fun morning and even more fun for some of us that got to wait on tables.
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D DeLucia
Posted on February 2nd , 2012.

Commercial Structure Fire in Belle Glade

BELLE GLADE - On Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at approximately 2:25 pm, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Battalion 7 responded to a report of a structure fire in the 500 block of SW 7th St in Belle Glade. The crews from both Stations 73 and 74 could see the "loom up" of the billowing cloud of smoke from their firehouses.

The initial crews were met by very heavy fire and smoke, along with a collapsed roof. The building was an abandoned Masonic Lodge. It took the crews about 20 minutes to bring the fire under control. No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Investigations Bureau.

Units on scene:
Q73 E73 E74 R73 R731 DC7 CP7 BC7 LA24.

Craig Prusansky, EMT-P, District Captain
Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Battalion 7 A-Shift
Proudly serving "The Glades"

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Craig Prusansky, Capt
Posted on February 1st , 2012.

Media Event held at Station 44

A group of communities in Western Boynton Beach have combined their resources to purchase (5) ruggedized Panasonic hand held tablets that will be representative of the units that will soon be on all PBCFR rescue trucks and engines. (these units are earmarked for the Batt. 4 rescues)We demonstrated, for the first time, the newest technology available in Palm Beach County to provide 911 emergency responders access to patients' complete medical history. The software for these tablets is currently under development internally by our IT department and will soon be field tested. Call information will be able to be downloaded to our servers for report writing as well as for hospitals, the latter for efficient and accurate patient care. A Panasonic H-2 tough book, when loaded with the appropriate medical information software, will change the dynamics of today's medical emergency care.

Note: The communities involved are: Tivoli Lakes, Tivoli Reserve, Palm Isles, Ponte Vecchio and CAB Corp. as 501C3 non-profit group that represents additional communities in Western Boynton Beach.

D DeLucia
Posted on January 30th , 2012.

Habitat for Humanity dedicates another home

Habitat for Humanity home had its dedication ceremony on Friday 1/27. The house, located at 119 N "F" Street now has a happy and proud owner who, himself, put in hours of labor. As Jack Norris, PBCFR Video Manager commented, "members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue worked on this home. It is always a gratifying feeling to see your hard work pay off at a dedication".
(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
John Norris/Don DeLucia Photos by Norris
Posted on January 30th , 2012.

Smoke Alarm Installations Completed at the Cresthaven Development

On Saturday January 28th, the Volunteer Battalion completed the last of the smoke alarm installations at the Cresthaven development.
About 190 alarms were installed that day. Another 250 were installed in November, thus keeping the Volunteer Battalion on track for their target of 1000 alarms installed each year. Volunteers from the Area Agency on Aging were also on hand to talk to the residents about fall prevention and other safety topics.
The Volunteers will be installing alarms at other developments beginning in late February.

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Vol. Batt. Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on January 30th , 2012.

Boca Grove Family Carnival

On behalf of the Boca Grove Family Committee we extend our deepest thank you for PBC Battalion 5's participation in which you helped to make our day extra special. Our community Carnival was a great success and the demos and friendly rescue workers were an absolute fabulous addition to a great day.

We hope to have you here again next year, feel free to mark the date of December 27, 2012 :-) , as your staff's presence was just a super touch to the day's events.

Thank you again and should you offer any community events at the station, like last year's Demo & Expo Day, please let me know and we will be certain to share it with our development.

Thanks again,

Dayna Grober

Social Director

Boca Grove Plantation

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BC David Horowitz
Posted on January 23rd , 2012.

Kitchen Fire in Wellington January 13

Structure Fire approx 1700 hours 01/13/12. White Pine Dr. Wellington. E/R25- E30- E/R27 P29 CP2 DC2 Batt3 One civilian treated for smoke inhalation. Fire contained to kitchen area.

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Arthur Werkle
Posted on January 17th , 2012.

PBCFR Pipes and Drums at Pompano FF Elliott's Funeral

The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Pipe Band and Honor Guard were part of the funeral for FF Bill Elliott. 40-50 uniformed members also were there to honor FF Elliott. E33 and E31 were in the apparatus procession that was 97 trucks long.

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Jon Ferguson
Posted on January 17th , 2012.

Funeral Announcement for Battalion Chief Larry Manley (ret)

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of former Battalion Chief Larry Manley. Chief Manley suffered a heart attack at his home in Dunnellon, Fl on January 7. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

Chief Manley will be cremated and his ashes returned back to Palm Beach County for a memorial service on Saturday January 21 at Palm Beach Memorial Park 3691 Seacrest Bl Lantana, Fl Visitation will be from 11 am until 12 noon.
The memorial service will begin at noon.

Class "A" uniform will be appropriate. Class "B" is acceptable for those who do not have one.

Capt. Bob Eastberg will be acting as the family liaison and can be reached at 561-436-4408 for further information

D DeLucia
Posted on January 13th , 2012.

PBCFR holds a reunion for a rescued driver

A reunion was put together this morning for a 23 year old man who nearly drowned December 11, 2011. Around 4 am that morning an off duty West Palm police officer who was driving home noticed headlights in the canal along B road in Loxahatchee. He called 911 and then found out there was in fact a live victim trapped inside. With the officer's assistance, Station 21 C shift's help and Special Operations 34's equipment, this man's life was saved. Equipment had to be lowered 6 feet down the canal bank to extricate the trapped victim. A dive tank and regulator was given to him to counter the rising water. A lucky man whos family is gratefull to be able to celebrate the New Year with their son. A luncheon was served by station 21's crew afterwards for the family and everyone that All of our local media covered the event.
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D DeLucia
Posted on January 6th , 2012.

Fire Rescue Assists with a Car Seat Installation for Soldier's Son

John Harsch, a Fire Safety Specialist with BOSS was approached by a manager at a local Wal-Mart, who asked about getting assistance with a car seat for his grandson. His son, a single father, is about to be deployed to Afghanistan for a year and the soldier�s 10 month old son is coming to Florida to live with the soldier�s parents for the next year, while he is serving overseas. The manager told Inspector Harsch that his family was on a tight budget and asked if Palm Beach County Fire Rescue had any resources to assist in providing a car seat for the toddler. With a simple phone call to Community Ed Specialist Elyse Weintraub Brown, she was able to provide a new, free child passenger seat from one of our partner organizations. Elyse made a special trip to the manager�s store location to teach him how to install the seat and place the child in the seat properly so his grandson will be riding safely.

Special thanks to John and Elyse for their outstanding customer service and support for our military.

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John Harsch
Posted on January 4th , 2012.

A Book and a Blood Pressure Check

For the past several months PBCFR volunteers have been conducting courtesy blood pressure checks at the Hagen Ranch Library. On the 1st Tuesday of each month, volunteers are at the library from 18:30 - 21:00 and the program has become very popular. Some of the library patrons have become regulars, and we look forward to seeing them every month. The Battalion hopes to expand the program even more in 2012.

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Volunteer Battalion Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on January 4th , 2012.

Car fire in Belle Glade

On Monday, December 26, 2011, at approximately 2:10 pm, units from Palm Beach County Station 73 responded to a car fire in the 900 block of SW Avenue C in Belle Glade. The crews found an SUV with its engine compartment involved in fire. The crew was able to quickly contain the fire, and there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Unit on scene: E73, R73.

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Captain C. Prusansky
Posted on December 27th , 2011.

Station 33 adopted a family for Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Station 33 "B" Shift answered a local call for help. A family in financial distress inquired with LT. Dwyane Foster about getting gifts for her autistic grandson Dillon. His father has been out of work for quite some time and has been hospitalized for the past month. The crew from 33 "B" shift, with assistance from a local business, were able to secure toys for Dillon. On the evening of Christmas Eve, Engine and Rescue 33 showed up to Dillon's home. Decked out in Santa hats they delivered a bicycle along with several gifts, much to the delight of Dillon and his family. It was a rewarding experience for all.

Capt. Craig Dube. Driver Jon Ferguson, LT Dwyane Foster, Firemen Juan Cendejas-Garcia, Bidwell Cranage, Justin Goodrich.

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Jon Ferguson
Posted on December 27th , 2011.

Battalion 7 delivers toys to Panda House for Christmas

BELLE GLADE � The crew from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 73 decided to do their part this year to make things a little brighter for one of the local community programs. Not too long ago, Lt. Juan Batista was talking with the staff at the PANDA House, a community assistance program center for women located in Belle Glade, to inquire as to their needs for this holiday season.

Many of the women at the PANDA House have young children who live there with them. Two years ago, Lt. Batista coordinated a successful toy drive so that the children who lived there could have gifts for Christmas. This year, he wanted to do the same.

Under the direction of Lt. Batista and Battalion Chief Chuck Lupo, the firefighters from Station 73 along with the Command Staff from Battalion 7 (which is the Battalion for Belle Glade and the surrounding area) and the residents from the Belle Isles community in suburban Lake Worth made Christmas gift donations as well as donations of some needed supplies to go to the PANDA House. As a result, 14 women and their children are going to have a much better Christmas this year.

The toys and supplies were delivered 3 days before Christmas, on December 22. While everything was being delivered, the mothers and their children were given a tour of the fire trucks. The residents and staff at the PANDA House were very appreciative of the donations provided to them.

The PANDA residential treatment program focuses on women struggling with drugs or alcohol issues, teaching coping and life skills and helping reintegrate them back into the community. This program provides ongoing chemical abuse or dependency treatment in a supportive and structured living environment. The PANDA House is part of the Oakwood Center of the Palm Beaches.

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky/Photos by B/C Lupo and Capt.Craig Prusansky
Posted on December 27th , 2011.

Firefighters deliver Santa and presents to St. Mary's Children's Hospital

On Friday December 23, the Palm Beach County FOOLS did their 7th annual visit to St. Mary's Children's Hospital delivering a huge quantity of toys to a full house of sick children (70). The Fraternal Order of Leatherheads (FOOLS) group consisted of firefighters primarily from PBCFR and from other area departments. Santa had additional helpers who were wives and children of the firefighters. Approximately 20 children from the hospital were permitted to greet Santa at the entrance of the facility. From there the group went through three floors delivering toys and included the pediatric intensive care unit and the pediatric emergency room. If Santa saw a child, that child was left with a toy. It was a very emotional event and well covered by out local media.
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D DeLucia
Posted on December 27th , 2011.

Santa arrived early in the Glades

Santa arrived early to the Glades. He arrived in fashion showing up to Glades Day School in Quint 73. Santa greeted the kids with lights flashing and siren blaring. The kids were thrilled to see Santa as he handed out candy to all of the elementary students. Santa stayed around to take pictures with the all the classes.

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B/C Chuck Lupo
Posted on December 22nd , 2011.

White powder call outside Wellington Regional Hospital

On Sunday 12/18 at approximately 0900 at Wellington Regional, an employee returned to her vehicle after an overnight shift to find her tires slashed and white powder spread over the vehicle. After analysis by Special Ops the powder was found to be harmless.

Units on scene:
E30 R27 DC9 CP9 E34 R34 SO34

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Delucia/Werkle
Posted on December 21st , 2011.

Fire Rescue helps grant a woman's wish

Today Palm Beach County Fire Rescue had the honor of working with a national organization, Jerry Bloom's Wish of a Lifetime (seniorwish.org), and fullfilled the wish of an 87 year old resident of the Classic of West Palm Beach. Her wish.... a ride on a fire engine. Mrs. Beverly Bennis, a former Eastern Airlines flight attendant, grew up as a little girl in the 30's in a small town in Stow, Ohio. Her father established the town's first volunteer fire department. She vividly remembers riding on an engine with Santa during Christmas holiday parades. Today, Engine 23 delivered Santa to the residence where I escorted Mrs. Bennins from the lobby, past two lines of firefighters, to a waiting Santa at the Engine. Great media coverage of a great story that made all three networks and the Post. From the Senior residence, we took her to two daycare centers where she, dressed as Mrs. Claus, and Santa, gave out candy canes to the kids. Happy Holidays to all.
(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Don DeLucia
Posted on December 21st , 2011.

Toys for Tots Collection Project

Various stations and personnel are pictured assisting with the major process of picking up hundreds of toys and delivering to the Marine receiving point at the Fairgrounds. Captain Anthony Acosta acted as liaison between the Marine Corps and PBCFR again this year.
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Jack Norris
Posted on December 19th , 2011.

Station 20 Hosts an Adopted Family for Christmas

On Saturday December 17, Station 20 put smiles on the faces of Alvaro and Jeremy Nolasko. Alvaro had been a trauma patient of Station 20 A shift when he fell 30 feet from a tree he was trimming. Being out of work and looking forward to a bleak Christmas, Station 20 along with the other Wellington stations collected funds to purchase food and other gift certificates. They also donated a Lark scooter to help with Alvaro's mobility and young Jeremy receved a bicycle and a laptop to help with school work. All of the local TV networks covered the story and the Palm Beach Post sent a reporter and photographer. Good holiday PR.
(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Don D
Posted on December 19th , 2011.

Accident on Indiantown Road

Photo from a traffic accident that occurred on Indiantown west of the Publix earlier today (12/15). A Honda Accord ran into the back of a Heavy Front end loader.
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DeLucia/Renna
Posted on December 15th , 2011.

FIre severly damages Wellington home

On Wednesday December 14 at around 11 am, units responded to a fire at 12024 Old Country Road in Wellington. Flames were seen coming from a rear bedroom and smoke was coming from most of the openings in the home. FIre crews found the source of the fire in the back bedroom. It was intense enough to burn through the roof and damage a good portion of the interior of the home. There were no injuries. A dog was rescued and the crews did a great job getting the fire out while saving a good portion of the structure. Investigators determined the origin of the fire to be an unattended incense candle and was accidental.
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DOn DeLucia/Photos by investigator Summers
Posted on December 15th , 2011.

PBCFR Personnel Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity - Lake Worth build

On Saturday December 10, members of PBCFR turned out once again to combat substandard housing in our community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County. The home they worked on was in the City of Lake Worth.

This is the third team build conducted in this area by our department's personnel over the past 3 months. The mission on this build was to install the hardy plank siding on the south wall of the 3 bedroom, two bath home on S E street.

The team worked most of the day taking only for a short lunch break until the task was finally finished around 2:00 pm. The narrow space between the wall and the neighbor's home made it challenging to move materials in and out of the area while others were installing the siding.

The hard work paid off though when the team took a look at their accomplishment at the end of the day. "Performing finish work is a bit more challenging but the payoff is greater as well", noted Pete Murphy who joined the team mid morning after getting off shift.

By Deputy Chief James St. Pierre

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Deputy Chief James St. Pierre
Posted on December 14th , 2011.

PBCFR Pipes and Drums attend Miami Dade FR Funeral

PBCFR's Pipes and Drums were invited to play at the funeral of Miami Dade Lt. Michael Falco on December 13 in Stuart. Lt. Falco had been assigned to station #32 in North Miami Beach. A memorial fund has been established in his name at Wells Fargo Bank in Stuart. Our thought and prayers to his family.
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D/O Jon Ferguson
Posted on December 14th , 2011.

Wreaths Across America Event held at the VA Cemetary

On Saturday, Dec 10, members of the pipes and drums and Engine 33 were at the South Florida National Cemetery to participate in Wreaths Across America. 1600 holiday wreaths were layed on the graves of the fallen. In 2010, Wreaths Across America and the national network of volunteers laid over 220,000 memorial wreaths at 545 locations in the United States and beyond.

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Jon Ferguson
Posted on December 12th , 2011.

Jimmy Hotchkiss gets the Ax

Body: The crew of station #37 "B" held a farewell dinner for PM Jimmy Hotchkiss on Dec. 9th. Jimmy's last shift was Dec. 12th. Jimmy is leaving Fire-Rescue to pursue academic interests in Astrophysics among other things! He begins a full course-load beginning in January 2012. It was nice to have Jimmy's dad (Jim) and his fiance' Maria Fadiman attend. DVP Lt. Peter Murphy presented Jimmy with the ax from the Local. Members of his crew and the Battalion also presented him with some "funding" that all college students require. He also received a personalized pocket protector - a requisite for all rocket scientists! PM Hotchkiss developed an impressive work record and reputation during his 13 year tenure with P.B.C.F.R. We will certainly miss him and his contribution to our efforts to provide the best service to our community! Jimmy, we know you'll be successful at whatever you do!

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Sam Haubert, DC3 B-Shift
Posted on December 12th , 2011.

Fire in a 30 unit apartment building in Belle Glade

Crews from battalion 7 arrived on a two story apartment fire with occupants evacuating the building by every means. There were reports
that people were jumping from the windows and front porch. On arrival there was heavy black smoke showing from the front door, with
smoke and flames on side �D� . Crews were faced with a number of priorities on arrival and were able to evacuate the fire building and
exposure without anyone getting injured. There are 15 one room apartments on each floor and all were dead bolted shut. Crews had to
force entry into 29 units. The fire apartment door was left open when the occupants evacuated. The fire was mainly held to the room of origin,
with some extension into the apartment above. There was heavy smoke damage to the first floor apartments with limited smoke damage
to the second floor. Fire Rescue, PBSO, Red Cross, City officials and the building owner assisted with the relocation of over 60 people.

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Battalion Chief Lupo
Posted on December 12th , 2011.

PBCFR Puts on a South County Emergency Services Seminar

On Wednesday December 7, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue along with the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations, presented an Emergency Services Seminar. People from numerous communities in Western Delray Beach attended and were treated to a number of sites and sounds. Emergencey equipment and trucks were on display inside and outside the South County Civic Center. A number of demonstrations were put on by Fire Rescue including a crew putting out a fire on stage, a simulated cardiac arrest, a presentation about the CAT team, and others. It was well attended and well received.
(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Don DeLucia
Posted on December 8th , 2011.

Battalion 4 talks to young students

During a recent English/Spanish Pub-Ed presentation at Hagen Road Elementary personnel from stations 41 and 47 along with Elyse Brown provided students with an up close look at Firefighting as a profession!
(left to right, FF/PM Ryan Gornall and D/O Jason Cohen Q-47).

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Anthony Tozzi
Posted on December 7th , 2011.

Captain Dennis Peek Retires

For the first time ever, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue held a formal retirement ceremony for one of its Captains, Dennis Peek. Dennis has been a member of the Fire Rescue family for 31+ years. During that time he served on the Trauma Hawk as a flight medic, worked as a training officer instructing new recruits then became a shift station officer at station 33. Captain Peek was also a Sgt. Major in the Army Special Forces. News media was on hand to cover today's event. We all wish Dennis good health and good times in retirement. There are plans to make this type of ceremony an option for outgoing department officers.

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Don DeLucia
Posted on December 1st , 2011.

Two Fire Rescue Employees Receive Golden Palm Award

Two Palm Beach County Fire Rescue employees were some of the recipients of this year's Golden Palm Awards. Bonnie Stein, our Fiscal Analyst III, received recognition for saving the Department (and the County) thousands of dollars this past year. She and her department determined a vendor had billed us incorrectly and some programs were streamlined saving valuable hours of work. Anna Stewart, the Drowning Prevention Coalition Manager, was recognized for the many innovative programs that were developed to educate the citizens of Palm Beach County on how to prevent drowning. She also has partnered with the Volunteer Division to promote water safety. Congratulations to both for their outstanding work.

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Don DeLucia
Posted on November 29th , 2011.

Carbon monoxide detectors save lives

When you find out two families had a carbon monoxide incident within two week of one another and you also find out they both were saved by carbon monoxide alarms, that's a story you want to get out to the public. All three local television stations and the Palm Beach Post interviewed the two families who stated they were grateful to be alive thanks to their CO detectors (purchased after neighbors died from carbon monoxide poisoning). Both incidents were caused by cars left running in the garage, one of which had a push button ignition.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Don DeLucia
Posted on November 29th , 2011.

New Promotions

Chief Jerauld recently presided over a promotional ceremony that was well attended by friends and families of our new officers. The group consisted of:

District Captain Jody Marlow
Capt. Steve Collins
Capt. Chris Devito
Capt. Eric Feierabend
Capt. Darla Leal
Staff Capt. Patrick Thume
Lt. Chris Berry
Lt. John Cruise
Lt. Michael Garcia
Lt. Chris Gass
Lt. Brian Iannitti
Lt. Michael Okrent
Lt. David Patino
Lt. Juan Saavedra
Lt. Adam Taft

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Don DeLucia
Posted on November 29th , 2011.

Station 35 Hepls a Family for Thanksgiving

Gentlemen please thank all members of your crews for their generous donation and contribution for the Davis family at 6355 Seminole circle. This family was truly a family in need and expressed their sincere appreciation for the kindness and compassion shown by crews at Station 35. Special recognition to RLT Hodges for organizing and spear heading this effort. The family was presented a full turkey dinner with all the fixings and drinks as well as an additional gift card for groceries in the future. Thanks to RLT Vomero the kids also recieved some small gifts as well,hula hoops , bouncing balls ,hair accessories etc.

We are currently exploring options to get them some additional social services help.

Thanks again ,great team effort by all

Happy Holidays
Captain Longencker
PBCFR Station 35 A shift

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Capt. Longencker/RLT Duane Hodges
Posted on November 28th , 2011.

Camp Good Grief

On the weekend of November 11th - 13th, PBCFR members Drew Reyburn, Ken Tamboe, Aaron Turner, & Ada Vought volunteered their weekend to be camp counselors at Camp Good Grief. Camp Good Grief is a bereavement camp for kids, ages 5 - 15. The camp is funded by Hospice by the Sea, Inc. Throughout the weekend the kids participate in various activities to help them through their grief process. Some of these therapeutic activities include music therapy, art therapy, and pet therapy. As camp counselors, we were assigned a group of kids for the weekend. Part of our duties included accompanying the kids to the various activities, meals, and spending fun time with them in the game room. The children that attend this camp have lost loved ones such as parents, siblings, grandparents, and care givers.
This is the second time that our firefighter brothers and sisters have participated in this camp. It is not only a great opportunity for us to give back, but it is a very rewarding experience as well. On the first night, the kids and volunteers were entertained by a magician and a DJ. During the magic show, Ken Tamboe and Aaron Turner were called up on stage to do a skit with a "crazy chicken". There was some really bad acting going on up there�Crying about a crazy chicken, Yelling about a crazy chicken, and dancing with a crazy rubber chicken. Everyone was laughing hysterically�except Ken and Aaron. Then Drew Reyburn was called up on stage to do a skit where he had to hold a "very heavy" invisible rock. Then he threw it�weird! All silliness aside, the weekend that we spend with these kids really makes an impact on them.
If you are interested in volunteering for the next camp, it will be taking place on March 30th, 31st, & April 1st. For those of you that have expressed an interest in volunteering in the past, but were not able to attend the previous camps, please get back with me as soon as possible so I can get you signed up. Remember, there are two background checks that you have to go through, and it takes a little bit of time for them to clear. This upcoming camp I would really like to have a stronger turnout of male volunteers to represent PBCFR. This camp usually seems to have a shortage of male volunteers, this usually means the boys cabins have a lot larger groups, which leads to less individual attention to the children. It's only for two nights. We get to camp on Friday about 3pm and leave on Sunday about 11am. Most of the work is done on Saturday, so it's really like only volunteering for one day!
Aaron Turner
aturner@pbcgov.org
561.301.7309

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Aaron Turner
Posted on November 28th , 2011.

Station 24 receives their prize

Station 24 recently won the"Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" fund collecting competition and their price for winning was a full breakfast cooked at the station. Two representatives from the PBCFR Benevolent Fund, John Sluth and Jack Norris, cooked breakfast for C Shift as promised. The menu included scrambled eggs and ham, sausage, muffins and OJ. The cooking team did an outstanding job and everyone started their day with a full stomach. Special thanks went to Richard Cioffoletti who spearheaded the donation collecting which amounted to over $700.

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D DeLucia
Posted on November 22nd , 2011.

Ed Kranski breaks another record

This past Saturday, November 19th, I competed in the annual "Fight For Air Stair Climb" in dowtown West Palm Beach. The race started on the ground floor of The Phillips Point West Tower and finished on the top floor 444 steps later. It was put on by The American Lung Association, a cause near and dear to me since my aunt passed away from lung cancer 3 years ago and also personal to many of us firefighters with the very recent passing of DO Jim Howard.

Individuals or teams are able to enter this event and raise money for the cause by having donations pledged in their names. You are able to wear street clothes or enter in a separate division in full turn out gear with your SCBA! As you can probably imagine, I chose to race in full gear with my SCBA! I ended up setting a new record of 2:20, which was 8 seconds faster than my winning time last year and over a minute faster than 2nd place 3:23. It is incredibly painful to run these stairs at this rate, but it's nothing compared to what those that suffer from lung disease have to go through.
This event is a great way to show support for victims of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. I was the only competitor from our department. Next November, I will make sure that the word is spread as this event comes around and hopefully gather some more competitors. I hope you can all come out and support this cause! I have attached a link with some more information about the event as well as the winning results.

Captain Ed Kranski

For details of how all the participants placed, go to: http://www.fleetfeetorlando.com/races/fight-for-air-palm-beach/2011/result_2011.html

Ed Kranski
Posted on November 21st , 2011.

South Bay Veteran's Day Parade

Crews from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 74 participated in this year's Veteran's Day Parade held in the City of South Bay. In addition to leading the parade, the crews handed out fire safety items to the parade onlookers.

They were in the spare engine, hence the "73B" on the side.

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Story and photos submitted by District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on November 21st , 2011.

Acreage Fire Festival Pictures

Saturday November 5 was the date of the first annual Acreage Fire Festival. Numerous events took place including an extrication demo, fire sprinkler demo, and a live fire demo. Many pieces of apparatus were on display for the public including the Health Care District's Trauma Hawk helicopter. Hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers were given out along with refreshments and an estimated 2000+ visitors appeared to have a great time. The public relations was invaluable. This joint effort between PBCFR and Local 2928 was a huge success and without question, worth repeating.

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Photos supplied by Tara Cardoso
Posted on November 21st , 2011.

Honor Guard

This past Saturday many PBCFR firefighters joined their brothers and sisters from Tequesta Fire Rescue to raise money for Honor Flight. The Honor Flight Program provides air and ground transportation to Washington DC for WWII veterans to visit the WWII memorial.

The event was the 1st annual Tequesta Fire Rescue Chili cook off. The cook off featured 10 teams from across South Florida who cooked up 5 gallons of chili and paid a 100.00 entry fee for an opportunity to see who makes the best chili. Members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue supported 2 entires.

First prize was 500.00 and more importantly a trophy and bragging rights for one year.
The judges rated Pratt & Whitney fire rescue as the best. The team donated their 500.00 purse back to Honor flight but kept the trophy and were already bragging about next year's competition.

Nevertheless everyone involved felt a sense of accomplishment and came away with a good feeling about the event. After all they were there to give support to the men and women who made great sacrifices so long ago to provide us with all the freedoms we enjoy today. Those WWII veterans who have the opportunity to see the memorial are grateful to those people who make the trips possible - people like our firefighters.

Members from Palm Beach County who participated in the cook off -
Larry Willhite, Bob Smallacombe, Tammy Madison, John Harsch and Jack Norris.

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Story and photos submitted by Jack Norris
Posted on November 21st , 2011.

WWII Vets Return from Washington D.C.

Eighty Four veterans of World War Two spent a day (November 5) with eighty three firefighters in Washington, D.C. as part of the Honor Flight project. They visited the WWII Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial as part of their tour. Seventeen firefighters were from PBCFR. Over $60,000 was raised by Martin County FIre Rescue to cover the cost of the vet's tickets and expenses. Firefighter "guardians" covered their own expenses. Pictures here show the welcome home reception they received at PBIA Saturday evening.
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Story and photos submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on November 9th , 2011.

Honor Flight Story Presented to the Media

A well attended media event was held today at Fire Rescue Headquarters as a precursor to an Honor Flight trip that is occurring this coming weekend (Nov 5). Eighty Four veterans and 83 guardians (escorts) who are all firefighters will be going to Washington D.C. to visit the WWII Memorial as well as the Iwo Jima memorial. Nine of these vets including Chief Jerauld's father attended today's event as well as their firefighter guardians. Of the 83 guardians flying up with the vets, all are firefighters. Seventeen of them work for PBCFR. Martin County Fire held a boot drive and raised over $60,000 to fund the trip. Besides PBCFR firefighters, others are coming from Palm Beach Fire, Miami-Dade County Fire, Stuart Fire, Tequesta Fire and Martin County Fire. All three television networks and the Palm Beach Post attended the event. Good PR for all firefighters and a good honor recognition for our vets.
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Story and photos submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on November 2nd , 2011.

Habitat for Humanity Build

The overnight showers ended just in time for the workday to start. Members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue showed up at the soggy jobsite to install siding on a house being built by Habitat for Humanity. This team build was the second trip back to the address on 119 N F street where many of the same people showed up to put the roof on the 4 bedroom home just a few weeks ago.

"It's good to come back to see what's been done since we were here last." noted Art Barry who spent his Saturday helping to provide affordable to area residents.

The on duty engine crew from station 91 brought out breakfast to the volunteers. They also stayed for awhile to help layout the measurements for the hardy panel siding being put up which went very fast. "The work went so fast because we were working on the ground." Juan Bailey. "And the rain stayed away for most of the day too, that really helped us accomplish our goals." He added.

Habitat for Humanity is building several homes in Lake Worth. No experience is needed to help out just a willingness to help. Call 433 3351 to find out about the many ways you can get involved.

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Story and photos submitted by Jack Norris
Posted on November 2nd , 2011.

PBCFR Airport Medic Receives Recognition

Lamar McThay, FF/PM Battalion 8, received recognition from the City of Deerfield Beach for rendering aid to a 13 yr old girl who was attacked by a pit bull. He and four others were involved is rescuing the young girl from the attack and caring for her until City firefighters and medics arrived. The Sun-Sentinel article tells the story.
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Posted on November 2nd , 2011.

The 2011 "Memorial Trilogy" Completed

PBCFR Honor Guard and Pipe & Drum were in Emmitsburg Maryland on October 16th for the 30th annual National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service to pay tribute to the 72 firefighters killed in the line of duty in 2010. An additional 17 firefighters who died in previous years were also honored.

The number of LODDs differs from that of the IAFF Memorial, due to the criteria used by The United States Fire Administration to determine what is considered line-of-duty. Additionally, the USFA includes volunteer firefighters considering that nearly 80 percent of fire departments in the US are volunteer.

The cooperative effort between Local 2928 and PBCFR Administration provided the opportunity for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to be represented at the three primary memorial services that take place in September and October each year. It is important to do this because we made a collective promise to "Never Forget".

The "Memorial Trilogy" - IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Co., Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Ocala, Fl., and the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Emmitsburg, Md.
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Submitted by Captain Steen Eriksson
Posted on November 2nd , 2011.

West Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Breakfast

The West Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards breakfast on October 20 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. This year, they honored a West Palm Beach Fire Lieutenant for his outstanding service to his department and community and they also honored PBCFR Station 23 for their contributions to the communities they serve. Commissioners Vanna and Burdick praised Chief Jerauld and all the crew members from St. 23 for being this year's award recipients. Guest speaker at the breakfast was former Florida Senator George LeMieux. Representatives were also there from the West Palm Beach Century Village Community. After the breakfast, the on-duty crews put on an extrication demo in the Convention Center parking lot. Channel 12 and Channel 5 covered the event.
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Story and photos submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 25th , 2011.

Read for the Record

On October 6. 2011, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Battalion 7 ("The Glades" -- covering the cities of Belle Glade, Pahokee, South Bay, and the surrounding unincorporated areas) participated in a nationwide reading campaign titled "Read for the Record." These firefighters joined over two million people nationwide as well as other County fire stations in reading the book "Llama llama red pajama" by Anna Dewdney to local school children at several locations throughout the Battalion.

The crews also treated the children to a display of their apparatus and firefighting equipment.

The Read for the Record campaign was started to demand that all children receive the quality early education they deserve.

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Story by District Captain Craig Prusansky; Photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs and District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 20th , 2011.

Station 45/C Extrication Demo

On Wednesday October 5, 2011, crews from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Battalion 4 "C" shift performed an extrication demo in front of hundreds of spectators including teenagers, teachers, administration and other guests at American Heritage School in Delray Beach. The school Home Coming Night was around the corner and that was a perfect time to teach teenagers about the consequences of drinking and driving. The demo involved a 2 car motor vehicle accident by a teenager who was driving under the influence and t-boned another car carrying 4 teenagers. There was a total of 7 patients injured. The passengers sustained severe injuries from the accident and one was a simulated ejection that unfortunately died of their injuries. The cars were donated by a local junk yard and were on display in the middle of the school football field. Students were selected to participate as patients and were painted with bruises and fake blood. District Chief Richard Ellis narrated the incident from start to finish while the crews performed their arrival, size-up, rapid triage, extrication, quick immobilization of patients and simulating transport. A radio TAC channel was broad casted over the stadium speakers to allow the spectators to hear radio transmissions from the fire rescue crews. The spectators were given a surprise with the arrival of the Trauma Hawk that landed on the field to transport patients. When the demo was complete, the field was opened up to allow for the spectators to view the fire department equipment, apparatus, medical gear and a up close tour of the Trauma Hawk. The most common response from many teenagers about the demo was that it was an "eye opener" for them.

Thank you to BC Blake, DC Ellis, CP4 J. Teems, Captain Borroto, Capt Delucia, LZ crew E44, Trauma Hawk flight crew and the Health Care District Staff for supporting this event. A special thanks to Station 45/C Captain Chris Hoch and your crew for the hard work, professionalism, and dedication you demonstrated.
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Story and photos by Lt. Tony Faso
Posted on October 20th , 2011.

Family Fun Day at Roger Dean Stadium

Rescue 16 attended Family Fun Day a Roger Dean stadium.

Crew:
Lt Carlson
PM Morrow
PM Simpson

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Posted on October 17th , 2011.

Florida Firefighter Memorial-Ocala

On Friday, October 7, 2011, the Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial took place on the campus of the Florida State Fire College in Ocala. Florida CFO Jeff Atwater was the keynote speaker.

Members of PBCFR Honor Guard and Pipes and Drum Corps were there to honor and show respect to those who have died in the line of duty. There were no LODD in the 2010 calendar year, but seven firefighters from previous years were memorialized.

An important note to mention is that the services of PBCFR's Video Manager Jack Norris were requested by the Florida State Fire College to record and produce the official video of the ceremony.
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Story submitted by Captain Steen Eriksson
Posted on October 17th , 2011.

American Flag Donated to Fire Rescue

An American flag was recently donated to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue by the Village of Wellington. The flag was delivered by Vice-Mayor Matt Willhite and Special Events Coordinator, Nichole Evangelista of Wellington. This flag was one of four that were draped over the exterior column of the World Trade Center steel that was transported to the Village of Wellington from New York City. The steel is the focal piece of Wellington's Patriot Memorial. The memorial is a tribute to the all the lives lost on 9/11. Chief Steve Jerauld is currently making arrangements to put the flag on display at Fire Rescue Headquarters.
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Story and photos submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 14th , 2011.

Literacy Day

A letter and photos from Elizabeth Lauren:

We had a terrific Literacy Day Thursday! We would like to thank Firefighters from station 55 for coming out to read Llama Llama Red Pajama to our classrooms. We enjoyed seeing the staff and children dressed in red or in their pj�s, it was so much fun! Literacy day was a huge success and we cannot wait until next year!

Please enjoy the photos below and have a great week-

Liz

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Posted on October 14th , 2011.

PBCFR Volunteers Receive Safe Boating Grant

This past summer, the PBCFR Volunteer Battalion received a grant from the National Safe Boating Council to promote safe boating throughout the County. The funds were used to purchase "Wear It" lifejacket stickers, banners and whistles. The stickers and whistles were given out at no charge to boaters throughout the County all summer long.

In addition, funds were used to purchase 70 child and youth size lifejackets. The lifejackets were distributed by the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County to the Marine Industry Education Foundation, Good News Fishing Ministry, Cub Scout Pack #116 and the Jupiter Police Marine Unit.

To further emphasize the need to wear a lifejacket, the volunteer safety boat (Marine 970) was wrapped with the "Wear It" logo and became a floating billboard for safety on the ICW and was seen by thousands over the summer. The "Wear It" campaign will continue next summer and we hope to have an even bigger campaign for May 2012.

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Story and photos submitted by Kevin Rattey
Posted on October 14th , 2011.

Walk to School Day

Crews from station 73 participated in the 7th Bi-annual "Walk to School Day" at Gove Elementary. The event took place on October 5th, from 7:20 to 7:55 a.m. The event was open to the entire student body, their families and community. The emphasis was on encouraging families to walk together for wellness, conservation of our environment.

The Wellness Student Council and participants were an encouragement to our parents, children and community on the importance of a proper regiment of exercise, practicing safety and making the right environmental and nutritional choices. Students were encouraged to dream and dress in a career choice.

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Story and photos submitted by Chuck Lupo
Posted on October 7th , 2011.

PBCFR Represented in New York City for 10th Anniversary of 9/11

Approximately 15 members from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue travelled to New York City for the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks. They joined thousands of other firefighters, police officers, EMT's, and members of the Armed Services from all around the world. There were several remembrance services and activities that our personnel took part in. On Saturday, September 10, 2011, PBCFR was represented in a 9/11 remembrance parade made up mostely of military, police, and fire services. The parade marched through Midtown Manhattan, bagpipes playing along the way. On the evening of September 10th, our very own Capt. John Fischer was invited to play the bagpipes on FDNY fire boat #2 as the boat escorted the Brotherhood Ride Bicycle Team from Staten Island to Manhattan. The bicycle team is made up of approximately 35-40 firefighters who rode their bicycles from Florida to New York. Capt. Fischer led a small bagpipe group in the song Amazing Grace when the fire boat docked at Pier 66 in Manhattan.

On Sunday September 11, 2011 all the members from PBCFR attended a 9/11 remembrance service at River Side Park in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The service, led by ranking members of FDNY, focused on the 343 firefighters that perished at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. Each and every lost member of FDNY was remembered with their name and rank being read aloud followed by a single bell chime. This service was attended by thousands of firefighters, police officers, EMS workers, and civilians. The solemn service lasted 2 hours and brought many to tears.

During the trip, many members took time to visit the Ground Zero site, the new 9/11 Memorial site, and St. Pauls Chapel. On the evening of September 11th the "Tribute in Lights" was turned on. The "Tribute in Lights" are two beams of light that shine into the night sky taking the place of the Twin Towers in the Manhattan skyline. The lights can be seen from all over the city and surrounding areas. The "Tribute in Lights" is only displayed on the night of September 11th each year and it is truly a breath taking site to see in person.
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Story and photos submitted by FF/PM Troy Dichard
Posted on September 30th , 2011.

2011 IAFF Memorial

Members of the Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps represented Palm Beach County Fire Rescue at the 2011 IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial on September 17 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

This year, which was the 25th anniversary of the Memorial, the names of 86 firefighters who died in the line of duty, were added to the black granite wall at the Memorial Park. Fifteen of those were from previous years.

As in past years, the show of respect for the Fallen and their families was tremendous, with 800+ Honor Guard and 400+ Pipes and Drums from across the United States and Canada.

Fortunately, we did not have a LODD to be memorialized this year, but we were there to honor the memory of our PBCFR Fallen whose names are etched in the wall forever.

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Story submitted by Captain Steen Eriksson
Posted on September 29th , 2011.

IAFF Memorial

Hundreds of family members and nearly 900 members of IAFF Honor Guards and Pipe and Drum corps assembled September 17 for the annual memorial service. The service began with the rolling thunder of more than 400 riders with the IAFF Motorcycle Group (IAFF-MG) and the Wind and Fire Motorcycle Club joining a procession of more than 50 fire apparatus. President Schaitberger greeted them all as they proceeded past the memorial site.

At this year's memorial service, the IAFF will add the names of 87 fire fighters from the United States and Canada who died in the line of duty over the past year to the Wall of Honor.

With the addition this year of the names of 87 fire fighters, the Wall of Honor will bear the names of 2,497 fallen fire fighters who have died in the line of duty since 1976.

The IAFF is now completing plans to add the names of 2,742 members who died in the line of duty between 1918 (the founding date of this union) and 1975.

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Story and photos submitted by D/O Jon Ferguson
Posted on September 29th , 2011.

Palm Beach Aggregates Call

On August 10th at about 4 PM R20 and E20 were dispatched to a construction accident at Palm Beach Aggregates. R20 arrived to find a man working on top of the rock crushing machine replacing a large metal grate that had fallen into the rock crushing hopper. The grate had fallen in behind him and was wedged in place. The rock crusher is a system of hoppers, crushers, and strainers. Luckily It was not running during the accident. The patient was on a 75 degree conveyor belt at the bottom of the uppermost hopped and had fallen and slid some distance before being caught by another employee through an access port. R20 assisted holding the patient and it kept him from falling down the belt into the next hopper. When E20 arrived, they established command and evaluated the situation. E20 and R20 were able to attach a rope from above, position a backboard below with assistance from District Captain 2, and lower the patient onto the backboard for extrication through another access port below. Special operations and Platform 29 arrived and were able to move the patient up a conveyor belt using a mechanical advantage system into a position to be picked off by the platform truck and lowered to the ground. R20 then resumed patient care and transported the patient to the trauma hawk. This was a low frequency high risk situation, one of the most difficult we encounter, but in spite of the difficulty the patient was extricated, treated, and transported in a timely manner with no FF injuries. Kudos to the crews involved.

No department photos available. Photos/additional information may be available via local news articles:

(The above links require internet access and may not work from all department computers.)

Story submitted by Jim Clark
Posted on August 22nd , 2011.

Pahokee Fishing Event

On August 9, 2011, crews from Battalion 7; Engine 72 C ( CO Osullivan, DO Bush, PM Fortune), T72 C (DO McCarroll), DC7(Gribble on an exchange), BC7 , DC Burroughs and Lt Slonaker assisted in the Pahokee Vice Mayor Fishing tournament that allowed over 100 children from Pahokee to fish from the Pahokee marina, some for the first time. Everyone of the kids had the chance to catch fish and were assisted by battalion 7 crew members. This was a very successful event for the city of Pahokee and it was a pleasure being part of it, we look forward to being a part of this event in the future.
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Story and photos submitted by Chuck Lupo
Posted on August 15th , 2011.

Pahokee Book Bag Bash

On Saturday, August 6, 2011, crews from station 72 C, DC7 , Captain 7, BC7 and the following off duty personnel (DC Steven Rice, DC Gary Burroughs, District Capt. Ken Sehres, and Capt Edwards) all cooked over 2000 hamburgers and hot dogs for those attending the city of Pahokee Book Bag Bash, in which kids from the community were given book bags and school supplies for the upcoming school year. In addition, the city raffled off several bikes for the kids attending. This event was a huge success and PBCFR involvement was extremely appreciated by the city council and citizens in attendance.
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Story and photos submitted by Chuck Lupo
Posted on August 15th , 2011.

Vehicle Accident at Pike and Belvedere Roads

On Wednesday evening, July 27th 2011, at approximately 6:45pm, Engine and Rescue 34 were dispatched to a traffic accident in the vicinity of Pike and Belvedere Roads. While enroute, the call type was upgraded due to information that occupants were trapped. Special Operations 34, Platform 29, Rescue 29, DC9, DC10, EMS9, BC9, and Trauma Hawk were added to the assignment. Upon arrival, a vehicle was found wrapped against a concrete power pole with a female occupant heavily entrapped. Special Ops crews freed the victim using multiple power tools. The victim was transported by Rescue 29 to the P.B.C. Water Treatment facility at Jog and Belvedere Road's where the City of West Palm Beach Engine 7 secured a landing zone for Trauma Hawk. The patient was flown to St. Mary's Trauma Center.
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Story and photos submitted by Arthur Werkle
Posted on August 1st , 2011.

Aircraft Accident Rescue

A light aircraft landed in Lake Okeechobee yesterday after experiencing engine problems. An instructor and student pilot took off from Pahokee airport around lunchtime and started having engine issues. They attempted to turn around and head back to the airport but couldn't make it. The plane flipped over on contact with the water. Both individuals were able to get out of the plane and stay with the aircraft until our PBCFR airboat brought them to shore. Only one person had minor injuries. Hugo Matos operated the airboat.
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Story and photos submitted by Battalion Chief Chuck Lupo
Posted on August 1st , 2011.

Captain George Springthorpe Receives Invitation

Capt. George Springthorpe recently received an invitation to commencement at University of South Florida from Miss Marie Joy Cimirro who is graduating with a Bachelor's degree in psychology. A nicely written note inside written by Marie's mom read: "George - this is who you delivered on 12/14/88." George related the story of the old Royal Palm days and of the call that he EMT Mickey Ezell (now Capt.) and Lt. Bill Morris (now Capt.) assisted with the delivery of Marie and the care of her mother who required a rapid transport to St. Mary's due to post-delivery complications.

The invitation was certainly a nice surprise not to mention,a powerful reminder of the lasting impact we can have on the people we serve! Congratulations to Captains Springthorpe, Ezell and Morris for their excellent work almost 23 years ago!

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Story and photo submitted by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 28th , 2011.

Volunteer Battalion Receives Donation

This month, the Volunteer Battalion received a generous donation of an emergency rescue skid for their Polaris UTV. The skid was donated by the members of the Community Assistance and Benefit Corp. (CAB Corp.) CAB Corp. is a totally volunteer organization that endeavors to support essential community services in western Palm Beach County, Florida. CAB Corp. provides assistance and raises funds for the benefit of public service organizations such as fire/rescue stations in Palm Beach County Battalion #4.

The rescue skid was custom built for the Polaris and designed for rough terrain and for use in all-weather situations. Made of aluminum, it is rugged and rust proof. This emergency rescue skid unit is designed to install in minutes. The Volunteer Battalion is very grateful to the members of CAB Corp. and is pleased to have this additional resource to support our mission of providing supplemental apparatus and personnel as required by PBCFR.

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Story and photos submitted by Volunteer Battalion Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on July 28th , 2011.

Commissioner Abrams Press Conference

A press conference was held today in Boca Raton at the site of the gas leak that occurred a few weeks ago. The management company and Commissioner Steve Abrams wanted to honor Fire Rescue, PBSO and the building department for their outstanding work and patience on the multi-day incident. On the day of the call, a small fire in the kitchen of Sweet Tomatoes turned out to be a fire fed by leaking propane gas from an old underground 500 gallon tank. It took almost three days for the leak to stop and the tank to be removed.
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Story and photos submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 22nd , 2011.

Multi-Vehicle Crash on Okeechobee Blvd

Last Friday evening around 7:30 (7/8) units responded to a multi-car pile-up on Okeechobee Bl near Vista Parkway. Initially, it appeared they had a mass casualty incident with upwards of six patients. It ended up with only two patients going to the hospital, No trauma alerts were called.
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Story submitted by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO, photos submitted by Battalion Chief Nigel Baker
Posted on July 12th , 2011.

Van Into Condo

Around 11 am on Friday, July July 8th, a gentleman that was backing his van into a parking spot at 3593 Birdie Dr in suburban Lake Worth had a slight accident. His foot slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator, careening the van into the wall of the condo building. It literally smashed into the bathroom of the condo apartment that he hit. Luckily the driver was uninjured and the residents of the wrecked apartment were up North. A large waterflow was eventually stopped and crews on scene began removing throw rugs, elevating furniture and did their best to remove as much water as they could before leaving.
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Story and photos submitted by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 12th , 2011.

Lantana Event

On Saturday, July 2, 2011, the Town of Lantana held their 90th Aniversary Celebration. Station 37 participated by performing a simulated extrication on a junk car. Assisting the crews were two Explorers and one of our Volunteers. E37: Captain Mike Walker, DO Don Whitfield, FF Kevin Killoran, Lt Scott Labadie, FF Lee Bronco, FF David Cooper, Explorers Scott Labadie, Jr and Andrew McCormick, and PBCFR Volunteer Michael McKehan.
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Story and photos submitted by District Chief Billy Schmidt
Posted on July 7th , 2011.

VIP Day at the MDA

On June 22, 2011 Palm Beach County Firefighters stopped by the annual Muscular Dystrophy Accociation summer camp held in western Lake Worth. Both on and off duty personnel provided the kids and their families with a delicious BBQ lunch and brought out a couple fire trucks. The kids, all of whom are afflicted by some form of neuromuscular disease, had the opportunity to spray water from a fire hose, while other firefighters demonstrated some tools and equipment carried on the apparatus.

The week-long summer camp has been a tradition carried on for many years by the MDA. It gives these children the opportunity to do things and participate in activities that they normally would not be able to do because of their disability. They are also able to socialize and network with other kids their own age and with similar situations. To many campers, this is the "highlight of their year!" At camp, the kids are able to participate in numerous activities such as canoeing, horseback riding, swimming, games and contests, and much more!

Thanks to Stations 32 and 48 for spending time with the campers. Also a big thank-you to the following personnel for helping out off duty: Capt. Justin Schainuck and his son, Capt. Jerry Baker (Ret), Lt. Gary Sands, DO Tom Clinger and his daughters, Dispatcher Artie Werkle, and FF Bruce Britt.
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Story by Firefighter/Paramedic Troy Dichard, photos by Brandy Miller - MDA Representative
Posted on June 28th , 2011.

PBCFR helps out with the NFL Football Camp in Pahokee

On June 3 and 4 2011, the crew from Station 72 in Pahokee was asked to help out the City of Pahokee with their NFL High School Player Development Program camp. The camp involved approximately 200 kids, as well as some professional football players from the NFL. The crew from Station 72 was tasked to perform the cooking duties and District Chief Burroughs was asked to say a few words of encouragement to the crowd.

The kids had a great time and the City of Pahokee was grateful for the help.

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Story by District Captain Craig Prusansk, photos by Battalion Chief Chuck Lupo
Posted on June 24th , 2011.

Youth Summit - Tri-City Stars Slam Dunk event in The Glades

PBCFR Station 72 A-Shift in Pahokee was asked to help out at the PBC Youth Summit/Tri-City Stars Slam Dunk event at the Pahokee Recreation Center on June 17, 2011. This event involved 3-on-3 basketball tournaments, as well as presentations about topics such as gang violence, alcohol and drug abuse resistance education, HIV/STD screening and blood pressure checks.

The Station 72 crew and members of PBCFR Explorer Post 655 in The Glades came out to lend a hand. In all, about 50 kids attended. The crew helped out by cooking and serving lunch to everyone that attended this event.

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Story and photos by District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 24th , 2011.

Multi-Vehicle Accident

Station 21 and Special Ops 34 units worked a multi vehicle accident just West of Palms West Hospital the evening of June 8. One patient was a trauma alert to Delray and another patient was taken to Palms West.
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Photos by Artie Werkle
Posted on June 16th , 2011.

Honor Guard/Pipe and Drum Wall in Museum

Honor Guard members Sean Pamplona and Steen Eriksson with the expertise of Jeff Miller, transformed a wall in the museum at HQ for Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum memorabilia. The wall is a work in progress, with more photos and other items to be added. Check it out next time you are at HQ. It is next to the Wellness Center door.
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Story and photos by Captain Steen Eriksson
Posted on April 18th , 2011.

AED for South Bay City Hall

On Friday, April 15, 2011, the City of South Bay received an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for their City Hall. The AED and cabinet was installed by Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Battalion 7, and the crew from Station 74 'A' shift. Shown in the photo from left to right are Public Works Employee Omar Sheppard, Human Resources Director Vicky Del Bosquez-Taylor, City Clerk Virginia K. Walker, Administrative Assistant Jessica Figueroa, District Captain Craig Prusansky, Public Works Employee George Sandiford. A CPR class was also given to the city employees the same day to make sure that they were trained in the use of this device.

An AED is a medical device which is connected to a person who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. This machine is able to automatically detect the heart's rhythm, and if needed, deliver a life-saving electrical shock. It is meant to be used as a lifesaving device by people trained in CPR until the paramedics arrive.

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Story by District Captain Craig Prusansky, photo by Firefighter/Paramedic Matthew Poulin
Posted on April 18th , 2011.

Rollover Crash on US 27 near Lake Harbor

On Saturday, April 9, 2011, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 73 and 74 responded to a reported rollover vehicle crash on US Highway 27 just north of Lake Harbor. Hendry County Sheriff also received the 911 call and sent their units to assist.

Clewiston Fire Department and Hendry County Fire/EMS units arrived on scene first, and began to handle the scene. They found 3 people trapped inside of a pickup truck that had blown a tire and subsequently rolled, but was now upright. The crews from Engine 74 and Rescue 73 arrived shortly afterwards and began to assist the other crews already on scene. Using the "Jaws of Life", all three patients were removed from the vehicle and sent to a local hospital with minor injuries.

This call was an example of the good working relationship that all three agencies have with each other in this area of Palm Beach County.

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Story and photos by District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on April 12th , 2011.

The Great American Cleanup in Pahokee

On Saturday, April 9, 2011, the crew from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 72 helped out the City of Pahokee at "The Great American Cleanup" event held at Martin Luther King park in Pahokee.

Citizens and city officials came to help out with some tree planting, grass mowing, and litter pickup. This was all done in cooperation with "Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc.", Florida's certified non-profit affiliate of "Keep America Beautiful."

The crew from Station 72 was tasked with the cooking duties for the event. They served a crowd of approximately 300 people, all helping to make Pahokee a little bit cleaner.
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Story and photos by District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on April 12th , 2011.

PBCFR Members Volunteer for Camp Good Grief

This past weekend March 4-6, 2011, PBCFR members Aaron Turner, Jason Martino, Dave Collado, Gary Garrett, Ada Vought and Drew Reyburn, volunteered their free time serving as camp counselors for a local bereavement camp for area children between the ages of 5-15. Camp Good Grief is designed to help children who have recently lost a loved one through their grieving process. The camp is organized and funded through Hospice by the Sea and is free to the children in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

Each counselor worked with the children individually and as a group through various activities to help them address their feelings and emotions about their loss. The children that attended the camp had lost either their mother or father and in few cases, both parents. Some lost siblings, a close family member or their caretaker.

As firefighters, on any given day we may witness a child watching us, as we do our best to save the life of one of their family members. After the call is over, we aren't privy to the pain that these children will experience, that is why attending this camp "was a life changing experience," said Lt. Ada Vought. It was an emotional weekend and meeting the children and hearing their stories gives an understanding of what the families struggle with. "It puts everything into perspective really quick," said D/O Jason Martino. Even though the camp is focused on dealing with grief, there were fun activities such as swimming that was meant to give everyone an emotional break. Of course the highlight of the camp was sitting around the campfire eating s'mores and sharing our experiences at camp.

Camp Good Grief is offered twice a year, during the spring and fall. If you have an interest in becoming a future counselor and would like more information about the camp, or you know a child that may benefit from the camp, please contact Aaron Turner D/O 29B.

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Story and photos submitted by Aaron Turner
Posted on March 16th , 2011.

Caluvito Story

On February 25th and 26th Fire Rescue and Home Depot teamed up to provide much needed home improvements to the Caluvito family. By now you are all aware that Nick Caluvito is a disabled FDNY fire fighter who was injured in the line of duty over 30 years ago. He paid the ultimate price for his heroic efforts and has been a quadriplegic for many years. Due to the expense of his round the clock care, home repairs have been at the bottom of their priority list. Home Depot stepped up to the plate and donated everything on our home repair wish list, and went as far to have their management personally volunteer to help with the project.

The home repairs included pressure cleaning from the roof down, removing and installing a new fence, painting the exterior of the home, and painting Nicks room. Lunch on Saturday was provided by the local 2928. The list of volunteers for both days are as follows: Scott and Marilyn Calvis,Phil Williams, Dave Prill,Adrian Castro, Dennis Morel,Cletus Pirtle,Sandra and Mike Boike,John and Daisy Harsch,Chief Jerauld,Jack Norris,Tim Calhoun,John Larkin, retired FF Jim Miller,and Team Home Depot members Ed Mary, AJ Saunders.

A great turn out and good time had by all. I would like to personally thank all those who volunteered not only on these two days but for previous help and visits with Nick. He will be attending the Delray Fire parade and I hope you take the time to stop by and see him.He will be viewing the parade from the porch of the Colony Hotel.
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Story and photos submitted by Jack Norris
Posted on March 10th , 2011.

Station 35 Car Fires

On Sunday February 20, 2011, In between running medical calls and going on move-ups, Engine and Rescue-35 had two vehicle fires. We used the K-12, making a V cut on the hood of these vehicles which gave us quick access to the engine compartment.
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Story and photos submitted by Amado Li
Posted on February 25th , 2011.

Update on Cresthaven Smoke Alarm Installation at Dudley with Media Event

On Saturday February 5, 42 Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Volunteers arrived at the Dudley club house at Cresthaven Condominium. They were there to install smoke alarms ( the newer 10 year life, lithium battery operated type) in the homes of some of the seniors that reside there. By the afternoon they had installed over 500 alarms. This area (at Cresthaven Condominium) was divided into 18 quadrants and teams literally went door to door to do the installations.

We were lucky enough to have Carol and Luis Martinez at that location to promote this program with the media. On January 16th they had a fire in their apt. in the Ashley section. It was late at night and Carol Martinez was asleep on the sofa in the living room. Her husband was taking a shower and heard the smoke alarm sounding. He awakened his wife, saw fire in the back bedroom and both were able to escape with some of their pets. They lost everything and had no insurance. They have since moved and our Fire Rescue Volunteers again installed new smoke alarms in their new residence. Channels 5, 12 and 25 and the Sun Sentinel all covered the event including an interview with the couple.

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Story and photos submitted by Gerri Penney
Posted on February 11th , 2011.

In Service, In Quarters, Charged Lines on the Ground!

Awareness levels of keeping crews in service, in zone and in quarters has never been greater these days. That is exactly what members of Station 47 had in mind over the past 10 1/2 months in designing and implementing a new "Portable Crosslay Hose Cart System"!

The innovative Hose Cart models the exact dimension of a typical apparatus pre-connected hose bed. A project design that has been in the works for years now recently came to fruition in late 2010/early 2011 when an old engine was being moved to surplus. The hose bed of this engine was salvaged by fire rescue fleet service technicians (those guys are amazing!!!!) in order to acquire the raw materials to build the creative training tool.

The cart offers a heightened level of service for the residents of 47's zone in the way both units remain in service during the evolutions. In the past, when a cross-lay was pulled off the Quint it required the aerial to be raised in order to repack the pre-connected 1.75" hose line. With the aerial up, outriggers out, and deployed lines on the ground this usually required that the Quint company would be placed "out of service". Not anymore! The Cross-lay Cart is easily wheeled out from the apparatus bay and can be charged straight off a hydrant, or from Quint 47 directly. It can act as simulated hose off the apparatus or drills can include a relay pump scenario. Other times crews simply focus on hose stretches where the hose cart can be positioned between obstacles like parked cars, building entrances, between the fuel pumps, etc (all available in the front yard of the firehouse). In some of the pics attached the cart was strategically parked so a realistic drill could be performed where members arrived, stepped off the truck in full gear and went to work. Split pulls were practiced and cones were set up for target knockdown once the friction points were managed. While performing evolutions with the Cross-lay Hose Cart system, Q47 was paged out to a call. The crews simply disconnected the supply line and drove away without delay.

The cart features (2) pre-connected 1.75" lines with a gated wye appliance on the supply side. Another 2.5" coupling w/ hydrant valve allows the supply of a 200' pre-connect of 2.5" Blitz attack line (something not available on most Quint apparatus).

A community partnership was established in order to pay for some of the appliances and components of the Cross-lay Hose Cart. Some inline flowmeters and specialty nozzles were also donated to compliment the cart (not all arrived yet). Between the crews' innovative design and the amazing technicians at fire rescue fleet services this project would have never happened without the support of the local residents and our local DC/BC staff!

Station 47 Crews
ABC Shifts

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Story and photos submitted by Doug McGlynn
Posted on February 3rd , 2011.

Extended Extrication on US Hwy 27

On Sunday January 23rd, the 7th Battalion responded to a reported roll-over of a semi-tractor trailer hauling gravel. PBSO reported that the driver was pinned in the cab.

E74 arrived just south of the US Hwy 27/ SR 827 intersection. They reported a large dump truck on its side with the load of gravel across the entire north bound lane. Upon survey of the area and vehicle it was found that the driver was in fact in need of extrication. The Drivers side was down with the dash and steering column applying pressure on the driver's legs. The hydraulic holding tank and the down side diesel saddle tank both had minor leaks.

Based on this information, Q73 was requested. It has the 10,000 psi extrication equipment and the 75' ladder can be raised if additional lights are needed. Due to the potential for an extended extrication, Trauma Hawk was requested. SO34 was sent with the initial alarm.

Members of R73, E74 and Q73, pulled protection lines, assessed the scene, the patient, assembled extrication equipment and began the task of cutting the driver out of his cab. Moss Towing was on scene and apprised of the extrication issues facing the crew. Base on this exchange Moss brought out both a Class C and Class D wrecker. Multiple plans were discussed and initiated to attempt to free the driver's legs. Due to the cab resting on the folded over guard rail, the fact that the cab was not flat but rather cocked at an angle putting additional stress on it and limited points to push or pull, Moss towing personnel were consulted as to what they would recommend and could do with their large class tow trucks. The primary plan developed was to raise the boom above the cab, lower their cable and attach it to the steering column and lift it off the driver allowing us to remove him out the roof that had previously been cut open. This did not accomplish what we expected. After a re-evaluation, E74 was relocated allowing the second tow truck access. Q73 and E34 captains reviewed options and consulted with Donald Moss of Moss Towing. It was decided to make a few more cuts and use the first tow truck to stabilize and lift the cab. The second tow truck was positioned so that its boom would be projected out to a position in front of the cab. This would allow them to get a much better angle on the steering column and dash to again pull it away. A coordinated effort to lift the cab off the guardrail and at the same time pull the dash and steering column towards the front of the cab allowed the driver to be immediately removed out the roof. The Driver was assessed and transferred to the waiting Trauma Hawk crew for transport to the regional trauma center.

A coordinated effort between all parties as well as access to heavy class wreckers made this complicated extrication a success. From arrival of the first Palm Beach County Fire Rescue unit, E74 to extrication of the patient took less than 2 hours.

Units on scene. E74, Q73, R731, TH1, E34, R34, SO34, DC7, EMS7, DC9.

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Story and photos submitted by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on February 2nd , 2011.

House Fire in Belle Glade

On Monday, January 24, 2011, at a little before 8:00 pm, the crew at Station 73 was alerted by people banging on the firehouse door to report a fire a few doors down from the firehouse. The house fire was located in the 500 block of SW 2nd Street in Belle Glade. Upon exiting the firehouse the crews could see fire and smoke coming from the front and side windows of the house. Thanks to the close proximity to the firehouse, the crews were able to rapidly attack the fire and contain most of the damage to front half of the house.

The cause of the fire was found to be accidental and was started by an unattended pot on the stove. The residents had evacuated the house and no one was injured.

Units on scene:
E73, Q73, R73, R731, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by District Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 26th , 2011.

Trailer Fire on US Hwy 27 in Rural Palm Beach County

Just prior to change of shift on Monday, January 17th, units from the 7th Battalion were paged to a reported semi-tractor trailer fire on US Hwy 27, south of South Bay. Units arrived to find flames and smoke showing from the trailer portion. The driver had already disconnected his tractor and moved it from the immediate area. The wheel bearings had fail and overheated causing a fire that extended into the trailer and spread throughout. Due to the location and lack of water an additional engine and tender were requested.

It became apparent early on that this would be a stubborn fire. The
Trailer was refrigerated and heavily insulated. EMS7 (Capt. J. Wasielewski) using his TIC knew the insulation would not allow a true indication of what was happening inside. He reported that his TIC never displayed a temperature above 68 degrees while looking at the exterior even with fire rolling under the roof of the trailer.

The IC, Capt S. Berkowitz (E73) ordered the truck to be cut open with saws. At the same time the piercing nozzle of Q73 was put in service. The coordinated attack was begun but it would take a great deal of time and labor to open the truck this way. Moss Towing had arrived with a large Class D wrecker. Capt. Berkowitz and DC7 (S. Rice) spoke to Moss towing personnel who indicated they had a backhoe parked nearby. Due to the extensive overhaul that would be needed, Donald Moss, owner of Moss towing had the backhoe brought to the scene. Proper use of heavy equipment makes the overhaul process much quicker and a whole lot less labor intensive.

Very shortly after the first grab with the bucket, water was able to be applied directly to what was burning. The trailer was dismantled and the contents spread out on the roadway by the backhoe for final overhaul.

Units on scene- E73, Q73, T72, Batt. Spare Eng (water supply), E74, R73, DC7 and EMS7.

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Story and photos submitted by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on January 26th , 2011.

Habitat for Humanity Team Build Day

A recent Saturday morning found employees from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue assembled for another "team build" effort to support Habitat for Humanity. This time the job site was located in Jupiter. The group spent the morning hours building and erecting the interior stud walls for the 4 bedroom home.

"We actually worked ourselves out of a job thanks to the good turn out.", said Chris Gass, a Paramedic who gave up his Saturday to support Habitat's mission - the construction of decent affordable housing.

Working together the team managed to get all of their work done ahead of schedule which gave them time for some food and refreshments at the nearby home of one of the team members.

The day was bitter sweet though, as this is the final home to be constructed in the Kennedy Estates subdivision. The 27 home parcel of land was given to Habitat for Humanity by the Board of County Commissioners a little over 2 years ago.

"Driving down the street seeing all the homes occupied by the partner families with children playing in the yards brings it home that we're making a real difference"., noted Steve Jerauld, a longtime Habitat volunteer who also happened to be the Fire Chief of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

These team builds are a fun way to spend time with coworkers away from the job. Participants spend time learning things about building a house and learning new things about the people they work with everyday.

The team was comprised of these individuals: Steve Jerauld, Timothy Calhoun, Chris Gass, Jack Norris, John Harsch, Cletus Pirtle, James St. Pierre, John Sherry.

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Story and photos submitted by Jack Norris
Posted on January 11th , 2011.

Truck in Canal in Belle Glade

On Monday, January 3, 2011, at a little before 3:00 pm, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a report of a vehicle in the canal in the northeast section of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a head-on crash of a US Postal Service vehicle and a pickup truck. The pickup truck was in a shallow canal.

After stabilizing the truck, the crews were able to assist the driver of the truck to the canal bank. Both drivers were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E73, Q73, R73, R731, DC7, EMS7.
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Story and photos submitted by Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 6th , 2011.

Christmas at St. Mary's Childrens Hospital

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Posted on December 30th , 2010.

Three Helicopters Crash in One Night

Early in the morning of December 8, 2010, Battalion 7 responded to three separate and unrelated incidents involving helicopters. Some cold temperatures had moved into the area, and the various crop farmers employ the use of helicopters to keep the air moving around the crops, preventing frost from forming. On this particular night, there were multiple helicopters and "cropduster" type fixed-wing aircraft performing this function over the crop fields.

The first incident was called in at about 2:00 am at the Pahokee Airport. A helicopter was reported to have crashed at the airport. Crew arrived to find the helicopter still upright, but the tail rotor had separated from the tail. This helicopter had come to a rest right next to the fuel pumps. Fortunately, the fuel pumps were not damaged and no one was injured.

The second incident was called in at about 5:45 am. The caller reported that a helicopter went down in a corn field just adjacent to the Osceola Sugar Mill east of Pahokee. The crews were brought back to the crash site by the farm staff. The helicopter was heavily damaged but the pilot was not injured.

The third incident was called in at about 7:30 am. The location of the crash was about 2 miles east of Sand Cut (about 18 miles northeast of the Pahokee Airport). The pilot was injured and brought by another helicopter to Pahokee Airport where he was transferred to the care of the paramedics, and eventually brought to the Trauma Center. This helicopter also sustained heavy damage.

The cause of all three of these incidents is being investigated by the FAA and other agencies.

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Story by District Captain Craig Prusansky, photos by District Captains Ken Sehres and Craig Prusansky and Firefighter Paramedic Troy Dichard
Posted on December 15th , 2010.

Habitat for Humanity Build

A cool breeze gently swayed the branches of the stoic cypress that stood over us like an umbrella over sun bathers at the beach. We were gathered for a team build day organized by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Local 2928 to support the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Our mission was to install the roof shingles onto the first home Habitat has ever built in the Glades. After a safety breifing conducted by Donny Kula, the site superintendant, we were working the shingles across the span of the roof like an old fashioned typewriter working a sheet of paper.

Thanks to a good turn out, there were enough of us to work on different sides of the roof at the same time. The on duty crews from Battalion 7 even stopped by to help out with ground clean up as the sound of pneumatic nail guns filled the air. The morning hours passed by quickly as we all worked together eventually reaching the peak of the home's roof just in time for lunch. We all lined up for the Bar-B-Q lunch provided by Local 2928 which was expertly prepared by Hugo Matos. Grilled chicken, baked beans and potato salad gave us the energy we needed to clean up the site and load up the tools for an early but well deserved "quittin" time.

Before leaving I took a look back at the house with its new roof and felt a sence of accomplishment. When we arrived it was just tar paper and tin tabs. By the time we left the roof had a shiny new facade with which to face the elements. This roof would shelter the Hill family for many years to come. It's legacy will be that of protector over the family living under it. The volunteers that helped put the roof over the heads of Hill family will share that legacy.

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Story and photos submitted by Jack Norris
Posted on December 15th , 2010.

Second Annual Achilles Freedom Team Lake Okeechobee BBQ and Airboat Trip

On Friday December 3, 2010, a group of disabled veterans and their families were treated to a BBQ and air boat excursion on Lake Okeechobee near Belle Glade. This second annual event is put on by members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and IAFF Local 2928, and is a way of showing our appreciation toward members of the Armed Forces. The group is a part of the Achilles Freedom Team, in town to compete in the Palm Beach Marathon on December 5th. The Achilles Freedom Team serves adults and children with physical disabilities, enabling opportunities to participate in mainstream athletics, with a focus on marathons nationwide. The Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Vets has a specific focus on racing as rehabilitation for our wounded military, primarily for those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This year, with the help of local air boat operators who volunteered their time, the Vets were given the grand tour of scenic Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding everglades. A few lucky people even had the opportunity to ride on PBCFR's Air Boat 73! They were taken to Kramer Island, near Belle Glade, where a giant tree house is located. During the trip many kept an eye out for wildlife, such as alligators, and that perfect photo opportunity. This was a rare opportunity, since most were from out of state. This event was quoted by one of the Vets to be "the highlight of the trip" and fun and laughs was had by all.

A special Thank-You to the following individuals:
- D/O Hugo Matos and D/O Donnie How for cooking the delicious BBQ!
- Paul Hart and the volunteers air boat operators from Glades area Buggy and Airboat Club!
- Battalilion Chief Mike Arena
- The crew of E73 and AB73 - C Shift
- FF/PM Roy Griffith, Lt. Liz Cusell, Lt. Tim Lewis, Capt. Jennifer Johnson, and many more!

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Story and photos submitted by Troy Dichard, FF/PM
Posted on December 7th , 2010.

Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial

Members of the Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps represented Palm Beach County Fire Rescue in Ocala for the October 2010 Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service. The permanent memorial is situated in the center courtyard on the campus of the Florida State Fire College.

This year, 4 (four) Florida Firefighters were memorialized for Line-of-Duty deaths, and their names were added to the memorial.

This is similar to the ceremonies that take place at the National Fire Academy in Maryland, and at the IAFF Memorial in Colorado Springs

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Story and photos submitted by Captain Steen Eriksson
Posted on December 3rd , 2010.

PBCFR Hosts Critical Incident Training

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue hosted a Critical Incident Training provided by CIT of Palm Beach County to local law enforcement the week of November 1st. Critical Incident Training, or CIT, is a comprehensive training that provides skills, knowledge, and perspective in dealing with critical events involving people with mental illness. Many of our area's law enforcement officers have been through the program and are called CIT officers. Even our own department personnel and Community Assistant Team members have attended the training. At the graduation Chief Jerauld and Chief Deputy Gauger delivered inspirational messages in support of the CIT program and our departmental partnership.
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Story and photos submitted by CAT Coordinator Alicia Kula
Posted on November 24th , 2010.

Battalion 7 Handles Rollover

On November 15th, at 0931hrs Station 73, C-shift along with PBSO responded to 911 calls about a motor vehicle accident north of Rardin Park on SR 715 between Belle Glade and Pahokee on the eastern rim of Lake Okeechobee. The callers said that a single vehicle had rolled over and the driver was trapped inside. Due to the location and initial information, E72 and Trauma Hawk were requested.

The first unit on scene was a PBSO Deputy in a 4 wheel-drive pickup truck. The vehicle involved was off the roadway, on its side and unstable. The Driver was still trapped inside. The Deputies' truck was equipped with a winch, which was immediately attached to the undercarriage of the auto to stabilize it and keep it from rolling down the embankment onto its roof. Since DC7 has the ability to contact PBSO on their channel (interoperability) contact was made to determine the exact location, number and severity of injuries. The deputy advised only one person was trapped inside but is able to talk and answer question. R73, E73 and District 7 were the first FD units to arrive. Command was established and E73 was assigned to stabilize and determined the best way to remove the driver. It was determined that removing the windshield would allow us to remove the driver. R73's assessment of the driver found that the injuries we not life threatening. The driver was still being restrained and hanging by the seatbelt. E72 and the Trauma Hawk were canceled. The Driver was removed and transported to the hospital for further evaluation. Wearing the seatbelt helped keep the patient inside the vehicle and limited the injuries.

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Story and photos submitted by Curtis Rice
Posted on November 17th , 2010.

Gulfstream Goodwill Academy Visits Station 42

Station 42 hosted a station and apparatus tour for the Gulfstream Goodwill Academy in which approximately 35 mentally challenged people visited the fire station. The academy students got to see the day and the life of a firefighter. All participants got a tour of the entire station and all assigned vehicles. The tour ended whith everyone spraying the fire hose. All the students and teachers were thrilled of there experience. Everyone departed with a big smile on there faces.

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Story and photo submitted by Captain James Peterson
Posted on November 17th , 2010.

House Fire on Orange Grove Blvd

PBCFR units in Battalion 2 responded to 11514 Orange Grove Blvd on October 30, 2010 at 0455 hrs to fight a residential structure fire. The crews had a very difficult time with several issues with water supply and water sources. Tenders 14 and 21 had to respond to assist after a draft site to the south could not provide a sufficient amount of water. Subsequently, the structure was a total loss. The family that occupied the structure was not at home at the time of the fire. The fire was determined to be a unspecified malfunction in the air handler unit mounted in the attic. The home was a wood frame 2-story structure with stucco finish.
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Story and photos submitted by Fire Investigator Thomas Fucci
Posted on November 10th , 2010.

Hugo Matos, 2010 Belle Glade Firefighter of the Year

From Battalion Chief Michael Arena's Speech:

Good evening everyone, on behalf of Chief Steve Jerauld it indeed an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to recognize the achievements of one of our top personnel this evening.

This individual is an exceptional and dedicated employee and he has a sincere commitment to the city of Belle Glade, Palm Beach County, the Glades region and the people who live and work here. We are very proud to offer this remarkable firefighter as the 2010 Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce firefighter of the year.

Hugo also worked for the city of Belle Glade fire department for many years and has always done what is in the best interest of the citizens of the community. Hugo is one of those people who continue to work until the job is done. Hugo loves coming to work and doing the best
possible job he can. I have had the pleasure of working with Hugo for nearly 5 years and he is one of the most dedicated employees I have met.

The Belle Glade Fire Department had an extremely valuable asset in Hugo Matos and Palm Beach County Fire rescue is extremely fortunate to have him on our team and more importantly right here in Belle Glade. He has done an tremendous job and we are all extremely excited about awarding Drive Operator Hugo Matos the Firefighter of the year award for 2010.

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Story and photos submitted by Battalion Chief Michael Arena
Posted on November 4th , 2010.

Engine 37 Attends Palm Beach School for Autism Fall Festival

Engine 37 crew attended The Palm Beach School for Autism Fall Festival on October 30 2010. The crew spent the day entertaining the children and parents with Fire Engine tours and spraying fire hoses. The children really enjoyed the fire engine it was definately the big hit of the festival. The crew was Captain Neil Isler, Driver Engineer Joe Crespi and Fire Medic Jimmy Hotchkiss. the crew not only had a great time with kids but they learned quite a bit about the disease of Autism and the effects it can have on these children and there families. One bit of information is worth sharing, alot of these children are drawn to water, anything that vibrates, and spinning things. this information was shared by one of the parents. The parent wanted to let us know that if we ever ran a call with a child of Autism that we could use this information to calm them. Keep this in mind if you ever face a situation where you need to try to calm an autistic child, water dripping from an IV bag or a pen spinning on a table use whatever you can but the principles are water, vibrations and spinning things. I hope that we have the privelage of attending this event in years to come it was a great event and a fun afternoon for all that attended.
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Story and photos submitted by Captain Neil Isler
Posted on November 2nd , 2010.

PBCFR Sweeps Awards

At the 65th Annual Florida Arson Seminar held in Orlando this week, PBCFR Fire Investigators swept 3 awards that were given out. In the photo competition, Fire Investigator Michael Boike won for the Arson fire category and Fire Investigator Pam Summers won for the Accidental fire category. Tom Fucci was the recipient of the 2010 Fire Investigator of the Year award.

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Posted on October 29th , 2010.

PBCFR Fire Fighter Combat Challenge Team Wins 2010 Nationals

The PBCFR Fire Fighter Combat Challenge Team competed in the 2010 National Finals the weekend of Oct. 23rd. The team competed well and were able to win and became the 2010 National Champions. The team also competed in the male tandem event, the co-ed tandem event, as well as the relay event. The team was able to place 3rd and 8th in the male tandem, 5th in the co-ed tandem, but were eliminated in the relay finals. Once again Mackenzie Briggs represented the County well by placing 2nd overall. He is considered one of the fastest competitors in the United States. The team will now compete in the World Finals during the week of Nov. 8th, in Myrtle Beach SC. The female Combat Challenge Team also competed and placed 4th over all in the female relay event. Below is a list of the times the teams ran during the compitions.

Team Event        4 min 37 sec
Mackenzie Briggs  1 min 28 sec
Lee Bronco        1 min 32 sec
Jason Martino     1 min 36 sec
Jacques Aime      1 min 38 sec
Aaron Piering     1 min 48 sec

Male Tandem
Lee Bronco / Mackenzie Briggs   1 min 17 sec  3rd place
Jason Martino / Jacques Aime    1 min 22 sec  8th place

Co-ed Tandem
Mackenzie Briggs / Whitney MacLeod  1 min 37 sec  5th place

Female Relay Event  2 min 20 sec. 4th place
Elizabeth Welsh
Amy Timinski
Trisha Kamalu
Jessica Lawrence
Laura Villers

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Story by Jason Martino
Posted on October 29th , 2010.

AED for Pahokee City Hall

On Tuesday, October 26, 2010, the City of Pahokee received an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for their City Hall. The AED and cabinet was installed by Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Battalion 7, and the crew from Station 72 'A' shift. Shown in the photo from left to right are District Captain Craig Prusansky, Pahokee Human Resources Director Mary Kendall, and Pahokee City Manager Derrek Moore.

An AED is a medical device which is connected to a person who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. This machine is able to automatically detect the heart's rhythm, and if needed, deliver a life-saving electrical shock. It is meant to be used as a lifesaving device by people trained in CPR until the paramedics arrive.
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Story by District Captain Craig Prusansky, photo by Firefighter Paramedic John Karliss
Posted on October 29th , 2010.

Fire House 31 Time Capsule Removal and Station Closing Ceremony

Fire House 31 had a memorable ceremony on Friday (Oct 7). A time capsule that was found in an outside wall, dating back to 1965, was opened in a formal ceremony and the event was closed with a formal station closing ceremony. This was the first time a program of this nature has ever been done at PBCFR. The crews at Station 31 did an outstanding job of putting it together and they may have set the mold for future such ceremonies. Four of the original members of Trail Park Volunteer Fire Department were in attendance and were recognized in front of the estimated 100 attendees.

For those that were wondering - Inside the sealed copper box were:

A 1965 copper penny; numerous newspaper articles: about the previous stations' destruction from a hurricane; about the construction of the new station (at a cost of $32,000); a bible; a roster of members; a group b&w photo of the members; a bingo card signed by volunteers and wives; the lead from the pencil that was used for the drawings of the building; other notes and mementos

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Posted on October 12th , 2010.

Firefighter Combat Challenge Update

The PBCFR Fire Fighter Combat Challenge Team wanted to say thank you to all the members of the department for their continued support and to give a quick update on how the season has been going. Since our last event in West Virginia, the team has been to Elkton Maryland, Tyler Texas and Pittsburg Pennsilvania. Listed below are the results of how the team placed in each event. We also wanted to let everyone know that the members of the FFCC team have been representing the department well. One member, Mackennzie Briggs, has put PBCFR on the map as far as the FFCC is concerned. Mackennzie has finished in 1st place in the individual event three times, 2nd place in the individual 2 times, been part of winning the team event two times, placed 1st in the tandem one time and placed 2nd in the co-ed tandem twice. He also was part of the relay team that won 1st place this past weekend. He has the fastest time ever for PBCFR, fastest ever in the state of Florida, and currently has the fastest time in the United States for the 2010 FFCC season. We salute his efforts and wish him luck at the National event coming up in Oct.. If anyone is interseted in watching the National event and supporting the team, the competition starts on Oct. 22nd and runs through Oct. 24th in Kissimmee Florida. Once again thank you for all the support.

Elkton Maryland = Briggs                              1st place               1 min 28 sec
Tyler Texas = Briggs                                   1st place               1 min 31 sec
                      Peiring                                  Personnal best       1 min 50 sec
Pittsburg PA.= Team Event                          1st place
                       Briggs                                                              1 min 30 sec
                       Bronco                                                             1 min 34 sec
                       Martino                                                            1 min 38 sec
                       Peiring                                                             2 min 03 sec

                       Male Tandem Event

                       Briggs/Bronco                       2nd place              1 min 20 sec
                       Martino/Peiring                     3rd place              1 min 25 sec

                       Co-ed Tandem Event

                       Briggs/Macleod                     2nd place              1 min 39 sec

                       Team Relay Event                 1st place               1 min 17 sec

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Posted on October 7th , 2010.

Annual Tunnel to Tower Race (NYC)

Hello to everyone, hope all is well. I just wanted to pass along that members of PBCFR participated in the annual Tunnel to Towers 5k run in New York. For those of you that may not know about this annual run, let me explain. This run is held in New York City, and it's a run in memory of Stephen Siller, and the rest of the firefighters who were lost on 9/11. Stephen Siller was a member of Squad 1 and had just got off shift. When he heard about the terror attacks, he turned his car around and attempted to get to the towers. He was stopped on the Brooklyn side of the Battery tunnel because the tunnel had been closed by the NYPD. Stephen Siller park his car, put his gear on, and ran approximatley 5k to the towers where he met up with his company and was tragicaly killed. The following year his wife started the run in memory of her husband and the others that were lost on 9/11. The run started out small, with approximatley 2500 participating, and has now grown to over 20,000 participating every year. The money that is generated goes to the Siller "Lets Do Good" Childrens Foundation. This foundation was created to serve the needs of children who have lost one or both of their parents. This is a fantastic event and I encourage everyone to participate next year for the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Not only is it a great cause, It's a lot of fun. There is food and entertainment at the end of race, along with meeting fire fighters from all over the world. You can walk or run in this race, as well as wear bunker gear if you see fit. For more information go to the Stephen Sillers website. Or just google Tunnel to Towers run. Hope to see you there next year.
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Posted on October 7th , 2010.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Receives Child Advocate of the Year Award

Chief Steve Jerauld, on behalf of PBCFR, was the recipient of the 2010 Annual Child Advocate of the Year Award from the Children's Home Society of Florida. A reception was held at their Forest Hill Blvd office Wednesday evening on September 29. Other members of Fire Rescue staff were in attendance in support of the department. Many comments were made by CHS board members and other attendees who were very appreciative of what we do and especially appreciative of our assistance with youth. Mention was made of the recent drop off of a newborn at the Pahokee fire station and our efficiency in the handling of the situation. The trophy from the Children�s Home Society is currently on display in the PBCFR Headquarters lobby.
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Posted on October 4th , 2010.

Chief Southard to Retire October 1st

Chief Michael Southard will be retired as of Friday October 1. His retirement party was held at the Buccaneer Restaurant on Saturday Oct. 25 and a good time was had by all (over 120 guests). Chief Southard has had a long and colorful career and we've included some photos of his retirement party. We wish him well and for continued good health and know he will now have time to enjoy his soon-to-be-built cabin in Georgia.
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Posted on September 30th , 2010.

Drowning in Lake Okeechobee

At about 4:46 pm on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 72 responded to a report of a possible drowning at the Pahokee Marina. When the crews arrived they were told that a gentleman was fishing off of a breakwater, had fallen into the water, and had gone under. Our divers from Station 72 immediately dove in and began searching for the fallen fisherman.

Additional units were called from Station 73 in Belle Glade to assist the divers. After almost 20 minutes of intensive searching, the divers found the gentleman and pulled him up onto a Sheriff's Office boat that was also on scene assisting the crews. Medical care was initiated as the boat rushed him to the dock where additional firefighter/paramedics were waiting.

The gentleman was transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately, in spite of everyone's efforts, he passed away a short time later.

Units on scene: E72 R72 R73 T72 EMS7 DC7

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Story and Photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 22nd , 2010.

MVC in Station 41's Zone

On Thursday September 16 at 12:35 hrs, E41, R41 were dispatched to a MVC on Military Trail, south of Golf Rd. On arrival, E41 found a single vehicle rollover. The vehicle was on it's side, with heavy damage from striking a tree. The driver was trapped inside the vehicle and was being comforted by bystanders. E41 immediately requested Q47 for assistance with stabilizing the vehicle, and R41B to assist with hose operations.

With a hose line in place, the vehicle stabilized, and the patient protected, E41 cut the A, B, and C posts on the passenger side and folded the roof down so that R41 could easily access the patient. The patient was taken by ground to the trauma center at DCH.
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Story and photos by Captain Jeffrey L.Newsome
Posted on September 20th , 2010.

House Fire in Belle Glade

On Friday, September 10, 2010, Battalion Seven crews responded to a residential structure fire on East Canal Street South in the City of Belle Glade with flames and smoke showing on Side A. The call was sent out as a medical initially with R73 getting an update of a fire upon arrival.
R73 along with E73 initiated a fire attack upon their arrival. The crews extinguished the blaze quickly. The fire started in the kitchen and spread to an adjoining room, and into the attic space.

Just a reminder that calls are: �like a box of chocolates � you never know what you�re going to get.�

Primary and secondary searches were done, and the occupants were not at home at the time of the fire. At least one dog was lost in the fire. Investigator M. Boike listed the cause as electrical. There were no further injuries.

Units on scene: E73, R73, R73B, Q73, E74, R74, E20, EMS7, DC7, INV6

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Story and photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs
Posted on September 13th , 2010.

House Fire in South Bay

On September 11, 2010, at approximately 8:27 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue 7th Battalion responded to a report of a house fire on Southeast 4th Avenue in South Bay. First-in units arrived to find heavy fire and smoke coming from the front of a single-story house.

A quick fire attack was initiated and the fire was brought under control in 7 minutes. Crews remained on scene for a little over an hour performing overhaul. No one was injured in the fire.

The fire is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Investigations Bureau and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The fire is being labeled as "suspicious."

Units on scene:
E74, E73, Q73, R73, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV6
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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 13th , 2010.

Bus Crash in the Glades

At approximately 11:43 am on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a report of a bus into a canal in a rural area of The Glades, east of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a bus that has skidded off of the road and into a muddy canal bank, thick with brush. The bus ended up stuck in the mud, listing to one side, with 13 elderly passengers on board unable to get off of the bus.

After stabilizing the bus to one of the fire vehicles, the emergency crews brought out the passengers one by one by sliding them down a backboard over a roof ladder. This worked out exceptionally well as it minimized the strain and effort on the passengers, and some of them even enjoyed the "ride."

Two of the passengers sustained minor injuries in the crash. The crash is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E73, R73, R73B, EMS7

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 10th , 2010.

Bank Fire in Belle Glade

On Monday, August 30, 2010, at 11:14 am crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 were dispatched to a report of a fire in the ceiling at the Wachovia Bank on SW Avenue B in Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find fire in the ceiling above the main lobby, starting to spread quickly in the crawlspace. Thanks to a rapid and aggressive fire attack, the fire was able to be knocked down quickly, minimizing the damage to the bank.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical short in the large light fixture above the lobby floor, igniting the materials around it. No one was injured in the fire.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, R73, R73B, E74, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 1st , 2010.

Structure Fire in Belle Glade

On Friday, July 23, 2010, at approximately 7:00 am crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a reported house fire in the 700 block of SW Avenue C Place in Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a double-wide house trailer with heavy fire and smoke showing. It took the crews 25 minutes to bring the fire under control.

No one was injured during the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

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Story and Photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on August 2nd , 2010.

PBCFR Volunteers Honored for 25 Years of Service

At the July 20 Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board presented a proclamation declaring July as Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Volunteer Battalion Month. This proclamation is in honor of the Volunteer Battalion�s 25 years of service. Accepting the proclamation from Chairman Burt Aaronson are volunteer coordinator Chief Kevin Rattey and Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Jerauld.

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Posted on July 21st , 2010.

Truck Into Box Culvert

On Monday, June 28, 2010, at approximately 11:00 am, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a report of a truck that went into a culvert in a water treatment area under construction near the Broward County line. Units arrived to find a fuel/service truck nose-down into a box culvert under construction. The driver was trapped inside of the truck, unable to move.

Fortunately, the truck had just completed fueling some heavy equipment, so there were no significant leaks. The truck was initially stabilized by the workers using a large front-end loader and some chains. Moss Towing was also on scene and assisted the crews by attaching their wreckers and providing additional stabilization.

The crews were able to free the driver and remove him from the truck. The driver had to be carried down the culvert, and up the side where access could be made. The driver was then airlifted to the trauma center. No one else was injured.

The crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: R74 E73 DC7 EMS7 TH1

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 30th , 2010.

Fire Rescue Employee Participates in Habitat for Humanity Build in Poland

In yet another example of their commitment to Habitat for Humanity one Fire Rescue employee hits the road. For several years many employees of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue have routinely volunteered their time and money to support the local efforts of Habitat for Humanity here in Palm Beach County. With the help of organizations like ours the local Habitat affiliate has built over 100 homes for deserving families. On occasion members of the department participate in Habitat's Global Village program. This program affords volunteers an opportunity to travel abroad visiting foreign lands to support Habitat affiliates in those countries. Here's what happened.

Volcanic ash clouds, severe flooding and looming economic fears weren't enough to stop a team of volunteers from visiting Eastern Europe to support Habitat for Humanity's mission.

16 individuals traveled from across the US to make their way to Gliwice Poland for the 9 day trip. On their first night in the country they visited the partner families to see the houses they are living in now which underscored the need for new adequate housing. In every case a lack of space was apparent. In some cases proper kitchen and bathing facilities were nonexistent.

The team spent 6 days on the job site working on the new dwellings for those families. They painted, plastered, mortared, set block and laid cement walkways on the two story multifamily unit being built there by the local Habitat affiliate. The youngest member of the team was 16 and the oldest was in their 70's. This had been the second, third and fourth trip for some members of the team who said the hard work and feeling of accomplishment of the trips are what brings them back.
The dwelling they worked on sat next to several other finished units which were occupied by Habitat partner families. Their children rode bicycles in front of the homes and their families planted gardens in the modest yards of the units. These images gave the team a sense of the legacy they will leave behind when the unit they worked on will be occupied by the families they met on their first night in Gliwice.

What was most striking about the development was how much different the Habitat units were from housing units across the street that were erected by the Soviet Union during the cold war. Habitat's solution was a carefully constructed simple dwelling that could provide families a home which starkly contrasted the government's rack them, pack them and stack them approach. The pictures tell the whole story.

The highlight of the trip was the farewell dinner. This time it was hosted by the team of volunteers for the same families who had opened their homes and hearts to the team on their first night in the country. An outdoor bar-b-que was held so team members could enjoy the clearing weather and participate in games with the children of the families. The local children were fascinated by the game of baseball and after they got the hang of it some were actually very good at it.

Habitat for Humanity has built over 350,000 homes since it was founded in 1976. Habitat's mission is to eradicate substandard housing from the face of the earth. They do this by using donated goods and materials while using volunteer labor. The families pay for the homes using an interest free 30 year mortgage.

When asked why people would volunteer their time and donate money to build affordable in other countries when there is a need at home some Global Village participants may share this thought on the matter:

"The problem of substandard housing is not an issue that is unique to any particular area of the world. Habitat is facing this challenge on a global scale including the United Sates. If you support the overall mission of Habitat for Humanity then you support their efforts without boundaries, including the boundaries set by governments, religions and cultures. Therefore, the possibility of what can be achieved also has no bounds." - Jack Norris

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Story and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on June 16th , 2010.

Jet Ski Accident on Lake Okeechobee

On May 31st, at 1632hrs, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR) dispatch received a cell phone call from a person who had been riding a jet ski on Lake Okeechobee. The caller said two Jet Skis had crashed and one person was in need of emergency medical care.

While dispatchers continued to get more information, units from station 72 and 73 were dispatched. E72, R72 and T72 responded to the Pahokee Marina. This was believed to be the closest ramp to the accident. Airboat 73, DC7, EMS7, and Rescue 73 also responded. While in route, units were constantly updated. Early on it became apparent that the caller was not familiar with the area.

Immediately prior to the call for help, severe thunderstorms had passed through the region. This was making it difficult for the caller to describe landmarks as the heavy cloud cover blanketed the area. Due to the dangerous conditions created by these thunderstorms, neither the Palm Beach County Sheriff Office (PBSO) helicopter nor the Trauma Hawk could fly to assist with locating the caller.

Based on information provided, the location of the accident and the person in need of emergency medical care could have been anywhere from the area of the Belle Glade marina to well north of the Pahokee Marina. This created a problem as it represents an area of approximately 15 miles of coastline.

Due to the large area to be searched, coordination with PBSO units already on this call would be necessary. Unique to Battalion 7, units in the Glades have PBSO's channel available on their radios. This greatly assists in sharing information with the deputies on the street. DC7 was able to talk directly to PBSO dispatch as well as the units looking for the accident. Initially, the Sheriff's department sent deputies to all the marinas and ramps within the area described by the caller in an attempt to locate the accident scene. This effort did not locate the Jet Skis. At one point, the caller said they could see fishermen on the bank. This information indicated that they may be just south of Pahokee as this was the only area with clearing skies.

With this new information, efforts to locate the caller and injured person were shifted to the area south of Pahokee along the edge of the lake. PBCFR dispatch was able to get a GPS location from the cell phone. They identified the most probable position to be west of the north end of the airport in Pahokee. This information was shared with the Sheriff�s office. Deputy Sheriff Padgett was driving south on the Herbert Hoover Dike, which surrounds Lake Okeechobee. He stopped his patrol car in line with the GPS signal. From his location he was able to see two small objects floating about one mile off shore. As this description and location fit the GPS coordinates, Airboat 73 with DO J. Smith and FF/PM J. Hachet onboard was launched from the Pahokee marina. 11 minutes later Airboat 73 made contact with the caller and a patient. The patient was loaded into Airboat 73 and transported back to the Pahokee Marina. Lt A. Faso and the crew from R72 took over treatment and transported the patient to an area hospital.

Because of the joint efforts of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Palm Beach County Sheriff�s office, the injured Jet Ski driver was located, stabilized and transported back to the marina within 1 hour of receiving the call. Fortunately for these riders, both were wearing their personal flotation device which probably saved a life.

Units on Scene, E72, R72, T72, DC7, EMS7, Airboat 73 and R73, PBSO & FWC.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on June 16th , 2010.

Car vs Dump Truck in Belle Glade

On Friday, May 14, 2010, at 2:33 pm, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a reported car crash just north of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a car that was struck and pushed by a dump truck. The occupants of the car suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital. The driver of the dump truck was not injured.

The crash is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E73B, R73, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 18th , 2010.

Multi-car Accident at Dead Man's Curve

At 2100 hrs. May 4, 2010 R72 came upon a multi-car accident on S.R. 15 at Dead Man's Curve between Pahokee and Belle Glade. Four vehicles were involved with two being heavily damaged on impact. The results were one trauma alert with minor extrication, one BLS patient, and two refusals. The three southbound vehicles involved were Canal Point Elementary School teachers returning from a school trip. PBSO is still investigating the crash.

Units on scene: E72, R72, T72, R73, R74, EMS7, and DC7.
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Story and photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs
Posted on May 7th , 2010.

Pahokee Firefighter of the Year 2010 - Bud McCarroll

Good evening everyone, I know most of you in the room. I am Battalion Chief Michael Arena and on behalf of Chief Steve Jerauld it is indeed an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to recognize the achievements of one of our top personnel this evening.

I have had the pleasure of working with Bud for over 3 years now and he is well respected by his co-workers and his superiors. This individual is an exceptional and dedicated employee and he has a sincere commitment to the city of Pahokee, Palm Beach County, the Glades region and the people who live and work here and he has been on the job here in Pahokee since we consolidated services in 2006.

Many think I pick the FF of the year but to the contrary I defer the selection to the Three District Chiefs who command the 3 shifts in the Glades and this year it was unanimous all three DC's gave me the same nomination! With that can I please ask DC Steve Rice who is here on behalf of DC Curtis Rice who is out of town and Bud�s direct supervisor Capt Tom Paccione to join me at the podium!

Bud is one of those people who continue to work until the job is done. He is a self starter and is constantly taking a class to better his job knowledge and then he brings the information back and shares it with his crews.

Recently we had to update our Air packs. These are the air tanks and breathing regulators we use to go into hazardous areas with smoke and flames during firefighting. The department put on a rigorous 2 week testing process so we could make sure we select the proper air pack for our personnel to use. Of course Bud volunteered and subsequently utilized his knowledge to train the folks at the Pahokee station.

Every year we have to certify and test all of the fire pumps on our apparatus and every year Bud calls me to volunteer before I even ask.

Some of the highlights reflecting back on Bud�s achievements are the coordination of the Easter egg hunt. On his time he solicited donations of 80 pounds candy to put in the plastic eggs through Target and he lead the charge for the fire trucks to drive through the city and hand out Candy to as many kids as they could.

He also took the time to volunteer outside of our community when Orange County Fire Rescue needed some folks to help with their Driver Operator promotional process Bud was there and he was the lead evaluator. I know it is getting late and I could speak for a long time reflecting upon Bud�s achievements and involvement to make his department and community a better place. Additionally, Bud tells me he is going to start preparing himself for competing in the Captain promotional process sometime in the future. And of course it is always extremely difficult to select one person as I feel we have many of our folks who go above and beyond every day in assisting our citizens and visitors in what often is an extremely bad day or traumatic event.

But these are the type of quality folks we have working right here in Pahokee and the Glades and we are extremely proud to award the 2010 Pahokee Chamber of Commerce FF of the year to our very own Driver Operator Bud McCarroll!

Let me tell you the merger of services from Pahokee with Palm Beach County is working and working very well because of people like Bud McCarroll.

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Article by Battalion Chief Mike Arena
Posted on May 4th , 2010.

3-Vehicle Crash in Belle Glade

On Friday, April 23, 2010, at approximately 5:00 pm crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a vehicle crash in downtown Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find 3 vehicles involved. One of the patients was flown to a local trauma center, and another was taken to a local hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
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Story by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky, photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs amd Captain Prusansky
Posted on April 28th , 2010.

Habitat for Humanity Build Day

Members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue participated in a team build day working for Habitat for Humanity. The team met at the Kennedy Estates subdivision on Saturday morning to work on the roof of the Jupiter home. The land the house sits on was donated to Habitat for Humanity by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners who support Habitat�s mission of providing affordable housing to deserving families.

The day began with a safety briefing by habitat superintendants. The team spent much of the morning finishing the installation of the roof trusses. Then they focused on the installation of the fascia so work could begin on the plywood sheeting for the roof. The weather cooperated by providing a steady breeze cooling the team while they worked under clear skies. They also enjoyed lunch at the site that was provided by the Elks club.

Every member of the team found work they could perform. Everyone felt a sense of accomplishment knowing they made a contribution proving the point that no construction experience is necessary. Habitat for Humanity has built over 350,000 houses since it was founded in 1976. The partner families pay for the homes using a 30 year interest free loan and must perform sweat equity labor working on their homes or the homes of other families.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on April 26th , 2010.

House Fire in Station 46's Area

Station 46 responded to a house fire early Wednesday morning, (4/21 at 0124 hrs) and arrived to find a fully involved garage. A quick response and knockdown saved the home itself except for smoke damage and some intrusion in to the home. A BMW and a motorcycle were lost in the garage. The owner was using an electric air compressor with a vacuum to siphon gas from the motorcycle into a five gallon can. The gas overflowed onto the compressor and ignited. The fire was deemed accidental.
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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO; photos by Investigator Pam Summers
Posted on April 22nd , 2010.

House Fire East of Pahokee

On Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at approximately 12:56 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 72 and 73 responded to a report of a house fire just east of the Pahokee city limits. Crews were met by heavy fire and flames coming from the front of the house. It took the crews just under 10 minutes to bring the fire under control. No one was inside of the house at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.

A nest of bees was swarming on one side of the house, but fortunately they did not hamper the firefighting efforts. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

Units on scene: E72, R72, T72, E73, E73B, R73, DC7, EMS7, IV2

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on April 22nd , 2010.

Annual Apparatus and Equipment Familiarization

On April 6, 2010, Station 17B crew, Captain Gerry, DO Bousquet and FF/PM Ryder hosted our yearly Fire Rescue Department apparatus and equipment familiarization with Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue, E63, R63, West Palm Beach Fire Department, E8, SQ6 and PBCFR E17, B17. The crews had a chance to meet again, share new equipment, review equipment, tools and scba's, RIC bags used on respective apparatus..

The crews at Station 17 interact with our neighboring fire rescue departments as part of our automatic aid response on a daily basis. This yearly familiarization is a great way to keep us all updated with new equipment and procedures. Some interesting points to know that WPBFR and PBGFR uses 4" and 5" supply lines with stortz connections, 400' to 500' 21/2 Blitz lines, assortment of equipment extrication equipment, air bags, RIC Bags, K12 saws, and WPBFR has level 2 divers and scuba equipment on each Engine. It was a great experience by our crew to meet our fire rescue neighbors and we encourage other stations to meet your fire rescue department neighbors

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Story and photos by Captain Nick Gerry
Posted on April 6th , 2010.

Easter Extrication in Belle Glade

On Easter Sunday, units from the 7th Battalion, C-shift, responded to a reported motor vehicle accident in the Osceola Center. Upon arrival, two cars were observed in the intersection with moderate damage. Further investigation found that the driver of one of the cars would require extrication to be able to remove her without further injury.

Captain Dan Smith (E73B) had his crew performed a two door swing to accomplish the extrication. EMS7 W. Dillian was assigned to oversee patient care. Lt. Ayala and crew on R73 handled the patient care and monitoring during the extrication process. Units treated and transported a total of four patients to Lakeside Medical Center for further evaluation.

Units on scene; DC7, EMS7, E73B, R73, R74.
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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on April 5th , 2010.

St. Patrick's Day Parade

On Saturday, March 13th, 2010, over 1000 firefighters from all over Florida, the Nation, Canada and Ireland joined ranks performing, displaying and marching in the 42nd Annual Delray Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade.

While Delray Beach Fire has been the fire service representation in this parade for decades, last year members of Palm Beach County Firefighter's Pipe and Drum Corps rallied 19 Florida fire-service agencies and approx 100 firefighters to bolster Delray Fire's marching ranks in the spirit of brotherhood. That was the start of something very special. The cheers from the crowd, numbering around 60,000, were stifling; the appreciation exuberant! This parade captured what many Americans grew up with: an annual home-town cultural gathering of all residents restoring a sense of stability, ownership and pride in their community and their Nation! While 2009 was a notable start, 2010 would prove to be OUTSTANDING!

The event organizers and the Mayor of Delray Beach recognized the crowd's reaction to last year's marching firefighters and a new initiative was proposed: make "Firefighter Appreciation" the new theme for their St Patrick's Day Parade.

This is a list of Impressive Stats on the 2010 parade.

Estimated parade attendees in 2009: 60,000
Estimated parade attendees in 2010: 85,000
Number of fire departments participating in 2009: 19
Number of fire departments participating in 2010: 47
Furthest South: Tavernier, Florida
Furthest North: Ontario, Canada
Furthest East: Dublin, Ireland
Furthest West: Sacramento, California
Number of firefighters participating in 2009: just over 100
Number of firefighters participating in 2010: over 1,000
Number of uniform firefighters that marched and participated: 700 plus
Number of non uniformed firefighters that attended (not marching): 300 plus

While it's a fact that this was the largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in Delray's history, our goal is to transform this parade into the largest ever Fire-Service-Themed Southeastern United States St. Patrick's Day Parade. We can only imagine what 2011 has in store.

The Palm Beach County Firefighter's Pipe and Drum Corps would like to thank everyone that contributed and participated in this year's parade. If you're interested in joining the band, please contact any of the band members. See you at the:

43rd Annual Delray Beach "Firefightin' Irish" St. Patrick's Day Parade

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Story by District Chief Sam Eaton
Posted on March 23rd , 2010.

House Fire in Canal Point

On Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at approximately 2:06 am, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 72 and 73 responded to a report of a house on fire on 3rd Street in Canal Point. Crews arrived to find fire and smoke coming from the rear of the house.

Thanks to the rapid intervention of the firefighting crews, they were able to confine the fire to the room of origin, and in the process a family pet, a bird that has been with the family for many years, was rescued alive. No one was injured in the fire.

The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical in nature, but the exact cause is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

Units on scene: E72, E73, E73B, R72, R73B, T72, DC7, EMS7

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Story by Captain Craig Prusansky, photo by Ed Torres
Posted on March 15th , 2010.

Apartment Fire in Battalion 5 Injures Two

Two people were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation early Tuesday afternoon after their apartment went up in flames. At 1:30pm Engine Company 55 was dispatched to an unknown medical in the vicinity of Remsen Terrace and Somerset Drive in the Kensington Walk Community. As Engine 55 approached the area less than 2 blocks from the firehouse, heavy smoke filled the street leading to the neighborhood. Crews quickly upgraded the call to a working fire and followed the smoke condition to 21943 Remsen Terrace. Engine 55 reported heavy smoke showing from a first floor unit of a 2-story occupied apartment building.

As crews suited up preparing to stretch in, Driver Operator Ed Kilian spotted a semi-conscious female lying in the doorway of the burning apartment. Kilian made the grab carrying the victim to the parking lot in front of the building. He then quickly placed the victim on oxygen and returned the engine to operate the pump panel. Engine 55 made entry under high heat, zero visibility, extinguishing the fire within 10 minutes. A second victim suffered smoke inhalation while attempting to enter the apartment behind firefighters looking for two cats. Both cats were found dead by firefighters searching the apartment. The fire was contained to one apartment and is currently under investigation.

Units on scene included: E55, E53, E51, Q57, R55, R57, R56, EMS5, DC5, BC5, IV5

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Story and photos by Captain Sean Pamplona
Posted on March 15th , 2010.

Special Operatios Reviews Construction Sites

On Monday March 8th (C-Shift) units from Special Operations met with DC's C. Rice and G. Burroughs (DC7) at the construction site of 3 new pump houses being built for the South Florida Water Management District. The new pump houses are located on the east side of US Hwy 27 at MM50, MM56 and the third is 4 miles east of US 27 at the MM50. This will put the response time for the first in units from ST74 at 20 minutes or more.

Baker Concrete Contractors who are doing all the concrete work for the three sites simultaneously, requested Fire Rescue to visit to discuss concerns in the event of an injury to one of their workers at any of the three sites. The majority of their work will be below grade and involves the creation of some confined spaces in the process. Crews reviewed blue prints and visited the 3 sites along with a walk through of an existing pump house that is similar in construction.

All parties agreed the visit was worthwhile and will make for a smooth operation in the event of a request of our services at any of the sites. Now that construction has begun, Station 74 will be making visits to these remote construction sites to better prepare them for any unforeseen events.

On Site: DC9, E34, R34, DC7

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on March 10th , 2010.

PBCFR Investigator Farill Wins Prestigious Award

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Fire Investigator, John Farill, is the 2009 recipient of the Investigator of the Year Award from the Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association.
John has been with the Department since January of 2002. Prior to that he was a Gulf Breeze, FL police officer and also did a stint with the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. He has a degree in Fire Science and remains a certified law enforcement officer. In addition to all this, Investigator Farill, while a member of the Florida Army National Guard, was deployed for a year to the Asadabad Forward Operating Base in Kunar Province, Afganistan.

John was selected as this year's winner for numerous accomplishments: He teaches PBCFR's Juvenile Fire Starter Program, volunteers his time and talents with Habitat for Humanity, volunteered his time to be involved with the construction of a training burn "apartment" attached to the burn building and constantly stays current with continuing education. His biggest arson case last year involved an intentionally set fire at a gym in Royal Palm Beach. Using his investigative talents, Farill uncovered evidence pointing to extortion and insurance fraud. The criminal act eventually involved the ATF, the PBSO Bomb and Arson Squad and the US Attorney's office. Indictments from this case stretched from Miami to New York.

John is a team player in a group of six award winning Palm Beach County Fire Rescue investigators that have achieved considerable acclaim for having one of the highest conviction rates in the country.

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Posted on March 5th , 2010.

2009 Annual Awards Event

On Saturday, February 27, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue held its annual awards ceremony and did it in a rather unique way. Prior to the ceremony, members of Fire Rescue Administration prepared a terrific pancake breakfast which included sausage, bacon, fruit, pastries and of course, pancakes and syrup. The home cooked meal was a great and inexpensive way to start this year's ceremony which rewarded and gave recognition to those who went above and beyond their normal duties as a Fire Rescue employee. Among those who received awards were:

Maltese Cross - Capt. Edwin O'Berry Blum Desravins
Call of the Year - Shooting Incident at Station 31
Unit Commendation - Carbon Monoxide Incident on May 31, 2009 (Inc. #09-46258)
Unit Commendation - Multiple Vehicle Accident on Florida Turnpike on October 17, 2008 (Inc. #08-84295)
Unit Commendation - Trauma Call on September 27, 2009 (inc. #09-79761)
Unit Commendation - Coast Guard Incident on May 13, 2009 (awarded to Dispatch Staff)
Unit Commendation - Confine Space/Trench Incident on December 1, 2008 (Inc. #08-97282)
Unit Commendation - Payroll staff
Exceptional Service Award - Capt. Craig Prusansky, Capt. Joseph Pete McFrane, DO Donald How, PBCFR Pipes and Drums, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Honor Guard, Driver Operator Jeffrey Smith, DO Hugo Matos, Fire Medic Gregory Roberson
Customer Service Award - DO Thomas Clinger
Fire Marshall's Award - Fire Safety Specialist Christopher Finkley
Communicator of the Year - Steven Sabo, Jr.
Chief Officer of the Year - District Chief David Gadberry
EMS Officer of the Year - Lt. Kyle Ventry
Operational Officer of the Year - Capt. Stephen O.Sullivan
Paramedic of the Year - Eric Maher
Driver Operator of the Year - Brian Rush
Support Staff - Fiscal Specialist III - Wendi Mason

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO; photos by PBCFR Video Department
Posted on March 1st , 2010.

Fully Involved Car Fire in Pahokee

On Friday, February 26, 2010 at approximately 7:16 pm crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 72 responded to a reported car fire in the south end of Pahokee. Crews arrived to find a single car fully engulfed in fire. Crews were able to rapidly extinguish the flames, but the car was destroyed. No one was injured in the fire.

The fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigation Bureau and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E72, R72, T72, EMS7

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 1st , 2010.

B-Shift Pub-Ed in Belle Glade

Capt. Fote, DO Hugo Matos, FF Trish Lilley, and FF Steve Morzella entertained a family at a birthday party in Belle Glade on Saturday, February 20th. The kids were shown the fire apparatus and then allowed to squirt some water from the booster line.

The kids loved it, which would have been good enough. But what topped the event was the adults were allowed, with assistance, to man the "trash line" on the engine. The adults were impressed with the crews and one of the attendees, a Pratt & Whitney employee, was even more impressed that we would take the time to do this for the community. The "fifty-ish" gentleman said that even though he watched fire trucks go by every day, he had never been that close to one.

Way to go E73B crew!

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Story and photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs
Posted on March 1st , 2010.

Airplane Alert at North County Airport

A single engine aircraft had a front landing gear issue last week as it approached the North County airport. The pilot was able to land the plane but was unable to prevent damage to the front end of the aircraft. Neither the pilot not the passenger were injured.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO, photos by Captain John Boike
Posted on February 24th , 2010.

Early Morning Head-on Collision in Pahokee.

On January 29, 2010, at approximately 0630 hrs, E72 and R72 were called to a vehicle accident. During response, reports of serious injuries and a fatality were given by PBSO on scene. Based on this additional information, the call was upgraded, adding Trauma Hawk, DC7, EMS7, E73, R73, R73B and T72. On arrival, Capt. Paccione and his crew found a 2 car head-on collision with severe damage. A quick assessment determined one deceased patient and 2 critical trauma alerts. E72 crew members FF/PM D. Fortunato and D/O J. Bush along with R72 EMT Whitmore initiated extrication on the green vehicle. Due to the extent of the damage, the driver's door had to be removed and the dash rolled to free the patient. The second trauma alert was stabilized by R72 Lt. A. Faso and PM T. Dichard until additional resources assisted with extrication. Both trauma alerts were extricated prior to the 10 minute benchmark. Trauma Hawk landed within a 100 yards of the scene on Muck City Road. The trauma alerts were quickly treated and turned over to TH for a rapid flight from Pahokee to the closest trauma center.

In Pahokee, next-due units can be up to 15-20 minutes out because of their distance. Station 73 units arrived as quickly as they could and assisted with patient care. Both trauma alerts were flown to the nearest trauma center. Sadly, one of the trauma alerts passed away enroute. On a positive note, the trauma patient in the green vehicle survived and is still alive today thanks to the quick, efficient and well trained crews in Battalion 7.

Units on scene: Trauma Hawk, DC7, EMS7, E72, R72, T72, E73, R73, and R73B.

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Story by Lt. Anthony Faso, R72-C
Posted on February 16th , 2010.

7th Battalion Trains in Vehicle Extrication

Recently, crews from Stations 72 & 73, C-Shift, did some training in vehicle extrication. The training focused on techniques used to remove entrapped patients from vehicles involved in rollover type vehicle crashes and those patients who may be trapped by the dashboard or steering wheel. Station 72 crews were also able to become familiar with specialized extrication equipment carried on E73B, including Kodiak vehicle stabilization struts. This specialized equipment is often requested at many vehicle accidents in "The Glades" region. Some extrication techniques that were practiced included standard door removal, "clam shell" technique, used in overturned vehicles, total roof removal, and steering wheel and dash board lifts. Crews also fine tuned their skills in vehicle stabilization utilizing both the Kodiak struts combined with conventional stabilization techniques using wood cribbing. The training was a great refresher for all involved and was part of our continued efforts to provide the absolute best treatment, care and service to those in need in our western communities!

Special thanks to E73B for providing assistance during the training and to Moss Towing for providing the vehicle and location to conduct our training!

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Story by FF/PM Troy Dichard, photos by FF/PM's Troy Dichard and Dean Fortunato
Posted on February 16th , 2010.

Residential Structure Fire in Jupiter Farms

Battalion 1 units responded to a residential structure fire on Mellon Lane in Jupiter Farms on Friday, February 12, at 0815 hours. Upon arrival, E14 found heavy smoke coming from the roof of a wood frame home. Tender 14 located a pond on a neighboring property and set up a water supply as E14 and R14 initiated fire attack and a primary search.

The fire had started in a laundry room with a poor dryer vent set up. The occupant had started the dryer about an hour and a half prior to the fire being noticed. Units on scene included E14, E19, E16, T14, SO19, Q65, R14, R16, EMS1, DC1, BC1 and LA61

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Story and photos by Battalion Chief Mike Wells
Posted on February 12th , 2010.

Motor Vehicle Crash in Belle Glade

On February 10, 2010, at approximately 10:36 am, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a report of a vehicle crash near downtown Belle Glade. Units arrived to find a two-vehicle crash with heavy damage sustained to one of the vehicles.

One of the patients was airlifted to the trauma center via TraumaHawk, and the others were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff Office.

Units on scene: R73B, R74, E73, DC7, EMS7

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Story by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs and EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on February 11th , 2010.

Trench Rescue Training

Early February Special Operations 34 "A" shift practiced some trench rescue skills in Western Boca Raton. Team members spent the day shoring up a live trench with equipment carried on Special Operations 34 and tactical 34.

The road and bridges department supported fire rescue's efforts by digging the trench. Station 57 came in on the training and provided an elevated high point anchor for a retrieval system for moving the rescuer and equipment out of the trench. Station 58 also came by and provided some assistance in cleaning the equipment and putting the equipment back in service, their assistance was greatly appreciated.
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Story and photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on February 11th , 2010.

PBCFR Personnel Return from Haiti Deployment

Monday January 25 was a great homecoming day for Battalion Chief Mark Anderson and F/M Steve Driscoll. After spending nearly two weeks in the worst possible conditions in earthquake-torn Haiti, they both were glad to be back on "firm" ground in the good ole USA. Chief Jerauld, Chief St. Pierre and Jack and Sergio from video went to Miami airport to greet our Florida USAR team members. They will undergo physicals and critical Incident Stress Debriefing during their first week back.
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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO, photos by Jack Norris and Sergio Ornelas
Posted on January 28th , 2010.

Glades Day School and Station 73 Help in Haiti Relief Effort

The elementary school children at Glades Day School wanted to help out with the relief effort for the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti. So, they collected about 100 one-gallon jugs of drinking water, among other items, decorated them with messages of encouragement, and donated them to be sent over to Haiti. Knowing that the local firefighters would be willing to help, they then contacted Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 to assist them in transporting the items over to the local drop-off site.

On January 26th, 2010, a team of firefighters from Station 73 arrived at the school with their fire engine and a van. The children formed a line and handed the firefighters the water they had collected. After all of the items were loaded in the van, the firefighters brought it to the collection site at the St. John's First Baptist Church in Belle Glade, where it was gladly accepted.

These items should be making their way to Haiti within the next week.

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Story and photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 28th , 2010.

11 Patient MCI in Belle Glade

On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, at about 6:05 pm, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to a car vs. Palm-Tran bus crash in the Northwest section of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a total of 11 patients. After a triage of the patients was done by the crews, they were all transported to a local hospital, and most of the injuries were minor.

The crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E73B, R73, R73B, R72, DC7, EMS7.

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Story and photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 26th , 2010.

Station 72 C-Shift Training

Station 72 C Shifts's training was geared to welcome our new unit attached engine medic Dean Fortunato to our shift. We ran the 1410 drill mid morning for our daily fire training. The crew familiarized Dean with 5� LDH, which is carried by all units in the Glades. The drill went very well and Dean and crew did an excellent job. Participating in the drill were E72, R72 and T72.

After our drill we did a bunker gear circuit to finish up our PT. Average day at station 72.

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Story and photos by Bud McCarroll
Posted on January 26th , 2010.

House Fire in Royal Palm Beach

Units from stations 28,21, 29, 30 responded to a working fire on Starling Avenue on Friday, January 22, 2010.

Personnel arrived and found flames shooting out of the garage and a portion of the roof as they were fanned by 20knot winds. Due to an aggressive fire attack by the crews the fire was contained and extinguished with minimal extension into the residence or the B side exposure. A malfunctioning fire hydrant a few hundred feet away created additional challenges which fire crews were able to overcome. The fire is still under investigation. No injuries were reported.

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Posted on January 26th , 2010.

Fire Rescue Helps Spread Holiday Spirit in Belle Glade

The Joseph family in Belle Glade was pleasantly surprised this holiday season. Their son is a "special needs" student that was attending therapy treatment during school via the Palm Beach County School Board Exceptional Student Education (ESE) department in the western communities. The group of therapists had realized how poor this child and his family were. This group decided to collect basic essentials to help this student and his family out.

The wife of Capt. Robert Schmidt from Battalion 5 works with these therapists, and sent out an e-mail explaining what was happening in Belle Glade with this student. His daughter's travel team, the "Wellington Wild", collects toys for the holidays and responded by bringing food and toys for this family accompanied by a team photo. In addition, Capt. Schmidt was able to get a tree donated to the family via some friends at B-X-Specialty Christmas Tree and a couple of strings of lights were donated as well.

The only issue was that Capt. Schmidt was not able to get the tree out to Belle Glade. This is where Fire-Rescue stepped in.

The tree was picked up by the EMS Captain at the edge of Battalion 7's zone (at 20-mile bend) and brought to the residence. The crew from Station 73 "B" shift showed up and set up the tree for the family. The family was ecstatic that they had a tree in time for Christmas.

One family's holiday is going to be a little bit better thanks to the help of the following:

Palm Beach County School Board Exceptional Student Education Division Wellington Wild Travel Softball Team Capt. Robert Schmidt EMS Capt. Ken Sehres The crew of Station 73 "B" Shift

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Story and photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 4th , 2010.

Rollover Crash East of Belle Glade

On December 24, 2009 at around 9:44 pm units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 were dispatched to a reported rollover car crash on State Road 80 about 20 miles east of Belle Glade. Units arrived to find a single vehicle on its side with the driver still inside. The driver was not injured, but was trapped inside of the vehicle due to her seat belt being stuck.

The crews stabilized the vehicle, climbed in to cut the seat belt, and assisted the driver out of the vehicle. The crash is being investigated by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 4th , 2010.

Christmas Gifts for Panda House

On December 23rd, members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Station 73, C-Shift in Belle Glade helped Santa with an early delivery. Engine 73 and the crews delivered toys for the children at the PANDA house. The PANDA program is a community outreach program for women of the Glades. The firefighters wanted to make sure the kids had some toys for the Christmas holiday. After delivering the toys the kids and their moms came out front to take pictures with the fire engine and firefighters.

While working on the QAS for this structure Lt. Juan Batista found out that the women's kids live at the facility with them during their stay. It was apparent to Lt Batista that the gift portion of the Christmas holiday was not going to be a good experience for the children. He explained the situation to the firefighters at 73C who took care of getting toys for the kids. Thanks to Lt Batista and the members of 73C, the kids had a very merry Christmas.
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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on January 4th , 2010.

Station 73 Thanks Their Neighbor

On December 20th, members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 73, in Belle Glade presented to Clarice and Ollice Davis of Belle Glade a Plaque and gift certificate for their support with training of the firefighters protecting the Glades area. The Davises, both teachers in the area are well aware of the benefits of a good training.

Over the past half year firefighters from the fire stations protecting the Tri-cities of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay have had the opportunity to use an old house for fire related training that was owned by the Davises. The house had been damaged by recent hurricanes. While waiting to have the house torn down it was made available to the fire department.

Some types of training were; forcible entry, Search and rescue and hose management. Firefighters were also able to practice bringing a victim as well as a firefighter out a window and down a ladder. The entire battalion was able to go through the NFA�s Mayday certification program using this structure.

The firefighters were grateful that the Davises helped them by providing an incredible opportunity to practice their trade. Should the need ever arise the men and women of the 7th Battalion are ready to repay the favor by putting their training into action to help the citizens of the Glades.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on January 4th , 2010.

Pay Attention to Drowning Prevention in 2010

The Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Volunteer Battalion have teamed up to increase awareness of Drowning Prevention in 2010. Events in 2010 include hosting a fundraising golf tournament in May to help the DPC expand its free swim program for underprivileged children. In addition, the Coalition and volunteers intends to increase its water safety educational programming in the Palm Beach County School District and further promote the importance of drowning prevention and water safety via area health and safety fairs.

The volunteers will also be using their boat to visit marinas and promote water safety. The Volunteer Battalion is pleased to be involved in this effort and is looking forward to getting more people to "Pay Attention to Drowning Prevention" in 2010.

Posted on December 14th , 2009.

Fire Rescue Adopts a Family for Christmas

On Monday night, December 21, Christmas season was a little brighter for our very own Rosa who does an exceptional job of keeping Headquarters neat and clean. Rosa has three daughters, Victoria 18 yrs old, Miranda 10 and Veronica 8. Her oldest daughter is working on a nursing career and will be leaving for UCF shortly. She was in dire need of a laptop. The other girls need bicycles and other items. Through the generous contributions of headquarters staff, the family�s wishes were fulfilled. The presents were given out at Station 34 that evening.
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Posted on December 23rd , 2009.

Breakfast With Santa and Palms West Kids Cancer Foundation

December 19th, 2009 marked the firefighter's second annual "Breakfast with Santa" event for the Palms West Kid's Cancer Foundation. FF Mike Adams co-coordinated the event which included members from Station 25-B shift as well as the Palm Beach County FOOLS organization. Gifts were purchased, donated and wrapped in time for Santa to deliver them off Ladder One. The breakfast was a huge success and a lot of sick kids were reminded of what a smile felt like on their precious face. One of the many touching moments of the morning was made when FF Mark Freesman removed the T shirt from his back after hearing of a request from one of the attending children. Kyle is a long time friend and his life battling cancer has left him confined to a wheelchair. His Christmas wish was to ride on the fire truck this year, however, his health has not allowed him to do it. His only request that morning was to have a firefighter shirt like the one Mark was wearing. The families of this close knit community were struck with emotion and so thankful for the firefighters this year!
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Posted on December 23rd , 2009.

Station 72 Brightens Burn Victim's Day

At the beginning of September, the crew from Station 72 A-Shift responded to an 11 month old child who had accidentally been burned with some scalding soup. The child was transported to the trauma center, after which he spent 3 weeks in the burn unit where he recovered from his burns. The crew at 72 wanted to do a little something to welcome the child home after his ordeal.

On November 24th, after he came back home, the crew stopped by to check on him at his home just outside of Pahokee. Along with them was a toy fire engine purchased by Firefighter/Paramedic Ed Torres. The fire engine was given to the boy as a gift, and he seemed to like it.

The friends and family were surprised and happy that our crews cared enough to check on the boy after everything he had been through.

Kudos go out to the crew of Rescue 72, �A� Shift.

Photo captions (left to right): Hershie Hobbs, Lt. Keith Reed, FF/PM Ed Torres.

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Story by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos courtesy of Rescue 72 �A� Shift
Posted on December 23rd , 2009.

Car vs. Tractor-Trailer Near Okeelanta

On Monday, December 21, 2009 at about 1:05 pm, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 73 and 74 responded to a car vs. tractor-trailer crash on US Highway 27 in front of the Okeelanta Sugar Mill. The sugar mill's medical staff responded to the scene and provided aid until the paramedics arrived.

The driver of the truck was not injured, but two occupants of the car were taken to a local hospital, and the other was flown to the trauma center via TraumaHawk. The cause of the crash is under investigation by Florida Highway Patrol.

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Story and photos by EMS Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on December 22nd , 2009.

Marine 970 Now in Service

On Saturday, December 19, the volunteers completed the refurbishment of their 21' Wahoo boat and have now made it available for calls. The boat originally belonged to the Pahokee Volunteers but was transferred to the County Volunteers when the Glades became part of the County Fire Rescue organization. The boat has a 200HP outboard motor, VHF and Marine Radio, GPS, AED, a deck gun and a handline as well as 3 dry chem extinguishers. It also houses a backboard and BLS kit.

The primary role of the boat will be in public education pertaining to drowning prevention and fire safety. We expect to visit a number of Marinas in 2010 for pub ed events. It will also be available to County Fire Rescue crews as needed in support of operations or special events. The boat is on a trailer and is housed at station 42.

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Posted on December 22nd , 2009.

Thanksgiving Day with Kid's Sanctuary

Lt. Delrossi and his wife, who is a Fire Safety Specialist "NICOLE DELROSSI" went above and beyond for the young children of a needy organization here in Batallion Two. Kid's Sanctuary is a nonprofitable housing system that provides a loving home environment while the children are awaiting selection into the foster care system here in Palm Beach County. Instead of a Foster Care boarding house, these kids live in a converted duplex type structure here in St28's area. Lt Delrossi has done many things for this organization throughout the years including several donations to the facility, gifts and toy deliveries every year at Christmas as well as a wonderful playground area that the guys all chipped in and built for the Kid's Sanctuary. This year, thanks to the partnership with several generous members of BOSS, the team of fire rescue folks purchased, prepared and delivered an amazing Thanksgiving Day feast, along with quality time spent with the firefighters including full truck tours by the crews. Thank you for stepping to the plate to mentor these young children of our community and for making Palm Beach County Fire Rescue very proud! Frequent Fire Miles are being awarded for going the extra mile!

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From the Customer Service Team
Posted on December 14th , 2009.

Fight For Air Stair Run

I would like to give you an update on Palm Beach County's outstanding performance at "The Fight For Air" stair run held this past weekend in down town West Palm Beach. The event was held to benefit The American Lung Association. The race consisted of a 444 step vertical climb to the top of the Phillips Point West Tower.There were both firefighter and open categories. Firefighters competed in full gear including SCBA.

Awards were given to the top 3 individuals in each category and the top 3 teams. Team times were formed by adding the 3 fastest members of each team together.

In the firefighter division, our 4 man team swept the field of 35 competitors with Lee Bronco taking 1st in 2:22, Isaac Laing 2nd 2:46, Jacques Aime 3rd 2:54 and Ed Delcampo a very impressive 11th in 4:20. The team time was nearly 3 minutes faster than 2nd place West Palm Beach and their 26 member team. Our team was so strong that I felt they did not need my help, so I chose to represent us in the open category taking 3rd out of over 100 in a time 0f 1:53.

More important than our performance was that our team raised 500 dollars for this most important cause. In attendance but not competing was our very own James Howard, who over the last couple of years has been battling with cancer in his lung. His presence was of strong motivation and we look forward to next year when he can run with us. We ran in support of him this year. Over all, the event was a huge success and I hope next year we can enter multiple Palm Beach County teams.

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Story and photos by Ed Kranski
Posted on December 1st , 2009.

2009 Firefighter Combat Challenge Finals - Las Vegas, NV

Firefighters from all over the United States and the world competed in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge 2009 World Finals held in Las Vegas, Nevada. These firefighters competed in the preliminaries which ran from Monday, November 16th, through Wednesday, November 18th. Members from our team had to compete multiple times to qualify for the finals which were held on Thursday and Friday, November 19th and 20th.

The team consisted of members from Local 2928, as well as the cities of Delray Beach, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and Boca Raton.

"Team Mutual Aid", consisting of Jason Martino and Mackenzie Briggs of Local 2928, Tommie Osborne of Delray Beach, and Brett Lee and Warren Cann of Boca Raton. The team finished 12th overall with a time of 5 minutes, 6.18 seconds.

In the Male Tandem event, Jason Martino and Mackenzie Briggs of Local 2928 finished 7th overall with a time of 1 minute, 20.02 seconds. In the Co-ed Tandem event, Jason Martino and Melissa Jones of Local 2928 qualified but did not make the finals.

In the Relay event, Jason Martino, Mackenzie Briggs, Tommie Osborne, Brett Lee, and Warren Cann finished in the final top 16. In the Over 40 Relay event, Brett Lee, Scott Steel, Tommie Osborne, and John Morrow qualified but did not make the finals.

Local 2928 highlights of the individual run:
Melissa Jones ran her personnel record of 4 minutes, 30 seconds.
Jason Martino ran his personnel record of 1 minute, 43 seconds.
Mackenzie Briggs ran his personnel record of 1 minute, 31.14 seconds, beating some of the fastest people in the sport and having the fastest time in Florida. He was ranked 6th out of 132 in the final standings.

Great job to these individuals who competed and placed as well as they did!

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by Mackenzie Briggs and Jason Martino
Posted on December 1st , 2009.

Station 32: The Reconstruction (Part 3)

Progress is moving along quite well over at the "32 House". The second floor is poured, the second floor walls are up, next will be the roof trussess and the roof. Everything looks to be going as planned, however we did notice a change to the plans. Nope, no addition of a pole... The second story balcony/patio has been removed, we've been told that its been blocked in (CBS) and it will now house a 5x7 window instead of an actual patio. There is a proof of the stucco pattern on the delta side of the structure, however the pictures didn't come out clear. It is a nice pattern, it's a tight stucco pattern. There were three styles of stucco patterns to choose from, wide stucco, medium stucco , and tight stucco patterns. Don't know who chose the pattern, but it looks great we're pleased with it. Thats all for now, more pics will come soon. We heard the roof is going up within the next couple of weeks. Until then be good be safe.

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Story and photos by Drew Craig, E32-B
Posted on December 1st , 2009.

Captain Doug McGlynn Receives Firefighter of the Year Award

Our very own Captain Doug McGlynn, Battalion 9A, recently received the Firefighter of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches. Doug was the employee of the year with Fire Rescue last year and more than deserved this year�s honor for his untiring work with customer service, training and numerous other special projects. Our congratulations go out to Captain McGlynn.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on November 25th , 2009.

Crop Duster Concerns on C-Shift

On November 17th, Station 72, was called to respond to two PBSO Deputies who were on patrol when a crop duster flew overhead and released an unknown substance on top of them. Fortunately the deputies were inside their units when the fly over occurred. DC9 and Special Operations 34 were consulted to determine the best course of action.

The product was determined to be a non-toxic fungicide. DC9 recommended that the SO cruisers be de-contaminated. E72 crew applied water and foam to breakdown the fungicide. The Deputies were directed to take a shower and wash their uniforms before returning to patrol.

Units involved, E72, R72, T72, DC7, DC9, E34, Special Operations 34.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on November 23rd , 2009.

Roll-over in Dead Mans Curve

Units from the 7th Battalion were paged out for a truck that had rolled over in the middle of Dead Man's Curve north of Hooker Highway on 441.

Upon arrival Station 73 units found what had been a fully loaded dump truck on its side with a minor fuel leak. The truck was laying across the roadway, guardrail to guardrail, making it impossible for any units to get by. E73 initially used soil to build a dike and then absorbent rolls to contain any fluid. R73 transported the driver of the truck to an area hospital for further evaluation.

Units on scene- E73, R73, EMS7, DC7.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on November 23rd , 2009.

Station 32: The Reconstruction (Part II)

Pictures of the progress of the construction of Station 32.

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Posted on October 1st , 2009.

PBCFR Provides Skid Control Training for North Lauderdale

North Lauderdale's Ladder 44 navigates on wet pavement through the EVOC course as part of a 6-hour re-certification curriculum being held at PBCFR. All members of the North Lauderdale Fire Department will be attending the training during November which consists of 3-hours of classroom instruction, 1 1/2-hours on the driving simulator and 1 1/2-hours on the driving range. Similar skid control training is planned as on-duty training for PBCFR in early 2010.

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Story and photos by Captain Doug Watson, Training and Safety Division
Posted on November 18th , 2009.

Crash in Fog on US 27 Near Okeelanta

At 5:22 am on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 74 responded to a reported crash involving 2 semi-trucks and a minivan, in front of the Okeelanta Sugar Mill. Crews arrived to find a minivan pinned between the two trucks. Fortunately, the driver of the minivan was able to remove himself from the van before the crews arrived.

One person was taken to a local hospital. The crash is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on November 18th , 2009.

Crews from Station 31 Receive PBSO Honors

On Friday, November 13, members of two crews from Station 31 received awards at the Annual Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Awards luncheon held at the Kravis Center. Captain Ed O'Berry received the Combat Cross for his heroic effort in saving the life of a police officer (the first civilian, non-law enforcement type to ever receive one). The other PBCFR individuals received the PBSO Samaritan Award. Over 750 people were in attendance and the local media covered the event. Captain O'Berry received a standing ovation.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on November 16th , 2009.

3 Semi-tractor Trailer Signal 4 in the 7th Battalion

On October 27th, units from the 7th Battalion were dispatched to a reported motor vehicle accident involving 3 big rigs. The location of the accident was at the Martin/Palm Beach county line on US Hwy 441, a long distance from the nearest station.

E72 with Capt. Jennifer Johnson was first to arrive. Arrival report indicated two semi-tractor trailers and one low-boy were involved. All hands were busy until units from Station 73 arrived. One person was trapped and required extrication. Two of the trucks suffered heavy damage and the low-boy was reported to have had its trailer thrown through the air, landing in a construction parking lot. The truck without the driver trapped also had a small engine compartment fire shortly after initial arrival of units. One saddle tank was torn off a truck and another was ripped open.

Command was established, a protective hoseline pulled, scene and patient evaluation initiated and extrication was begun by Station 72 personnel. Trauma Hawk arrived and determined its best LZ was on top of the Levee just north of the incident. Units from Station 73 along with command staff arrived to assist units on scene. One person was airlifted to the regional trauma center.

Units on scene, E72, R72, T72, E73B, R73, DC7, EMS7, TH1.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on November 13th , 2009.

New District Chief Vehicle for Battalion 7

The 7th Battalion "The Glades" took delivery of their new District Chief's vehicle last month. Realizing things are different in the west and off road trips are common, Battalion Chief Michael Arena decided to go with something more suited for the cane fields and rural roads than the standard Suburban. The answer was a 3/4 ton, Ford F250, 4 doors, 4 wheel drive.

The basic platform was selected as it has increased ground clearance and load carrying capabilities. It better accommodates off road operations and towing of the various vehicles that may be used out west, such as Airboat 73 or the Mule for search and rescue in the Holey Lands.

Shop Mechanic John Vasko was responsible for putting the whole package together. The three DC's worked on the basic layout that they felt would allow maximum use of the space available. John was invaluable in making suggesting that allowed the DC's ideas to work much better. He prefabricated the top shelf which doubled the storage capacity and features a backboard storage area for MCI's.

By selecting a pickup instead of the Suburban, we were given more options. There is no longer any equipment or contaminated gear stored inside the cab. There are no storage compartments that open into the cab requiring gear to be moved to gain access. People can be transported in each seat. The rear seat area can be utilized for a command center when a controlled environment is required. All the gear that the DC carries is now easily accessible from the two side doors on the topper. A white Plexiglas sheet was installed on the inside of the rear tailgate. This allows it to be used as a huge command board or a platform for maps when Airboat 73 is deployed.

The truck features additional LED emergency lights, PIAA fog lights, a Rumbler siren, a slide out tray in the bed and a 9,000 lb winch. Due to the potential for MCI's and extreme response times with limited backup, the top deck has a special compartment to transport disposable backboards. It is a welcome addition to the Tri-cities area.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on November 13th , 2009.

2009 Golden Palm Award Nomination for Captain Craig Prusansky

Captain Prusansky has been with Palm Beach County since 1991 and has been in the Glades since 2007. He presently serves as an EMS Captain overseeing the paramedics on his shift for the Glades response area.

As is typical of him Captain Prusansky always takes on additional work not necessarily related with his primary job functions. He is a key person in the Battalion 7 Hurricane/Disaster planning staff. He organized the Command staff and set up a communication process which routinely keeps everyone in the communication loop when a storm is possibly threatening Palm Beach County. He maintains this 24/7 even when he is off duty. I could go on describing all of the additional duties and responsibilities he has taken on but I would like to highlight the addressing project he is working on.

His most recent and notable accomplishment has received recognition in the entire Glades community, local media and recognition from other county departments. He took it upon himself to correct incorrect addresses in the Glades. This is a tremendous undertaking since emergency calls were delayed because of improper addresses.

He started out by working with the GIS folks in improving the maps; this quickly evolved in is attendance of several home owners meetings and involvement with the GTAC (Glades Technical Advisory Committee) which is coordinated through the OCR (Office of Community Revitalization). He has received several public accolades in meetings from Mr. Houston Tate and his office, the Canal Point Community, The Palm Beach Post, The Sons of the American Revolution and the Palm Beach Sheriff's office.

He took it upon himself to personally visit every residence in the Canal point and Lake Harbor areas and one by one is correcting their addresses. He has even been working with the United States Post office.

The bulk of this effort has been on his own time and utilizing his worn resources. Several news stories have been done in the Glades and I have attached a packet illustrating an example of some of his efforts.

In fact he maintains a website for people to contact him in order to continue this project for all of the Glades. The site is http://can911findyou.kkpss.info

Captain Prusansky is a go to person and truly deserving of this recognition and consistently goes the extra mile to benefit the Citizens and employees of Palm Beach County.

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Battalion Chief Michael Arena
Posted on November 10th , 2009.

Busy Weekend for the Honor Guard and the Pipe and Drum Band

On Saturday Nov 7, the honor guard and Pipe Band presented colors on the track at the Palm Beach Kennel Club for the kick off of South Florida Fire Fest. That night the band split and half went to play at Slaintes for the after burner party for Fire Fest. The rest of the band were the guests of the United States Marine Corps. 4th ANGLICO. The band played at the USMC 2009 Birthday Ball celebrating 234 years of the USMC. PBCFR's own Tony Acosta and Lee Bronco were in attendance also.

The band than went and played at the Combat Challenge Teams fundraiser in PB Gardens. On Sunday, Nov. 8. both groups went and marched in the Veterans Day parade down Clematis St. in West Palm Beach. Special thanks to the Black Pearl , Browards Bravest Pipes and Drums and Engine 24 "C" for the help over the weekend.

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Posted on November 10th , 2009.

Funhouse Fright Night

Halloween night was extra special for the Amberwoods neighborhood just east of Station No. 55. A-shift personnel decided to take it to the streets and hand-out treats making it a night to remember. Getting into the spirit of things, our very own FF Kevin Loaiza was transformed into the "Tin Man" due to the creative efforts of PM Dominick Potenzano. This Tin Man proved to have a big heart handing out treats to nearly 100 neighborhood revelers.

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Story and photos by Captain Sean Pamplona
Posted on November 9th , 2009.

Operation Trick or Treat: Halloween '09

Station 32 went out on Halloween night and gave out candy in two of our local neighborhoods. Both engine and rescue had a great time. The children liked getting the candy and the parents were absolutely amazed at what we were doing. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. They liked it a lot!!!! I hope that we get some good feedback from this. We had a great time doing it and are thinking about making it an annual thing to do ,for the station. We went to the neighborhoods of Florida Gardens and Palm Beach National and ran out of candy after only two streets in Fla. Gardens. Next time we'll have more candy.

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Story and photos by Captain Kevin Kimberly
Posted on November 3rd , 2009.

PBCFR Basketball Team Wins Gold in National Firefighter Games

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Basketball Team won the gold medal in the National Firefighter Games this past weekend (Oct 31 / Nov 1) for the second consecutive year. During the games, we beat the likes of Orlando Fire Rescue, West Palm Fire Rescue and former reigning champs Metro Dade fire rescue- twice to bring 'home' the Gold for back-to-back championships! There was a great display of support from PBCFR employees and family members during the tournament and happily- No Injuries! We are excited about this accomplishment and eager to win more in representation of Palm Beach County!

The team consists of Chad Snyder, Lee Bronco, Joe Bostic, Lamar McThay, Casey Maher, Ray Gordon, Pierre Simbert, John Mends and Coach Bryan Lancey. Congrats to all involved!!!!

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Story and photos from Joe Bostic
Posted on November 2nd , 2009.

Captain Roy Morgan Recognized as Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce's Firefighter of the Year

Captain Roy Morgan was on his way to work on the morning of September 1 and witnessed a vehicle roll over and go into the canal on State Road 80. The vehicle was going east bound and he was going west wound. He immediately turned around and went to help. The vehicle was well into the canal when Captain Morgan arrived at the canal bank. He pulled over to help and was assisted by another gentleman who also pulled over to help.

He immediately dove on the car several times in an attempt to remove the victim and was unable to break the glass. Keep in mind he had no special gear or dive equipment as he was in his personal car.

Obviously, this being in the vicinity of Hatton Highway and SR 80, it was a very long response for Fire Rescue Crews to get there. Capt Morgan worked tirelessly trying to free the person from the vehicle but was unable to. Capt. Morgan stayed in the water to assist and the vehicle was eventually pulled out by a PBSO truck winch and the victim was pulled out and Fire Rescue crews entered the water to assist with victim removal Rescue crews were able to provide emergency resuscitation efforts and pt was flown by Trauma Hawk to Delray Community Hospital.

Unfortunately the gentlemen (who was a PBSO employee) did not survive. It was not because of lack of effort on Fire Rescue's part. Many people drove by that morning but did not stop. The efforts by Captain Morgan were truly heroic and his recognition is indeed worthy of being the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce Firefighter of the year!

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Story and photos by Battalion Chief Mike Arena
Posted on October 27th , 2009.

Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial

The Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service was held in Ocala on October 09, 2009, with the name of Lt. Raphael Vazquez being one of three added this year to the large blocks of black granite.

The permanent Fallen Firefighter Memorial is located in the courtyard of the Florida State Fire College in Ocala, and holds the names of Florida firefighters who have died in the line of duty. It is much like the IAFF memorial in Colorado Springs, and the National Firefighter Memorial in Emmittsburg Maryland, on the campus of the National Fire Academy. It is smaller in scale, but no less meaningful, nor does it have less of an impact on the families and firefighters who attend to honor the Fallen.

Members of the Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps, as well as Chief Jerauld, Chief O'Bannon, Chaplain Jeremy Hurd, and Jack Norris, were there to represent PBCFR and to accompany and provide support to Ray's wife, Michelle, and their youngest son.

After the formal service at which Michelle was presented a flag and medallion in Ray's honor, we had a private meeting so that we could present to Michelle, the flag and other memorial items the Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps accepted on her behalf at the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service in Emmittsburg in September.

Honor Guard Members Present:
Sean Pamplona, Commander
Steen Eriksson, Lt. Commander
Rick Gass
Pipe and Drum Corps Members Present:
John Fischer
Khristy Osment

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Story by Steen Eriksson, photos by Jack Norris
Posted on October 27th , 2009.

Palm Beach County, Martin County Automatic Aid Response

With the closing of station #11, automatic aid responses are now in effect with Martin County Fire-Rescue. MCFR will be covering the northernmost PBC pockets, and second-due with station #18 on southern Jupiter Island. Station #18 is second-due with MCFR in southern Martin County.

In preparation for this, MCFR stations #32, #33, and #36, as well as EMS and command staff, met with the crews of stations #18 and #15, and EMS1, DC1, and BC1 at station #18 to meet and learn about each other and the units and equipment.

All shifts had these meetings in September with the effective date being October 1, 2009. It gave us the opportunity to discuss the differences and similarities in our EMS and fire SOGs.

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Story and photos from Steen Eriksson
Posted on October 14th , 2009.

Honor Guard, Pipe and Drums Travel to 2009 National Fallen Firefighter Memorial

Recently, members of the Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums traveled to the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD for the 2009 National Fallen Firefighter Memorial. This year Lt. Rafeal "Ray" Vazquez received national memorial recognition. Our Honor Guard members received memorial honors on behalf of the Vazquez family. These honors were brought back to Palm Beach County and will be traveling up to Ocala, Florida accompanied by Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums on Friday, Oct 9th for the Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial at the Florida State Fire College. There the honors will be presented to Michelle Vazques, the widow of Ray, and his children who will be in attendance.

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Story and photos from Captain Sean Pamplona
Posted on October 6th , 2009.

Fire Safety Month Demonstration at Home Depot

Photos from our participation with the Home Depot's Fire Safety Month demo at their store on Jog and Lantana Roads.

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Story and photos by Kevin Rao
Posted on October 5th , 2009.

Anthony Acosta Promoted to Chief Petty Officer

Chief Petty Officer is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above Petty Officer First Class and below Senior Chief Petty Officer, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The Grade of Chief Petty Officer was established on April 1, 1893 for the Navy.

On Sept 18, 2009, our own Capt Anthony Acosta of Battalion 3-C shift joined the reanks of Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy. At a ceremony attended by fellow Sailors, Family and friends in Miami, Chief Acosta was promoted with 14 others. The fifteen newly promoted Chiefs were the only promoted among almost 1500 Sailors that are on active duty or reserve in South East Florida, not including Key West.

Among those pictured, attendees included Capt Larry Doelling 36-C and FF/PM J.R Scarso of Batt 7-B, Scarso also serves in the US Navy with Chief Acosta.

Unlike Petty Officer First Class and lower ranks, advancement to Chief Petty Officer not only carries requirements of time in service, superior evaluation scores, and specialty examinations, but also carries an added requirement of peer review. A Chief Petty Officer can only advance after review by a selection board of serving Senior and Master Chief Petty Officers, in effect "choosing their own" and conversely not choosing others.

Advancement into the Chief Petty Officer grades is the most significant promotion within the enlisted naval ranks. At the rank of Chief, the Sailor takes on more administrative duties. In the Navy, their uniform changes to reflect this change of duty, becoming identical to that of an officer's uniform except with different insignia. Sailors in the three Chief Petty Officer ranks also have conspicuous privileges such as separate dining and living areas. Any naval vessel of sufficient size has a room or rooms that are off-limits to anyone not a Chief (including officers) except by specific invitation.

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Posted on October 1st , 2009.

Structure Fire in Canal Point

At 10:44 pm on Monday, September 28, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to a residential structure fire in a house on the 12,000 block of Bryant Avenue in Canal Point. When crews arrived they found smoke and flames coming from the roof of the single-story house. No one was home at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries.

The crews were able to confine most of the fire to the attic. However, the entire house sustained significant smoke damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Fire Investigation Bureau, but it does not appear suspicious.

Units on scene: E72, E73, E73B, R72, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV4

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 30th , 2009.

Guardians of The Corridor ... Literally

The customer service team is pleased to recognize and reward the crew members of Station 31 for living up to their name as "Guardians of the Corridor". Crews from 31 House responded to a call to assist PBSO with an 18-month old female who wandered outside her home unnoticed and was attempting to cross Maleluca Ave when a passerby called 911. Upon arrival the crews were directed to attend to the pediatric which they did while PBSO was taking care of locating the parents or where the child even came from. Meanwhile the crews continued to keep the child in the air conditioned truck. The crews realized that the child would be much more comfortable if they set her up at the station with some age appropriate comfort items. You can only play with a "medical glove smiley face balloon" for so long.

The crews coordinated with PBSO to take the child back to the fire station instead of staging at the intersection. First they stopped and picked up groceries, snacks, a juice box/sippy cup, diapers, baby wipes and a stuffed animal toy from money that the crews contributed out of their own pocket. The crew made the 18mth old something to eat back at the firehouse as well as set up a comfortable bed/sitting area in the day room with blankets and a TV so she could watch the Disney Channel while law enforcement found Mom & Dad. PBSO did locate the parents 90 min later and there was a warm reunion between baby and parents. The family was so impressed at how compassionate the firefighters were with their child and especially how thoughtful they were while living up to their station logo as Guardians of the Corridor!

Thanks to all crew members involved. Not seen in this picture is DO Terrell Patterson despite how instrumental he was in accomplishing this Frequent Fire Mile. Mile Slips go to all involved: Cpt Dave Iman, DO Terrell Paterson, FM Scott Schanke, LT Andrew Lombardo, PM Melissa Jones, PM Chris Gray, Cpt George Springthorpe and DC Billy Schmidt

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Story and photos by Customer Service Team
Posted on September 29th , 2009.

Paying it Forward in Battalion 9

Another Wolfe Pack (and cougar) sighting was confirmed on Saturday, September 26, 2009. A very welcomed visit was received at Station 32 by Courtney Wolfe and her entire family. Courtney is the daughter of Captain Larry Wolfe (station officer of station 32B) who was recently diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (A.L.L). Her story and progress has been closely monitored by many in our department. Currently she is undergoing a 59 day chemotherapy session and blood transfusions (as necessary) on a daily/weekly basis.

Station 32 certainly holds the Wolfe family close to their hearts and wanted to extend a little something extra to their family. Courtney is one brave girl who is putting up a great fight which in turn still allows her to go into many public places even with the potential of being exposed to other risks. However, she spends a great amount of time at home resting and being home schooled when not receiving her treatments.

Recently, Station 32 was recognized as a top collector during the department's annual MDA boot drive. As a result, they had received one of the incentive prizes of a PlayStation 3 game console that was offered up to the different battalions. While such a prize is certainly a great incentive, the big picture is one that reveals that our efforts to go out and collect is one that comes from years of tradition and is an activity we do out of the pride of being firefighters and to uphold such a tradition. The crew(s) at Station 32 thought instead that this prize would be better suited as a gift to a teenage girl who would get more enjoyment out of it during her time of recovery and isolation at home. The gift, as well as a collection taken up by the crews so she could get herself a few of her favorite games, was very graciously and humbly received by this amazing young woman.

Coutney's visit to the station also brought another surprise: The veterinary office next door had received an after-hours call for assistance to treat a 200-pound cougar. The cougar arrived at the office via its owner/handler already sedated, however the office staff had requested our help and strength to move this very impressive animal into their surgical room. This opportunity allowed for a number of photo opts for Courtney, her family and the crew, as well as a very rare chance to be so up close to such an animal.

Kudos should also go out to Captain Pete Mcgrane of Station 47 with a very similar idea of "paying it forward". Station 47 also won the incentive prize for their battalion and expressed a challenge to the other winners to seek out those who would be more in need of such an item. We encourage others to do the same.

We will continue to track Courtney's progress and ask all to continue to keep the Wolfe family in your thoughts and prayers.

One final reminder, there is an upcoming benefit for Courtney on October 4th at 1:00 p.m. at the Gypsy's Horse in Wellington. Contact Lt. Tony Andrewson at Station 57/C for details.

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Story and photos by Station 32
Posted on September 29th , 2009.

House Fire in Suburban West Palm Beach

Units were dispatched to a fire in a single family home at 2136 Bonnie Dr in suburban West Palm Beach around 11:30 am on 9/24. On arrival they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the residence. A quick initial fire attack was started by the crews from Station 36 and additional help brought the fire under control. Fire in the attic created a good bit of additional labor. A good rotation process with the crews compensated for the overall heat and humidity.

Units on scene included E36, E33, E31, R36, EMS10, DC10, BC4, Q29, PI1, IV3, E24, R31, LA24.

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Story by photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on September 29th , 2009.

Structure Fire in Belle Glade

At 4:54 am on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue stations 73 and 74 responded to a residential structure fire in a duplex on the 600 block of Southwest 2nd Street in Belle Glade. Crews were met by heavy fire and smoke coming from the structure. Steel grates over the windows initially hampered the firefighting efforts, but the crews were able to gain access and bring the fire under control in about 30 minutes.

All of the residents were able to escape the fire without injury. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Investigation Bureau.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, E74, R73, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV3

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story by photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on September 29th , 2009.

IAFF Memorial 2009 Colorado Springs

On September 19, 2009, members of PBCFR Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps honored our fallen brother Lt. Tony Falzarano at the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Lt. Falzarano was one of 122 LODD memorialized at this year's service by having their names inscribed in the black granite wall situated in Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park in the shadows of Pike's Peak.

An encased IAFF flag, and a memorial medallion from L2928 were presented to Tony's family by the Honor Guard while the PBCFR Department flag was dipped as a show of respect.

This honor was bestowed on all 122 firefighters and their families during the very moving ceremony, with approximately 800 Honor Guard and 300 Pipe and Drum members from the United States and Canada in attendance. It was the largest such group ever assembled.

The IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial takes place each year in September, and is one of those events that every firefighter who is a true firefighter at heart, should attend at least once in their career. There were hundreds of non-Honor Guard uniformed personnel as well. It helps to place things in perspective.

Honor Guard : Steen Eriksson, James Hernandez, Ron Macleod
Pipe and Drum Corps : Jon Ferguson, John Fischer, Lee Forshner, Ed Peek

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Story by Steen Eriksson
Posted on September 21st , 2009.

E28 A-Shift Rescues Two Kittens

E28 was called out for a public assist in Royal Palm Beach. While en route Dispatch updated the call to kittens trapped in the grill of a vehicle. Upon arrival E28 found a PBSO deputy on scene with a U.S. Postal Service truck.

The kittens were in the front grill behind the headlight of the mail truck with no way of getting to them without removing part of the front grill. With tools from E28, the crew and deputy were able to remove the bolts and pull the grill loose from the front left side and remove the kittens. In the process one kitten escaped and climbed back into the mail truck near the rear axle. Similar methods had to be used to remove the kitten for a second a time.

Both kittens were turned over to a women who was willing to find a home for them. The mail truck and its driver were left on scene awaiting a mechanic to put the truck back together and E28 and the deputy cleared the scene.

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Story by Ken Druggan
Posted on September 17th , 2009.

40-Hour First Responder Course

The Training & Safety Division completed their first 40-Hour First Responder Course. This course is a pre-requisite for the Firefighter I class starting in January. A total of 12 people completed the course offered on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

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Posted on September 15th , 2009.

Investigator Pam Summers Wins Prestigeous International Photo Award

Investigator Pam Summers entered the International Association of Arson Investigators photographic award competition. This award is given in two categories (Arson and Accidental) fire photography. The photos are judged on content, technique, and composition. This was her first time entering the contest and she won first place in the arson category. Her winning photo was published in the July 2009 Fire & Arson Investigator magazine and she was also awarded a plaque. This IAAI contest was open worldwide to all of its members.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photos by PBCFR Video Department
Posted on September 11th , 2009.

Lunch at Station 23 with Chief Brice

On Thursday, August 18th Station 23 � A shift welcomed Chief Herman Brice for lunch. Even though Chief Brice retired the week before, he was happy to come by the station, take a few pictures and have lunch with the crew.

Also in attendance were the Battalion Chief, District Chief and EMS Captain. The crew at station 23 cooked up a big lunch, and a good time was had by all. Chief Brice was caught saying "I remember these days, when we used to sit around the table for a good meal." The crew was very grateful to the Chief for everything he has done for the department, and wishes him and Mrs. Brice a great life after retirement.

Thank you to station 17 � A for covering the "Rock" while we were taking the photos.

Pictured in photo are:
Sitting: Captain Mike Ellis, District Chief Jim Gribble, Chief Brice, Battalion Chief Ron Beesley, Captain Matt Willhite
Standing: Firemedic Chris Gutierrez, Firemedic Dale Batten, Lieutenant Shawn Niedbalski, Lieutenant Dwayne Hodges, Firemedic Graeme Gilmour, Driver Operator John Wilson, Firemedic Victor Hernandez, Firemedic Doug Taylor

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Story by Matt Willhite, photos by Sergio Ornelas
Posted on September 3rd , 2009.

Station 32: The Reconstruction (Part I)

Station 32 was commissioned in 1975 as TPVFD (Trail Park Vol Fire Dept); dedicated to Fred G. Rankin for his services. Upon consolidation in 1984 Station 32, was acquired by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and is currently in Batt.9 and services unincorporated areas of Lake Worth.

In August of 2009 construction began on a completly new two-story station. The new 32 will be two stories, have 2 bays, a workout room, and will have ample space if 32 is upstaffed, (sorry, no more murphy bed) and sit directly behind the current location of St.32.

The new building is being constructed approximately 10 feet from the current building and crews will continue to work out of St.32 until the new building is complete. The new station will have drive-through bays and the exit driveway will run directly through St.32's current location. I have also been told by the contractor that the floors in the bays will be "floating floors" with a one inch control joist around the perimeter to minimize vibrations as the trucks come in and out of the station.

If you have ever been to St.32 then you have seen the property directly behind the station, this is where the parking area will be. It's been slow going, however the contractor says once the foundation sets and the exterior walls go up, construction will move along pretty quickly... We can only hope! Stop by 32 anytime to check the progress, I will be sending pictures periodically to document the progress.

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Story and photos by Drew Craig, E32-B
Posted on September 8th , 2009.

The Passing of the Bugle

Our Fire Chief for the last 25 years has retired. Chief Herman W. Brice decided it was time to enjoy life, family and friends without the daily stresses of running a large County department. His departure w as not without accolades and presentations.

When Chief Brice and newly appointed Chief Jerauld went to the County Commission chambers for the official ratification of Steve Jerauld's appointment as new Fire Administrator, our outgoing Chief was given a proclamation signed by all of the Commissioners honoring his 25 years of commendable service to the County and to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

On Thursday August 27, a ceremony was held at Fire Rescue Headquarters. Traditionally, in the military, when command is changed, a formal "passing of command" ceremony is held. This tradition has been added to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and was accomplished with the assistance of our Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums. County Administrator Robert Weisman gave an opening address and the formal Bugle Trophy was passed from Chief to Chief.

To view a video of the County Commissioners' ratification of Chief Jerauld's appointment and the proclamation for Chief Brice, please click here. Another video of the actual Passing of the Bugle ceremony held at Fire Rescue Head Quarters can be found here. (NOTE: Both of these videos require RealPlayer.)

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Posted on August 31st , 2009.

Lunch with Chief Brice at Station 55

On Friday August 21, 2009 Chief Brice and his wife came to station 55 B shift for a farewell lunch. Chief and his wife were at the station for over three hours. We talked about old times (before Palm Beach County) and new ones ahead of the two of them. I told Chief he was going to have to come back for another party when we merge with Boca Raton Fire Rescue. He just laughed.

We found out he liked collecting and playing guitars. Of course we had one available for him to play. We enjoyed listening to him play a few songs. Thanks Chief sorry to put you on the spot. After the songs we all enjoyed an ice cream cake from Carvel.

Chief Brice, thanks for all the time you dedicated to this department over the last 25 years. If you are half as successful in retirement as you were in your career you have a lot to look forward to. Enjoy your time off.

Present at the lunch was: Justin Schainuck, Jeff Berry, Adam Neiheisel, Ana Novell, BC Todd Blake, DC Vince Cannuscio, Mike Baselice, Eric Harden, George Campa, Geoffrey Cooper and David Dugger.

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Story by Justin Schainuck, photos by Derek Wiley
Posted on September 3rd , 2009.

Small Aircraft Incident in Lantana

This is an aircraft incident that occurred on 08/29/2009. The aircraft is a Mustang 2 experimental aircraft. There were 2 people onboard with 26 gallons of fuel. The incident was ruled an aircraft accident by the FAA inspector on August 31, 2009. No injuries were reported.

Damage to the aircraft included wing damage, main gear damage and what appeared to be some structural damage to the aircraft fuselage. Also, a small fuel leak was found coming from the left wing. The aircraft came to rest at the edge of the lake. No fuel spilled into the lake.

This incident was an aborted take off due to mechanical issues. The incident is still under investigation by the FAA and NTSB.

Units on scene were DC 3, DC 8, DC 9, EMS 3, SPECIAL OPS 34, E 34, E 35, E 43, R 34, R 35, B 43.

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Story and photos by John Boike
Posted on September 1st , 2009.

Channel 5's Captain Julie Helps Locate Missing Fishermen

On July 25th, members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR), Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office (PBSO), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and WPTV Channel 5, worked together to locate and rescue two missing men who were on an alligator hunting trip on Lake Okeechobee. One of the men was reported as being a diabetic.

The boat captain's daughter found their truck and trailer parked at the Belle Glade marina and reported them missing. FWC was responding from Moore Haven with a 15 minute ETA. Airboat 73 was the first rescue boat on the water for this search.

E73B, Airboat 73, DC7 & EMS7 arrived at the marina. DC7 Curtis Rice established command while members of E73B prepped the airboat for deployment. The family was able to provide information that allowed FWC to determine where they might be hunting. The family gave a description of the airboat and confirmed we were looking for two men and the father was a diabetic.

Capt. Frank Cote (73A) who is also a licensed trapper for the state was contacted for his advice on where the best location to start the search might be. He provided this info to Command as well as Capt Dan Smith who would be operating airboat 73. It turned out that the area Capt. Cote selected was exactly where the missing men were found.

Now armed with a search plan Airboat 73 launched with Capt Dan Smith, FF Andy Kirchner and PBSO Lt. Mike Morris on board. As airboat 73 left the dock, FWC arrived.

At this point news channel 5's helicopter was circling overhead. Trauma Hawk was on the coast re-fueling as was PBSO's Eagle. DC7 contacted PIO Don Delucia to see if Helicopter 5 would help in the search. DC7 was put in touch with Channel 5's new room and provided info on what we were looking for as well as the most probable location. Within minutes Captain Julie reported that they had located the missing men. Airboat 73 and the FWC airboat were directed to their location. Both men were found to be in good condition standing on part of the airboat. Their airboat had overturned and sunk approximately 11 hours prior to the rescue. The men were transported to the dock, one on each airboat.

Units involved E73B, AB73, DC7, EMS7, PIO and Capt. Julie

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on August 28th , 2009.

Building Futures: Habitat for Humanity and PBCFR Employees

A group of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue employees got together once again for a "Labor of Love" - building affordable houses for deserving families. Working in the Kennedy Estates subdivision near the Town of Jupiter on a recent Saturday the five teamed up with other volunteers to aid Habitat for Humanity in their mission to wipe out substandard housing. The work they performed included constructing and installing the interior stud walls and installing the furring strips.

"This place is ready for the electrician now" said Randy Sheppard as he wiped the sweat from his forehead while cleaning up and calling it a day.

The houses on this street are not foreign to this group who pointed out the different ones they've worked on over the past months while enjoying the sight of hard working families now occupying them. John Harsch, another volunteer on the site shared this thought while looking at all the brightly painted new houses on the tree lined street: "It's a great feeling to know that you're making a lasting contribution."

Habitat for Humanity builds affordable housing all over the world and recently completed their 200,000th unit. They accept all types of support in their mission including volunteer help, monetary donations and they accept used furniture, building materials and vehicles for resale. If you want to help Habitat for Humanity call them at (561) 433-3351.

Although it was a hot day the team did enjoy working under the shade provided by the plywood roof installed just the day before.

Pictured from left to right are: John Harsch, Bob "Wheels" Grosbeck, Jack Norris, Randy Sheppard and Vicki Sheppard.

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Story and photos by John Norris
Posted on August 27th , 2009.

Little Smiles: Junk Food Run in July

Once again, in July the local fire service came out to assist on the JUNK FOOD RUN but this time it was St. Mary's Childrens Hospital and not JUST PBCFR.

Personnel from West Palm Beach Fire Department and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue met the organization Little Smiles to assist children and families at St. Mary's Children's Hospital. They donated their time to bring smiles and laughter to these little ones that are admitted for various medical issues.

Room by Room and Floor to Floor they battled with nerf guns, handed out candies, chips and treats. The Smiles and Laughter overcame some very gloomy situations. One boy laughed because of Mike Politi's antics for the first time since he had been there - the Nursing Staff was amazed!

Thanks to all the Fire Personnel that were in attendance:

PBCFR Sam Eaton
PBCFR Mike Politi
PBCFR Paul Dixon
PBCFR Paul Koski

WPBFD Brian Lamb
WPBFD John Slack
WPBFD Bianca Clements

It was great to see our fine organizations working side by side (if you want to call it work).

INTERESTING AUGUST TWIST ! : In August, Raina, of the organization Little Smiles, got a request from Palms West Children's Hospital. The request came through as it normally does when a child that is in their care has a need or want. The request simply was: Young teen child just admitted with Leukemia has a need for a lap top computer. She's worried about finishing a project that is due at school. They delivered the request by the next day not knowing that they were fulfilling a request from Courtney Wolfe (CP Larry Wolfe's daughter). She received a brand New Toshiba Lap-Top (loaded with the necessary MS Word software), Back Pack, Mouse and Assessories. This is the kind of awesome benevolent service this Little Smiles Organization is doing & They just help one of our own! After speaking with Larry Wolfe, I relayed to Raina Ruelle his heartfelt thanks and our thanks for doing the service that they do.

Little Smiles sends a great big thanks once again to the personnel from West Palm Fire and PBCFR that came out for this.

If you are interested in helping out with the monthly Junk Food Run or Nerf Gun Fight, contact Little Smile's Executive Director - Raina Ruelle: rruelle@littlesmiles.org.

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Story and photos by District Chief Sam Eaton
Posted on August 17th , 2009.

Little Smiles: Junk Food Run in June

In June, personnel from Battalion Two generously gave of their time to help out an organization called Little Smiles. Little Smiles is a local organization that provides benefits and fun to sick or injured children that are in our local children's hospitals. They are non-for-profit and will answer needs that a family might have and many times things that a child JUST wants.

Additionally, each month at the hospitals (Palms West Childrens and St Mary's Childrens) they do what's called a JUNK FOOD RUN! They go to Costco or Sams and load up on treats and toys and hit the children's floors. Its like Halloween but the treaters are coming to YOU.

The children and their family are given bags and are allowed to load them up. The organizations also brings Nerf Guns and there is a lot of playing going on with the kids and a lot of little smiles.

Palm Beach Couty Fire Rescue personnel were honored and pleased to be part of the Junk Food Run in June at Palms West Hospital. It was truly a pleasure to see this fine organization do what it does best, BRING LITTLE SMILES, and our firefighters added some extra smiles in support of their cause. The organizers from Little Smiles and Palms West Hospital were very pleased that we came out to help and conveyed that our personnel made this trip an extra special one.

A BIG THANKS GOES OUT TO...

Jay Ackerman,
John Gratton,
Cody Nevad,
John Jones,
Rickey Rodriguez,
Phil Olaverria,
Janice Weisman,
Chris Combs
James Hernandez
Nigel Baker

If you are interested in helping out with the next Junk Food Run or Nerf Gun Fight, contact Little Smile's Executive Director - Raina Ruelle @ rruelle@littlesmiles.org.

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Story and photos by District Chief Sam Eaton
Posted on August 17th , 2009.

A Hot July in Belle Glade

With the city in the process of prepping the old City Hall/Police department building for demolition, several old firearms along with boxes of potentially important paperwork were found. The building had long ago been condemned and was considered a toxic building with no entry allowed.

Because of the concerns of what unknown toxins may be inside PBSO requested the assistance of Special OP's to locate and remove any sensitive items in the building. Wearing protective encapsulating suits and using their high-tech camera equipment they were able to move through the building and show the PBSO command staff exactly what they were looking at to determine what needed to be removed and decontaminated. All systems worked well and all personnel completed the operation with no problems. E73 assisted in the De-con of the entry team and R73 provided medical and rehab.

On scene units. OP's 1, DC7, DC9, E34, R34, SPLOP's 34, E73, R73 and PBSO command staff

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Story by and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on August 10th , 2009.

2nd Annual Jeff Annas Memorial Run

The Firefighters Paramedics Benevolent Fund is proud to present the 2nd Annual Jeff Annas Memorial Firefighters 5k Run. The race will be held September 12th, 2009 at Okeeheelee Park. Starting time is 8:00 am. Please arrive early as large race day crowds are expected.

Last year over 531 runners participated in the event including over 100 firefighters. This year will also include a kids fun run 1 kilometer in distance. More information can be found at JeffAnnas5k.com

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Posted on August 6th , 2009.

Mike Thompson Memorial Service

On July 18, 2009, PBCFR Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps rendered honors to retired DO Mike Thompson in Fentress Co. TN. Mike passed away after his battle with cancer.

The ceremony took place in the local park with 100+ members of the community, family, and Fire-Rescue personnel, both current and retired.

Honors included a flag fold with presentation to his wife, a helmet to his daughter, and a helicopter fly-over, all set in concert to the music of our Pipe and Drum Corps.

After the 30 minute service, local fire apparatus led a small procession to the Coffee Stop Cafe owned by Mike and Heather for a reception.

This was a cooperative effort of Local 2928 and PBCFR Administration to make this happen for Mike's family. They were truly overwhelmed by the show of support, and expressed their heartfelt thanks to all.

Honor Guard : Steen Eriksson, Lenny Collins, Ron Macleod
Pipe and Drum: John Fischer, Jon Ferguson, Lee Forshner

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Story by Steen Eriksson and photos by Kit Howes and Jeff Galloway.
Posted on August 6th , 2009.

Vehicle Accident in South Bay

On August 4, 2009, a Palm Beach County Fire Rescue unit returning from mapping in the Lake Harbor area came across a motor vehicle accident that had just happened in the 300 block of US Hwy 27 North in South Bay.

Initial reports were that the SUV lost control after going through some standing water, rolled over, crossed the median and struck a car. Both vehicles received major damage. There were a total of four patients. With the exception of one engine company, all units in the 7th Battalion were at this call.

Assessment of the patients determined that two of the injured met trauma transport criteria. A landing zone was set up at the Branch Packing House parking lot adjacent to the incident. The other two patients were transported by rescue to Glades General Hospital.

On scene units included OP's 7, DC7, EMS7, E73, E73B, R73, R73B, R72, Trauma Hawk.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on August 6th , 2009.

Station 81 Gets Two New Dragons

Photos of two new airport fire/rescue vehicles just received at Station 81. They are Oshkosh Strikers. Each unit carries 3000 gallons of water, 420 gallons of AFFF foam, and 500 pounds of Purple K dry chemical agent. Both vehicles can be operated by one operator however, have seating for 3. Both vehicles are equipped with Forward Looking Infared and Color cameras. The crews at Station 81 will be doing extensive training on these vehicles in the next few weeks, prior to being placed in service. The new trucks will be called Dragon 2 and Dragon 3. Dragon 2 will replace a 1997 1500 gallon vehicle, and Dragon 3 will be replacing old Dragon 4 (also a 1997 vehicle which will become a spare).

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Story and photos by John Boike
Posted on August 3rd , 2009.

Larry's Going Away Party

Station 34 hosted a going away party for DO Larry Lawler, Sgt. US Army National Guard. A house full of his family and friends were on hand to wish him well. Chief Brice and many more of his fire department brothers and sisters were also on hand. "Sahlen's" hotdogs, flown in from Larry's hometown of Buffalo, were on the menu for this special occasion. Much to Larry's relief, the hotdogs were perfectly grilled and not "ruined" in boiling water.

Larry and his reserve unit were called upon to serve and protect this country in Iraq. His unit will train for approximately 1 month in Indiana before being deployed for about a year overseas. Waiting for him at home are his wife, Virginia, and two daughters, Christine and Jessica. Please keep Larry and his family in your thoughts as we await his safe return.

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Story and photos by Station 34 C-Shift
Posted on July 15th , 2009.

Drive Through Rent-A-Center

Shoppers in the Rent-A-Center on SW 16th Street in Belle Glade received a big surprise. The driver of a vehicle, for an unknown reason, failed to stop at the curb in front of the store. The car traveled up and over the high sidewalk and through the front window. It appears the vehicle was then backed out of the store and abandoned. Fortunately no shoppers inside the store or at the shopping center were injured. There were apparently no serious injuries in the car and the building did not suffer any structural damage.

On scene units E73B, R73B, DC7.

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Story and photos by Curtis Rice, District Chief
Posted on July 9th , 2009.

Vehicle Fire in Belle Glade

On Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at approximately 4:02 pm units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a vehicle fire in the 1500 block of Torry Island Road on the west side of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a pickup truck fully involved in fire. It took crews about five minutes to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but does not appear to be suspicious.

Units on scene: E73, R73, EMS7

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on July 6th , 2009.

Triple Header for Pahokee

June gave Station 72, Pahokee, and Station 73, Belle Glade a very interesting C-shift. Right after change of shift, the two stations were dispatched to a reported structure fire on Conner's Hwy. Crews reported seeing a column of smoke early into the response. Due to the very long distance to this location, after the fire the crews also talked about the column becoming less the closer they got. This was because at the time of dispatch, the small residential structure was fully involved. Upon arrival of the ST72 units the structure had already collapsed. The fire was determined to be suspicious as there was no power to the structure and no one had lived there for some time. An investigator was requested.

Once the overhaul of this structure was complete and most of the support units had been released, it was decided to look into another structure on the property that we would not consider an exposure however, it too had no power and had not been lived in for some time. Early into the first fire, this structure was quickly looked at with no obvious signs of any problems. Investigator Summers entered the structure and once inside came across obvious signs of arson. She immediately backed out of the structure and notified the IC, Capt Duran. Inv. Summers had found burns on the floor and saw sparks fall from a door with burn damage.

Capt Duran closed up the structure and called for units to back them up. As there was no water on the property, T72 was not on site as DO McCarroll was at a distant site refilling. E72 at this point was also extremely low on water. The decision was made to standby for support and water. Once units arrived and a water supply was established, exterior ventilation was done on the Bravo side windows and crews entered with a charged hoseline. It was found that this structure had been set on fire, probably at the same time as the first structure. Due to its being closed up tight the fire went out. Burn trailers were noted in different rooms on the floor, doors had been burned at the bottom and a can of what was believed to be gasoline was found on the floor next to one of the burned areas. The incident is under investigation.

Later that afternoon the very same units were dispatched to a trailer on fire on E. 7th Street in Pahokee. E72, R72 & T72 arrived to find smoke showing and the living room of the trailer on fire. E73 and E73B assisted. The fire was quickly knocked down.

Units on scene: E72, R72, T72, E73, E73B, EMS7, DC7, INV

Just another day in the 7th Battalion.

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Posted on July 1st , 2009.

Fully Involved Structure Fire in Pahokee

On Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 7:12 pm, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to a residential structure fire in the southern section of the City of Pahokee. Crews arrived to find an abandoned double-wide trailer fully involved in fire.

A defensive attack was initiated by the first arriving crews. Due to the large amount of fire, it took crews about 25 minutes to bring the fire under control. No one was injured during the fire. The fire is currently under investigation by the Palm Beach County Bomb/Fire/Arson Unit.

Units on scene: E72, R72, T72, E73B, R73B, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 19th , 2009.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's Video Production Team Receives Top Honors

Members of Palm Beach County Fire Video Production team were recognized for their work at the 24th Annual Distinguished Service Awards Luncheon held by the Traffic Safety Committee of the Palm Beaches. The Video Production Team, consisting of Jack Norris, Sergio Ornelas, and Derek Wiley, have produced public information programs on the subjects of automobile and bicycle safety, as well as PSA's that stress the importance of motorists yielding the right of way to oncoming emergency vehicles.

The Traffic Safety Committee of the Palm Beaches is an organization that was founded in 1983 with the mission to enhance traffic safety awareness and programs in Palm Beach County.

We salute our Video Production team for another outstanding job. Congratulations!!!

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Posted on June 9th , 2009.

Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge

On Saturday, May 30, 2009, several of our firefighters competed in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge at Old Town in Kissimmee. Our firefighters did extremely well in the events.

Participating in the events were: Wendy Arnold (on loan from City of Clearwater), Jason Cabal (on loan from Seminole County), Leilani Kamalu (Batt 4), Tricia Kamalu (Batt 3), Elizabeth Martino (Batt 7), Jason Martino (Batt 7), Lynnette Reid (Batt 7), Amy Tuminski (Batt 7), Laura Villiers (on loan from Miami-Dade)

Here are the highlight of the results:

Female Relay Team: 1st Place - Ladies of Palm Beach County - Leilani Kamalu, Tricia Kamalu, Elizabeth Martino, Lynnette Reid, Amy Tuminski, Laura Villiers
Female Tandem Team: 1st Place - Wendy Arnold, Elizabeth Martino
Female Tandem Team: 2nd Place - Amy Tuminski, Laura Villiers
Co-Ed Tandem Team: 1st Place - Elizabeth Martino, Jason Martino
Co-Ed Tandem Team: 2nd Place - Jason Cabal, Amy Tuminski

Congratulations to these fine athletes and firefighters! We are proud of all of them!

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by DO Jason Martino
Posted on June 4th , 2009.

Station 28 Goes the Extra Mile

Recently crews from station 28 were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident in a residential neighborhood in Royal Palm Beach. Crews arrived to find a Ford F-150 pickup truck lodged inside of a home. In addition, the truck had actually driven in and out of a second home. The driver of the truck had suffered a significant medical emergency which led to the accident. The driver was transported to JFK Emergency Room.

Crews were then faced with two homes with large openings in them, while the two families of seniors trying to figure out what to do next. One family decided to stay in their house while the other planned to stay with their daughter.

The crews from station 28 began to inventory what was available to them. Between what was back at the station, at their near-by private homes, in their personal trucks and from neighbors, the crews were able to set a plan on how to help secure these two homes.

After the building official declared the homes safe, crews removed most of the debris inside the homes, cleaned up the outer surfaces and secured plywood over the openings. Both families were grateful that their homes had been secured and they could begin to recover and repair after a night of unexpected and unwanted excitement.

All crews involved exemplified leadership and teamwork in order going the extra mile for our fire rescue customer here!!! Frequent Fire Miles go to: Cpt. Kevin Shaw, DO Richard Kingston, PM Doug Stewart, Lt Lynne Gralin, PM Lownsdale, FF Chris Combs, Rescue Cpt Ernst Muller, District Chief Neil Enos and Battalin Chief Nigel Baker.

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Posted on May 26th , 2009.

Introducing Gold Medalist Kevin Kimberly

Not many people know that our very own Captain Kevin Kimberly was a Gold Medal winner in the firefighter Olympics. In all, he received a Gold Medal in the rifle competition, Gold Medal for best team in the rifle division (along with teammate Mitch White, PBCFR), a Silver Medal in the centerfire pistol competition and a Bronze Medal in the rimfire pistol team competition, again with teammate Mitch White.

Kevin began his shooting competition hobby when he was 17 with the National Guard Explorers and ended up going to the Nationals with their team. After a short hiatus, Kevin again picked up competitive shooting in the 2000 State Firefighter games and placed 4th overall in the rifle division. After some training with D/O Jimmy Johnson and D/O Mitch White, he also began to compete with pistols. The pistol competition is divided into two divisions: Centerfire pistol (any caliber but .22) and Rimfire (only .22 caliber guns allowed). Pistols are shot from 25 yards. The rifle division is for .22 caliber rifles only and targets are set at 50 yards.

Kevin scored a 255 out of a possible 300 points. Everyone is glad he�s on our team.

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Story and photos from the desk of Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on May 14th , 2009.

Multiple PBC Agencies Respond to Mass Casualty Incident

Some pictures taken at a Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. This was a lengthy event that moved from the Boynton Inlet to Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach. Numerous departments worked together in preparation for the possibility of a large drop off of patients by the Coast Guard. A capsized boat may have been carrying as many as 28 people. The event ended with the drop off of deceased victims only and all units were released.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO and photos by Captain Mark Carr
Posted on May 14th , 2009.

Battalion 7 Drives the Extra Mile

Battalion 7 has been driving the extra mile, literally, for their customers lately! Several incidents have occured in recent weeks that tend to stand out above the rest. Station 74 units responded to a signal 4 rollover where a family of three (mom, son and daughter) lost control of their vehicle. They were returning from Lake Whales where they were celebrating the daughter's birthday with family. Nobody was injured but the vehicle was totaled and they still had a long way to go before they reached Oakland Park, which is where the family lived. Dad was a contract employee and was stationed in Iraq. The presents were jammed in the trunk and the family members were covered in mulch. The CAT Team was not available so R73 brought the family back to the station so they could clean up and re-group. While their mom got them cleaned up, the crew of R73 made them PB&J sandwiches. E74 forced the trunk open and brought all the birthday presents along with all the other items from the car back to the station. BC Arena cleared the use of the batallion spare car in order for PM Doug Taylor to drive them home to Broward County. WOW!! That's treating our customers like family!

On another occasion, Station 73 units responded to a medical call to a driver of a large RV. After determining that the elderly friend who was the uninvolved passenger could not drive the RV, E73 didn't think twice about securing the vehicle and riding the friend home in the fire engine!

Lastly Chief Rowley and Cpt Ken Sehres came upon a family of five who was involved in a serious signal four rollover while enroute to Miami from Clewiston. They were trying to get their kids into Spring Camp vacation when the incident occured. Thankfully nobody was injured, however, the vehicle was a total loss. They attempted in locating a rental car agency even though the nearest place was over an hour away. Even the Vice Mayor of South Bay got involved and volunteered to drive the family to the east coast so that they could pick up the car and finish their vacation.

As these incidents all happened within the same few days and were all in Battalion 7, we chose to write it up as one story. It is great to see, especially in these troubled times, crews going the extra mile to assist customers and make the difference.

Great job Battalion 7 and District Chief Bill Rowley, Captain Ken Sehres, Captain R. Frank, R. Rodman, D. Taylor, C. Berry, J. Hachet, J. Russell, District Chief Curtis Rice, Battalion Chief M. Arena, Captain R. Christmas, & Driver/Operator F. Iznaga.

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Posted on May 14th , 2009.

Drowning Prevention Coalition Rummage Sale

Never fear, Jerry G is here! Recently, the Drowning Prevention Coalition, housed in and partnered with Fire-Rescue, held a huge rummage sale. The proceeds are helping pay for swimming lessons for children with autism. As you can imagine, the collecting, sorting, logging, storing, delivering, setting up, selling, and breaking down of donated items was quite time consuming, and volunteers were highly coveted.

Several people from Inspections, Community-Ed, and citizens from local communities donated their time and spirit. Even a CAT member joined in the fun � who says CATs don't like water???? GREAT job everyone! Remember � PAY ATTENTION TO DROWNING PREVENTION.

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Story and photos from CAT Coordinator Alicia Kula
Posted on May 13th , 2009.

Martin County Brush Fire

On Monday, May 11, for the second time in two days, PBCFR units responded to Indiantown to assist Martin County Fire Rescue with multiple brush fires. Units were assigned to structural protection and wildfire attack in the northeast sections of the town. Also on scene were units from DOF, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties.

Units were released around 2300 hours, and even at that late hour multiple fires were visible on the horizon along SR710.

Units included E14, B14, E17, B17, E72, B72, E20, B20, E48, B48, E30, DC1, BC1, AT13 and CH2.

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Story and photos by Deputy Chief Steve Jerauld
Posted on May 13th , 2009.

Lantana Airport Plane Crash

A single engine Beechcraft V35 Bonanza tried unsuccessfully to make an emergency landing at Lantana airport on Wednesday, May 6th. The aircraft ended up severing the wing on one parked plane and damaging another then slid under a parked semi-trailer. Both the pilot and the passenger died from the impact. Initial impressions are that the aircraft experienced engine problems after takeoff.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO, photos by Captain Mark Carr
Posted on May 7th , 2009.

Florida Forestry Crews Train Palm Beach County Firefighters

Brush fires in the south Florida heat are a common threat during the windy, dry seasons of the year. Local fire departments and forestry services often work hand-in-hand to protect homes and property from the devastating effects of these, often fast-moving, fires.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and the Everglades District of Florida's Division of Forestry have long enjoyed a close working relationship. The two agencies depend on the expertise the other brings to the table to meet the main objectives of the incident � to put out the fire and to assure that "Everybody goes home at the end of the incident". In recent months the two workforces have further cemented their relationship through training and familiarization with each other's equipment.

Occasionally, in a bad situation, Forestry firefighters are called upon to assist Fire Rescue crews who have become mired in the muck or mud of the off-road environment as a fast-moving fire approaches. Other times, the fire may encroach upon locations where Forestry has staged their tractor haulers after deploying the tractor-plows. In the worst of situations, if perhaps, a Forestry firefighter becomes incapacitated in his tractor-plow, County firefighters could be required to extract the downed firefighter from the tractor-plow or move the tractor-plow to a safe location.

Recently, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue District Chief James Schaffner and Florida Forestry Everglades Area Supervisor Chris Wasil developed and instituted a training program that equipped firefighters to accomplish these "emergency" tasks. With the assistance of Fire Rescue Driver/Operator John Greer, Sr. and Forestry Firefighters Harry Mortimer, John Greer, Jr. and James Schaffner; crews from the western, or rural, communities of the county were given training that explained many of the in's and out's of both the hauler trucks and the tractor-plows used in the area. They were shown things such as how to raise the hydraulic ramps, use the fire suppression systems and drive the large trucks. They were also familiarized with how to access the batteries, power switches, fuel shut-offs, and fire suppression systems of the haulers as well as how to operate all of the cage and door latches on the tractors. Topping it all off, the County firefighters received instruction in how to actually operate and drive the tractor-plows. Each firefighter had the opportunity to drive the tractor-plows through a circuit laid out in a wooded area of their district.

Further training allowed each firefighter to drive their own brush fire truck along with a more experienced operator in a variety of off-road conditions including uneven terrain, wet or dry soil, and tight spaces. The four-wheel-drive capabilities of the trucks were demonstrated and performed in a real-life environment.

All of the Fire-Rescue crews that participated in the training enjoyed the chance to take part in a different variety of hands-on training and enjoyed the chance to forge closer working relationships with their counterparts in the Forestry service.

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Story and Photos by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on May 5th , 2009.

Station 72 Brings Easter to Pahokee

On April 12th, Easter Sunday, the crew from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 72 C-shift organized an Easter egg hunt for the children of Pahokee, the first of its kind in this area. Days before, the crew gathered hundreds of dollars in donations to help with the egg hunt. Approximately 2,000 plastic eggs, numerous bags of candy, chocolate Easter bunnies, and Easter baskets were all donated from sponsors in our area.

The day kicked off with a giant egg hunt at Rardin Park in Pahokee. About 60 children ran throughout the park searching for eggs stuffed with treats and prizes. The laughter, cheering and smiling faces of many children could be seen all over the park!

Then, the firefighters from Station 72 drove throughout their community handing out bags of Easter eggs and Easter baskets. Kids from all over were so excited and had tears of joy! At times, the kids were screaming "we love the firemen, we love the firemen"! This brought such joy and happiness to the fire rescue crew.

The crew at Station 72C wishes to thank the numerous sponsors including Walmart, Target, Dollar General and Save-a-lot for making this event possible.

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Story and photos by Lt. Tony Faso, PBCFR Station 72
Posted on April 14th , 2009.

Fatal Accident in Belle Glade

On Tuesday, April 7, 2009, at approximately 12:50 pm units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 34 responded to a witnessed vehicle in a canal at the intersection of West Canal Street South and Northwest 2nd Street in Belle Glade. There were two occupants in the minivan that had drove off of the roadway and ended up in the Hillsboro Canal. The passenger was able to get out and was assisted out to the shore by PBSO Deputies, but the driver was still trapped when rescue crews arrived.

Witnesses stated that the vehicle submerged rapidly after entering the water. Rescue crews had a difficult time accessing the vehicle to rescue the driver because of the deep water, fast current, and murky conditions. Moss Towing was able to remove the car from the water, at which time the driver was removed by Fire-Rescue paramedics who initiated care.

The cause of this accident is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on April 8th , 2009.

Former Palm Beach County Truck Overseas

As the fleet of most fire departments age, new apparatus are purchased to replace them. What happens to the older rigs is not usually of concern, and is not usually kept track of, except by fire apparatus buffs and historians. Some rigs are sold or donated to smaller departments close by. Others are traded in and purchased by smaller departments where they're often refurbished and given a new life. And quite often, the rigs are sold at auction and used by private owners or shipped abroad.

Such is the case of this 1986 Ford F350/Wheeled Coach unit former rescue truck recently found in Argentina.

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Story by Mark V. Carr, Photo by Dr. James Kus
Posted on April 5th , 2009.

Vehicle Accident on US-27

On Thursday, March 31st, units from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR) and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) were dispatched to a reported single-vehicle roll-over on US Hwy 27, approximately 10 miles north of South Bay. Construction workers in the area reported that a vehicle rolled over several times with 2 people being ejected.

DC7, BC7 and E74 arrived to find an SUV in the median with heavy damage. Two patients were noted on the ground upon arrival. Command was established and a quick assessment of the patients was completed. With the extent of the injuries, both Trauma Hawk One and Trauma Hawk Two were request to fly. Due to the close proximity to the Hendry County Line, Hendry County MED 108 and the Clewiston Fire Department also arrived on scene.

Patients were treated, immobilized and transported to the landing zone at John Stretch Park. Both patients were airlifted to the regional trauma center.

Units on scene- BC7, DC7, EMS7, E74, R74, E73, R73, TH1, TH2, Hendry County MED 108 and an Engine from The Clewiston Fire Department.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on April 7th , 2009.

Rush Hour Wreck Snarls Traffic in West Palm Beach

Several units from the West Palm Beach Fire Department and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to a rush-hour crash on Okeechobee Blvd. just west of Interstate 95. Initial reports were that 5 or 6 vehicles were involved, one on its roof and smoking.

West Palm Beach's Rescue 6 and Engine 1 were initially dispatched and Palm Beach County's Engine 24 and Rescue 24 were dispatched to what was initially thought to be another crash in the same area. The two calls turned out to be one and the same. Squad 4 and Rescue 4 from West Palm Beach as well as several EMS, Chiefs, and Safety Officers subsequently responded when the intensity of the telephone reports escalated. City and County crews ended up working together to assess and mitigate the incident.

First on the scene was West Palm Beach Squad 4 who reported multiple vehicles with one car rolled over and onto the hood of another. Both the east and west bound lanes of Okeechobee Blvd, a major artery in the center of the county, were cluttered with crashed cars pointed in all directions in the roadway.

There were several walking-wounded victims from the crash as well as a couple that were treated and transported by West Palm Beach Fire Rescue. Most of the victims received only minor injuries and were treated and released at the scene. Amazingly, nobody was trapped or seriously injured.

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Story and photos by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 24th , 2009.

Fire in Canal Point

On 3-19-09 at 2317 hours, units from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 72 in Pahokee and Station 73 in Belle Glade responded to a residential structure fire in Canal Point. While responding, units were notified that the Palm Beach Sheriff's Deputies were on scene and reporting a house fully involved with the house next to it beginning to burn.

On arrival, station 72's units found a house 75% involved, with flames blowing out the windows on the Bravo, Charlie and Delta sides. The flames were touching the neighbor's house. The Alpha side was showing black, boiling smoke, exiting under extreme pressure. As the first line was being pulled, this angry black smoke lit off, resulting in an fire ball rolling out from the front porch. Captain Paccione on Engine 72 ordered the first line deployed to protect the Bravo exposure, which now had flames rolling over the top of it. A water supply was quickly established by Engine 72 Driver R. Rodriguez and Tender 72 Driver Bud McCarroll. With a positive water supply, the second pre-connect as well as the 2.5" were charged, both as fire attack lines. Although initially short handed, Engine 72 and Rescue 72 crews were able to put all three lines in service until the balance of the alarm arrived. With all 3 lines flowing, the water system in that area was taxed. The closest hydrant could only supply about 400 gpm's.

Because of a quick and aggressive fire attack by the Station 72 crews, the exposure was saved and a family still has a home to live in. The structure suffered very minor damage to the outside "Delta" wall. Unfortunately, the house of origin was a complete loss. The residents in the community gave all PBCFR crews great praise for their quick and aggressive fire attack which resulted in a save for their neighbors home.

Units on scene - E72, R72, T72, B72, E73, E73B, EMS7, DC7, IV.

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Story by Lt. Tony Faso R72-C, pictures by PBSO
Posted on March 23rd , 2009.

Local 2928 Recognizes Local News Anchor

The Professional Firefighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County, Local 2928, IAFF, Inc., recognized a WPTV Channel 5 local news anchor, Chandra Bill, for achieving second place in the International Association of Fire Fighters annual "TV News Feature or Documentary Contest."

Ms. Bill has shown support of local efforts to get the State of Florida to recognize cancer as a presumptive disease for Firefighters by creating a series of new stories documenting and bringing attention to the issue. As part of her news series, Ms. Bill documented the trials and tribulations of Palm Beach County Firefighter Guy Roper as he battled the disease.

On more than one occasion, Ms. Bill traveled to Texas to meet with and interview Roper using her own time. Local 2928 showed its support of Ms. Bill�s efforts to bring attention to this cause by entering the news series into the national contest and later recognizing her for her success in achieving second place with a certificate of achievement and a gift of appreciation.

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Posted on March 19th , 2009.

Sons of the American Revolution Awards Recipients

Three of our employees were honored at an awards ceremony held by the Palm Beach Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The Sons of the American Revolution is a fraternal organization made up of direct descendants of our country's "Founding Fathers". Their purpose is to maintain those ideals which their descendants fought to instill in our country.

Once a year they hold an awards ceremony to honor those involved in fire safety and law enforcement who have made outstanding accomplishments and/or contributions of the areas of fire safety and law enforcement. This year, the awards ceremony was held at the Sailfish Club in the Town of Palm Beach.

Twelve people were being honored this year: six for law enforcement, and six for fire safety. Out of those six for fire safety, three were from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue: Fire Safety Specialist John Harsch, EMS Captain Craig Prusansky, and District Chief William Rowley. These three were awarded the medal for their exemplary work in various areas of the fire service.

Also in attendance were the supervisors for these employees: Deputy Chief Randy Sheppard, Division Chief Jim St. Pierre, and Battalion Chief Michael Arena.

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Posted on March 19th , 2009.

Vehicle vs Gas Pump, With Fire

E42, R44, E44, R45, DC4, EMS4 responded to a signal 4 in a Chevron parking lot with gas pumps involved. Found 2 vehicles on fire and a gas pump taken out of the ground. One patient transported ALS to DCH.

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Story and photos by Captain Jeffrey Teems
Posted on March 17th , 2009.

Royal Palm Beach Students Say, "I Can" with Station 28

Concern for humanity is still alive in Royal Palm Beach! Students at Ideal Preschool and Dream Middle School in Royal Palm Beach had a "Heart to Heart" talk with Principal/Co-owner Wendy Soderman, also a teacher at the schools, and learned that they can make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate of their own community. Every Friday afternoon, at the end of the school day, the children are given an opportunity to share in the project aptly called "I Can", by the students.

Along with Principal/Co-owners Chris and Wendy Soderman, teachers and parents, the students take a 4-mile walk from their school to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 28 and back. With them, the each carry a canned good that they deposit in a bin at the fire station. The firefighters then take the canned goods to local church or civic groups to be dispersed as needed.

Approximately 100 students choose to participate in the weekly journey. To show their excitement for the cause, they've designed their own special t-shirts that identify their mission. They wear the shirts as identification on the trip and as a way to promote their joy of giving.

Wendy Soderman and teacher Joanne Markovich share that the kids' desire is for other schools, churches and groups see what they are doing and join in the cause.

At the fire station, the kids are allowed to help themselves to ice cold water and a shady spot to rest before returning to school. Some even enjoy looking over the fire engine and talking to the firefighters. As an extra reward for participating, the kids get to pick a ticket from a hat for a lucky chance reward. Winning ticket holders are rewarded in a variety of ways such as a dress-down day, being allowed to wear their pajamas to school, and other class privileges.

Children are our future family and community leaders. It's encouraging to see them display such a giving spirit at such young ages. Way to go kids!

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Story and photo by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 16th , 2009.

Double Drowning in Lake Okeechobee Canal

On Friday, February 27, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a report of a boating accident at John Stretch Park near the community of Lake Harbor. A man, his daughter, and his granddaughter were boating when the boat took a sharp turn, causing the three to fall into the water.

A PBSO (Palm Beach County Sheriff Office) Deputy who was close by was able to rescue the 8-year old daughter from the water, but the man and his granddaughter were not able to be rescued and died. Crews from Station 73 deployed Airboat 73 to perform a search of the area. The granddaughter was found later that night by Florida Game and Fish officers, and the man was found the next day by PBSO divers.

The daughter was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to recover. The PBCFR Light and Air unit remained on scene all night to assist the law enforcement officials with the search.

The incident is under investigation by PBSO.

Unit on scene: E73, E73B, AB73, R73, LA24, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photo by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 6th , 2009.

Rollover Crash with Fire on US 27 in Lake Harbor

On Saturday, February 28, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a report of a rollover car crash with fire near Mile Marker 81 on US Highway 27, near the community of Lake Harbor.

Crews arrived to find a single vehicle on its side, fully engulfed in flames. The occupant of the vehicle was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The fire was extinguished quickly by the responding crews. The crash had US Highway 27 closed for a couple of hours.

The incident is under investigation by PBSO.

Unit on scene: E74, E73B, R73B, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photo by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 6th , 2009.

Semi Crash on US 27 Near Okeelanta

On Friday, March 6, 2009, at 5:20 am, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a report of a vehicle crash with near the Okeelanta Sugar Mill on US Highway 27 several miles south of South Bay.

Crews arrived to find two semi-trailers that had collided, both having severe damage. The driver of one of the trucks was ejected and had died from his injuries on the scene. The three occupants of the other truck were treated on scene and released.

The incident is under investigation by Palm Beach County Sheriff Office and Florida Highway Patrol.

Unit on scene: E74, E73B, R73B, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photo by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 6th , 2009.

MCI in Northwestern Battalion 7

Late Sunday night Battalion 7 units were dispatched to assist Hendry County EMS and Clewiston Fire department working a multiple car accident on US Hwy 27. During the extended response, units learned there were at least 5 patients lying in the roadway. Trauma Hawk was then placed on standby and additional units called.

Upon the arrival of DC-7, he advised incoming crews of the conditions onscene, and assumed 27 command.

E-74 arrived next and began to assist HCEMS crews working in the median. EMS-7 arrived and was assigned EMS division. As he walked around, he discovered several patients scattered about the scene, one located almost 175 feet away. EMS-7 along with E-74 set up a patient staging and treatment area to determine the number of patients and extent of injuries. E-73B arrived to secure an LZ. R-73 and R-73B arrived soon after, and were told to report to the patient staging area for assignment.

The first two patients (Both Trauma Alerts, 1 adult, 1 pediatric) were sent to TH-1 for transport. A total of 5 patients, (2 pediatric and 3 adult) were transported away from the scene. R-73 transported a patient by ground to PWH were TH-1 met them to transfer the patient for aeromedical evacuation. HCEMS took the remaining patients to Hendry Regional where Collier County Life Flight met them for aeromedical transport to a trauma facility, the closest being 77 miles away.

Conflicting reports onscene about the number of patients became a concern. PBSO Eagle 1 came to assist the search operations with the night scan FLIR, and crews on the ground with TICs.

No other patients were located.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on February 9th , 2009.

House Fire in Station 24's Area

On January 20th, 2009 at 15:46 hrs, units from Battalion 3 responded to a house fire on Suwanee Ave in Westgate. E24, R24 arrived to find a abandoned house with flames showing from sides A, B, and C. Companies knocked down the fire, primary/secondary searches conducted, overhaul completed.

Other companies on scene were L-5, E33, E23, R23b, EMS10 and DC10.

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Story and photos by Driver Operator Jon Ferguson
Posted on February 9th , 2009.

Belle Glade Historic Building Saved

Units from Battalion 7 where dispatched to the old city hall building located on Avenue A in Belle Glade. The building was originally constructed in 1935 and was once the fire station for the city of Belle Glade.

Initial units arrived to find light smoke showing from the second floor and workers onscene stated they started the fire accidentally with a torch on the roof and it spread to the floor below inside the concealed spaces. Crews were hampered by access into the building, the building is currently under renovation to become a historic landmark and city gathering place. Huge holes in the floor, open truss spans, and a roof half completed added to the complexity of the fire suppression efforts.

Initial crews laddered the building and deployed multiple high rise packs that were advanced to the second floor and the roof, multiple ladders were set up for egress and the quint was enroute. DC-7 assumed command, EMS-7 was assigned roof division along with E-74, Crews from E-73B and R-73 pulled ceilings in the second floor and found fire inside the roof void spaces. The roof division began opening the roof with vent saws and hand tools, going through many layers of built-up materials, and also hampered by heavy smoke emitting from the holes. Crews extinguished the fire from below.

Q29/C arrived to side A and began assisting the roof division and after opening a trench type cut from one side to another the fire was deemed "out".

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on February 6th , 2009.

Car Versus Tractor Trailer in the Glades

Units from Station 72 responded to a reported MVA on US Hwy 98 and Hatton Hwy, and upon arrival found a car had slammed into the side of a tractor trailer with very heavy damage. Engine 72 immediately notified DC-7 and EMS-7 of the scene and requested additional units.

E-72 found 2 subjects in the mangled vehicle injured and meeting Trauma Alert Criteria. R-72 assisted in patient care while E-72 began extrication. Trauma Hawk was notified and T-72 dispatched for an LZ. R-73 was called for additional EMS functions.

Crews spent approximately 15 minutes removing the left side of the vehicle (sideout), and R-72 assisted with patient care inside the car. Upon arrival, DC-7 assumed command and EMS-7 assisted in patient care. The first patient was removed and placed in the back of R-72, the second (driver) was pinned under the dash and had severe injuries.

Crews from Trauma Hawk arrived to assist EMS-7 in RSI and once the patient was removed further secondary assessment. T-72 D/O McCarrol provided a secure LZ with the tender, and R-73 continued to treat the driver until he was loaded into TH-1.

All crews did an outstanding job with limited resources and personnel. Just another day in the Glades.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on February 6th , 2009.

Units Responded to a Pole Barn Fire in Station 46's Area

On January 31, units responded to a reported structure fire at 6295 Western Way. On arrival, they found a pole barn on fire. Hundreds of feet of hose line were used due to the location of a water supply and PBSO had to be called for crowd control. The fire was brought under control within one hour. No injuries were reported.

Units on scene included E43, DC3, Q47, E41, E46, EMS3, Q29, R46, BC3, R47, T48, R41, E48, B48, E42, IV5

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on February 5th , 2009.

Car Versus Building

On Saturday Jan. 24, 2009, crews from station 73, EMS-7, and DC-7 responded to a MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident). Upon arrival initial units found a vehicle had been driven into a house.

E-73 tended to the auto stuck inside the living room. The crash had punctured the fuel tank, which was steadily leaking. Foam was applied. The leak could not be accessed safely due to the stability of the structure. The tow company removed the vehicle and then the leak was secured with "Stop-Leak".

The driver was removed from the vehicle and turned over to R-73 for transport to GGH with minor injuries. Nobody in the home was injured.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on February 2nd , 2009.

Firefighters Help Habitat for Humanity

A recent "sweater weather" Saturday brought a group of coworkers from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue together to continue the battle against substandard housing in their community. As the sun rose over the tree tops, warming up spirits and the flesh, they prepared to put in yet another day of work at the Kennedy Estates subdivision in the Jupiter area.

Some of the same faces from other team build days were there along with some new ones too. They were all there to assist Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County fulfilling their mission � To build simple, decent, affordable housing for deserving families.

Their assignment for the day was to finish the truss work and install the sub-fascia and fascia on the roof of what will soon be a home for a hard working Palm Beach County family. Working on land donated to Habitat from Palm Beach County made the effort even more worthwhile. Randy Sheppard, Billy Zeigler, Joe Vitale, John Harsch, Kit Hibbs and John Sherry all shared laughter while enjoying the cool weather at the job site. The crew from station 19 even brought out lunch to the team to make work day even more enjoyable.

This team and many others have continuously supported Habitat over many years but what stood out on this particular day was a comment made by one of the other volunteers who was working on the site with his teen aged son. He said something along these lines: "You know I can't help but notice that firefighters are always doing stuff like this. They are always helping out in the community. I appreciate what they do."

You know something? He's right. Firefighters are always helping out in some way because that's what firefighters do - they help people out. Firefighters should be proud of their role in our society. They should know that the public holds their profession in high regard for not only what they do on-duty but also for what they off-duty. They should keep the public's vision alive by never stopping all their charitable work in our community because the citizens do notice all they do.

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Story and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on January 30th , 2009.

C-Shift Structure Fire in Battalion 5

Sunday morning, January 25, 2009, C-shift, Batt 5 units DC5, EMS5, E51, R51, Q57, E58, and E54 were dispatched to a structure fire at a reportedly abandoned home in 51's area. Upon arrival command advised a defensive attack: the home was 50% involved and appeared to be about 4000sq/ft.

Water supply was an issue on this fire; there was no easily accessible hydrant in the area. Supply lines had to be hand jacked over a wall to E51 to relay water to Q57 & E54 for fire attack. E58 did a masterful job establishing a draft. Master-streams and 2.5" lines were used to get the fire under control and hand lines were used for overhaul.

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Story and photos by Driver Operator Gordon Wilson
Posted on January 27th , 2009.

New Training Tower Banner

The new banner has been installed on the east side of the training tower - as you can see it helps bring some additional pride to the organization.

Thanks to Project pride for all their hard work!

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Story and photos by Div. Chief Vicki Sheppard
Posted on January 27th , 2009.

House Fire in Belle Glade, Second Fire of the Night

On Friday, January 23, 2009, at 1:39 am, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72, 73, 74, and 29 responded to a residential structure fire in the western part of the City of Belle Glade.

Crews arrived to find smoke coming from a single family residence. The two occupants got out of the house and were not injured.

The crews were able to rapidly knock down the fire inside of the house. The entire house suffered smoke damage, but the fire and water damage was confined to the hall bathroom.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature, by a water heater malfunction.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, E74, R73B, R72, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 23rd , 2009.

Commercial Structure Fire in Belle Glade

On Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 7:17 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72, 73, 74, and 29 responded to a commercial structure fire in the western part of the City of Belle Glade.

Crews arrived to find heavy fire coming from two campers parked inside of an automobile recycling yard. The trailers were not occupied at the time of the fire.

Due to aggressive firefighting performed by the crews, it took about fifteen minutes to bring the fire under control. One camper was totally destroyed while the other had significant smoke and heat damage.

Two dogs were rescued by crews from the underside of one of the campers, but unfortunately two cats perished in the fire.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature, by leaving a heat source too close to the camper.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, E74, T72, R73B, R72, DC7, EMS7, IV3.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 23rd , 2009.

Technical Rescue in Box-Truck Accident

Crews from Station 74, EMS-7, and DC-7 responded late Saturday night to an accident on US Hwy 27. Upon arrival units found a large box truck had lost control and rolled onto its side. The driver was found on top of the box and unable to move due to his injuries. A bystander had stopped to help and pulled the driver out of the cab onto the top of the trailer (See Photos).

DC-7 assumed command while EX-Special Operations personnel onscene collaborated to come up with a plan to remove the patient safely w/o causing any further injuries. The decision was made to use a technical rescue evolution using ropes and ladders. R-74 crews accessed the patient and started patient care on top of the truck while E-74 and EMS-7 rigged the rope and ladder system. The patient was lashed onto a Miller Board and lowered down a 24" extension ladder with a friction system which utilizes the rungs of the ladder for mechanical advantage. The patient was removed safely and transported to Cleveland Clinic Hospital.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on January 12th , 2009.

The Holiday Extra Mile

On December 15th, 2008, DC-2, E-23,E-24, R-23, R-23B, R-33 and EMS-10 responded to a hostage situation that resulted in the death of a mother of three children. The crews from these stations have run calls like this in the past. The thing that makes this call different, is that it was just days before Christmas. During this call the mother of the victim, and the grandmother to the three children were placed in the back of Rescue 33. She was placed there not because she was a patient, but because it was a safe and secure place from the dangers of the scene. While waiting in the back of Rescue 33, she was accompanied by Lieutenant Lee Forshner before she was notified that her daughter had been shot and killed. The moment that she found out that her daughter was gone, her life changed, and her first concern was the lives of her grandchildren. She looked at Lt. Forshner and said what am I going to tell the children. As if that wasn�t enough, that night while all were at the hospital the family's home was broken into and robbed of all their belongings. Their tv, dvd player, beds, clothes and even the Christmas tree was stolen. When Lt. Forshner found out that this had happened, his heart dropped. He started to make calls and was placed in touch with PBSO Deputy Sean Lutz. Together they made a horrible situation much more manageable for the family. They reached out to there respective departments, and to the community. They were able to purchase clothes, toys, beds, a tv, a dvd player , a camera and much, much more. The outpouring of support cannot be expressed in words. Monetary donations also started to come in for the family because of Lee's efforts and the publicity that it was receiving in the media. They did this in a very short amount of time, and were able to give the items to the family for Christmas. When they arrived to deliver the gifts, someone asked Lt. Forshner why he did what he did. His answer was simple. He stated boldy, " I wanted to remind the family that there are people in the community that care. Really, truly care". For this family, those members were the public servants of Palm Beach County! Thanks Lee for striving the extra mile this holiday season!

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Posted on January 12th , 2009.

Royal Palm Beach Family Fortunate After Light Fixture Ignites Attic Fire

A family living at 138 Alcazar Street in the LaMancha subdivision of Royal Palm Beach is lucky to have a home after a fire in the attic on January 9th. The fire was dispatched to Stations 28, 29, 21 and 26 at about 3:20 p.m. Engine 28 arrived to observe smoke venting from the eves of the one-story home. Engine 21 arrived and laid a supply line to a fire hydrant two houses away while crews from Engine 28 deployed an attack line into the house. Quint 29 arrived and Incident Command was established and maintained by Captain Matt Pennington until the arrival of District Chief 2 Neil Enos.

Firefighters using a thermal imaging camera located the fire in the attic and determined its origin to be a light fixture. The fire had buried itself in blown-in insulation and burned completely through a 2"x4" roof rafter prior to firefighters' arrival, but was extinguished before doing major damage to the house.

Crews deployed salvage covers to protect furniture and belongings prior to removing ceiling and insulating materials from the attic.

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Story and photos by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on January 12th , 2009.

Patient Extricated in South Bay Rollover Accident

Crews from Station 74 along with EMS-7, DC-7, and Trauma Hawk responded to a reported single vehicle rollover accident on US Highway 27. Initial units arrived to find a vehicle that rolled several times with an occupant trapped inside. E-74 Company Officer John Brown orchestrated a textbook extrication, the inner and outer circle were performed, the stabilization of the scene, the vehicle, and the victim were completed upon arrival of EMS-7. Command was established and extrication was begun, the crews choose to remove the entire side (side-out) of the vehicle.

The paramedic from R-74 was placed inside to start patient care. Cervical spinal precautions were in place, oxygen was applied, Intravenous access established along with patient reassurance.

The extrication was completed within approximately 30 minutes. The patient was removed from the vehicle and turned over to Trauma Hawk RN Thomas Volpe for secondary assessment.

Units from nearby Clewiston Fire Department established a safe area for the landing zone and lent a helping hand when needed.

The patient was taken to St. Marys Trauma Center for treatment. No other injuries were reported.

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Story and photos by Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on January 12th , 2009.

Rush Hour Traffic Snarled After Southern Blvd Wreck

Westbound traffic on Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach was brought to a crawl during rush hour on January 6th. Engine 28 and Rescue 28 responded from Royal Palm Beach along with the engine and rescue from Station 25 in nearby Wellington as well as Incident Commander, District Chief Neil Enos and EMS-2.

Apparently a car was hit from behind by another causing it to collide with a private school bus. Remarkably, nobody on the bus or in either of the two cars sustained serious injury.

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Story and photos by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on January 7th , 2009.

Second Fire in Two Weeks Displaces Townhouse Residents

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue crews responded to a difficult fire in a 4-unit townhouse building on Regal Court South in the Village of Wellington on January 6th. Engine 25, under the command of Captain Jay Ackerman, was the first unit on the scene and found smoke visible from the eves all around the 2-story structure. Firefighters deployed three pre-connected hose lines while others evacuated residents and rescued pets from the smokey apartments.

A fire hydrant near the scene malfunctioned causing firefighters to have to lay out two hose lines from Engine 25 to another fire hydrant around the block at the entrance to the complex.

The fire, the second in the same structure within two weeks, displaced all of the residents of the apartments and Red Cross was called in to assist with their lodging. A total of 4 fire engines, 2 rescue units, an air supply unit, a ladder truck, 2 district chiefs and an EMS officer responded to the mid-morning fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation

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Story and photos by Captain Mark V. Carr
Posted on January 7th , 2009.

Community Assistance Team Supports Toys for Tots

PBCFR's Community Assistance Team helped support Toys-for-Tots once again this year. Not only did the CAT volunteers collect toys at their 4th annual banquet, as they have in previous years, but Mark Kalmanson and Jerry "G" (with emphasis on the "G") really went above and beyond the call of duty. They spent the entire week collecting toys from the stations and delivered them to the distribution center. All total, they collected 135 bags (approximately 2025 toys), 13 bikes and 3 huge stuffed animals.

Thanks, Jerry and Mark, you make a difference!!

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Posted on January 7th , 2009.

Ho, Ho, Ho for Habitat

On Saturday 12/20/08 members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building spread a little Yuletide cheer while volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity project in Jupiter.

They joined forces to eradicate substandard housing in Palm Beach County by helping to build decent, affordable housing for deserving families. While on the work site at the Kennedy Estates subdivision they lifted and set the roof trusses into place and installed fascia. The next phase of the project will be to install the sheeting on the trusses. After that tar paper and shingles will complete the roof of the 3 bedroom two bath home.

Volunteering at a Habitat site is easy. Just listen to what Division Chief St. Pierre had to say, "Working for habitat makes it easy because all the hard stuff is taken care of. I show up and all of the building materials are at the site and there is someone there letting us know what they want done."

Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. HFHI was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife, Linda. The project in the Kennedy Estates subdivision which consists of 27 home sites is only one project that the local affiliate is working on. Other projects include: 2 homes in Green Acres, 2 homes in the town of Pahokee and a Kennedy Estates phase 2 project in Jupiter.

When asked why he participates in Habitat�s volunteer program Deputy Chief Randy Sheppard of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue had this to say, "The greatest single satisfaction of volunteering for Habitat is knowing that not only are you helping someone who needs help, but you are helping to build a community that will hopefully be there long after I pass from this world!"

There are many ways to support Habitat for Humanity and no construction experience is necessary. To find out more information call the local affiliate at 561 433-3351.

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Story and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on December 29th , 2008.

Christmas at St. Mary's Children's Hospital

The Palm Beach County FOOLS and friends made their 5th annual trip to St Mary's Children's Hospital today, December 23, with a delivery of toys and THE Santa Claus. Santa and his entourage of elves and helpers delivered toys to all of the children who are currently patients, some of who may not make it home for Christmas.

There were enough toys for the children's section of the hospital and for the pediatric emergency room.

We all enjoyed the smiling faces, the laughter and the parent's appreciation for us being there.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on December 23rd , 2008.

Overturned Dump Truck in South Bay

On Monday December 22, 2008, units from station 74 along with DC-7 and EMS-7 were dispatched to an MVC possible overturned truck on SR-27 Southbound, 5 miles north of the county line. After a 20+ minute response, crews arrived to find a dumptruck on its side. The cargo of sand and gravel was spilled about the scene, and approximately 20 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled onto the ground. Crews switched the changeover valve to prevent any more fuel from leaking.

The dumptruck driver escaped the crash with minor injuries, he related "seat belts really do save lives"; a lesson for everyone.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on December 23rd , 2008.

Single Family Residence Fire in the Glades

Battalion 7 units responded to 1600 NW Avenue F Place in Belle Glade. E-73, E-73B, R-73, R-73B, DC-7, and EMS-7 arrived to a single family wood frame residence with heavy smoke from the eves. E-73 deployed an 1 3/4" handline and implemented a fast fire attack and knocked the main body of fire down. R-73 performed a primary search and DC-7 assumed Command. Crews assembled outside as a RIT, and R-73B set a ladder to side "D" to remove the attic vent during overhaul.

The fire was caused by careless cooking by the resident, and no injuries were reported. The family was turned over to the RED CROSS for assistance.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on December 22nd , 2008.

DBI Presented with Fire Rescue Plaques of Appreciation

On November 19th, members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue�s, Station 73 (Belle Glade) showed their appreciation to the staff of DBI by presenting them with 2 plaques. Michael Hottinger, the Project Manager received one and the other for the staff.

DBI has allowed Fire Rescue to use the damaged guardrails and support components from the area's state roads for cutting practice. This type of practice is not only invaluable to our members but very hard to come by. In addition to practice for our members, DBI allowed the equipment committee to use these damaged parts to evaluate diamond tipped saw blades to be used on our saws during emergency operations.

DBI has a contract with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and is responsible for maintaining the State Roads within Florida.

E73, E73B and EMS7 participated in the presentation.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 19th , 2008.

All-In for Butch Smith Fundraising Event

On December 9th, Lieutenant Garland "Butch" Smith received a fund-raising check at Slainte Irish Pub in Boynton Beach, Florida from the organizers of the All In Event and members of the Firefighters Benevolent. The event, attended and well supported by the Firefighter's Benevolent, firefighters from PBCFR and many municipalities, members of the public and businesses raised $35,200 for Butch. It was a huge success thanks to ALL involved. These funds were desperately needed for mounting medical expenses associated with Butch's treatment for a rare and advanced form of cancer called Multiple Myeloma. Butch expressed his appreciation for not only this financial support but the huge emotional support that this event generated. He said he and his family cannot stop talking about what a great event it was and how many people came out in support. He is humbled and has said numerous times, he's at a loss for words because his gratitude is so deep.

Butch's medical condition has improved due to the cutting edge treatment and procedures he has received over the last 6 months. He is in partial remission now and hopeful to enter full remission with continued treatment. He will be traveling to Miami over the month of December for these continued treatment and of course 2009 will bring even more.

The All In Event organizers, Firefighter's Benevolent and Slainte are already focused on next years event. Mark your calendars for November 7th, Saturday, 2009. The All-In Event 2009 will raise funds, at least in part, for the Firefighter's Benevolent Fund. Please plan on attending this event. Future notifications are planned.

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Posted on December 17th , 2008.

Toys for Tots - Stuff the Truck Project

Fire Rescue and the Marine Corps ran a one day promotion with the Toys-R-Us corporation and set up special detail rescue units at their four stores in Palm Beach County on Sunday, December 14th. Numerous toys were collected with their "Stuff the Truck" campaign and it definitely added extra merchandise for distribution to needy kids.

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Posted on December 17th , 2008.

FOOLS Deliver Santa to WalMart in Royal Palm Beach

Saturday, December 6th, 2008, was a fun day for a handful of Fire Rescue employees and members of the Palm Beach County FOOLS. The FOOLS' antique engine delivered Santa to the Royal Palm Beach Wal Mart where he greeted children and their families as they did their holiday shopping at the store. Santa had fun with the kids as well as adults as can be seen in the pictures.

Digital photos were taken on the spot and printed the same morning by Wal Mart. Any donations that were given will be used to purchase toys for our trip to the St. Mary's Children�s Hospital on the 23rd.

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Posted on December 15th , 2008.

Station 34 Wishes Everyone a Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from the crews at Station 34.

Posted on December 3rd , 2008.

Achilles Team Competes in the Marathon of the Palm Beaches

The wounded veterans of Achilles Freedom team were here to run in the Marathon of the Palm Beaches on 12/7/08. This was Palm Beach County Fire Rescue�s third year in assisting the team with their weekend in town (from 12/4-7/08).

Fire Rescue personnel and their families came by Station 23 to help assemble some of the bikes being used in the marathon and befriended many of team members and their families. Afterwards, a pasta dinner was available for everyone in attendance and the food was enjoyed by all!

The Achilles Freedom Team is an organization that promotes physical activity and sports to all veterans with disabilities. The team is comprised of members from all branches of service and service dates as far back as Vietnam up to and including the present. A couple team members this year were citizens that had never served but have disabilities that qualify them to be part of the Achilles Freedom Team.

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Story and photos by Charlotte Rebillard
Posted on December 9th , 2008.

Potentially Deadly Mobile Home Fire

These are some photos taken by IV-5 (Pam Summers). This mobile home fire appeared to be small and not anything unusual. It turned out to be quite a scene that could easily have been a disaster for numerous firefighters who were at the 4 am fire. The entire mobile home site at 5793 Tiffany Pl, WPB, was barricaded with locks, chains, cables, metal bars and two by fours. It took over four minutes alone to get through the gate to get into the property. No one knew the single-wide mobile home was a potential bomb. The owner, who was found inside the bedroom, had committed suicide after setting fire at one end of the mobile home. He poured somewhere between 20 and 30 gallons of gasoline throughout the trailer and had the equivalent of five propane tanks turned on, inside and outside by the stairs.

At one point, over a dozen firefighters had been in or near the structure trying to get in to locate a possible victim. Luck was with all of them due to the fact that the atmosphere inside was so rich, it couldn't conduct combustion for very long let alone explode. This was one for the memory books of PBCFR. Media coverage made a point of showing how dangerous our jobs can be.

Units on scene included E23, Q29, E24, E34, R24, EMS10, DC10, BC9.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO; photos by Investigator Pam Summers.
Posted on December 9th , 2008.

Spahls Serve a Cup of Closure for Community

If you recall the media blitz surrounding 5 year old autistic girl, Kaitlin Bacile, who strayed from her home only to be found in a nearby canal in Wellington, it was a sad tale to experience: especially for neighborhood residents.

But when it came to the community pulling together to try and help the family, volunteers showed up by the hundreds while the search for the little girl unfolded. The sudden news of Kaitlynn's death was almost too much to bear. That's when 9 year old Dillan Spahl, son of Firefighter/Paramedic Eric Spahl of R23, decided that he would raise money for the family by serving lemonade at the neighborhood corner.

Eric, his wife and his family of four are not only involved with their community but Dillan is a member of Pack 165 of the local Boy Scouts. Together they caused the community to pull together once more as motorists pulled up for their cup of lemonade and a small piece of closure. Within hours over $3,300 was raised for the family with the help of Cub Scout Pack 165 members.

The generosity of the community can only be matched by the initiative of the Spahls in the way that they provided the means for countless neighborhood folks to channel their emotions and offer closure to a community in mourning.

The Customer Service TEAM continues to recognize our fire rescue members that "go the extra mile" whether they are in uniform or not. That's what makes the fire service so special ... we're never off duty especially when it comes to serving our community!

We would like to offer special thanks to Eric, Dillan and the entire Spahl family for stepping up when people counted on it the most!

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Posted on December 8th , 2008.

Commercial Structure Fire in Pahokee

On Saturday, November 29, 2008, at 11:59 am, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72, 73, 74, 24, and 29 responded to a commercial structure fire in the City of Pahokee. Crews arrived to find some fire and heavy smoke coming from the windows of a single-story office building. No one was inside of the building at the time of the fire.

Due to the old construction of the building, it took the crews about an hour to contain the fire. The building sustained major fire and smoke damage. The preliminary cause of the fire appears to be electrical in nature, and although it is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Bomb/Arson Investigations Division, it is not labeled as suspicious.

Units on scene: E72, E73, E73B, E74, T72, Q29, LA24, R73, R74, BC7, DC7, EMS7, IV4

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by DC Curtis Rice, Capt. Craig Prusansky, and Driver/Engineer James Ebenhack
Posted on December 1st , 2008.

Apartment Fire in Belle Glade

On Saturday, November 8, 2008, at 11:19 am units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a reported apartment fire in the southwest section of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find heavy fire coming from a first-floor apartment. Sheriff Deputies had evacuated the adjacent apartments before the crews arrived.

The first-in crews extinguished the fire before it was able to spread into the adjacent apartments. The apartment sustained extensive fire and smoke damage. No one was injured during the fire. The cause of the fire had been determined to be as a result of some wiring in a bedroom that had shorted out.

Units on scene: E73B, E73, E74, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV4

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Photos from Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on November 10th , 2008.

Head On Crash in Pahokee

On Saturday, November 8, 2008, at 4:01 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to a motor vehicle crash in the City of Pahokee. Crews arrived to find a car with heavy damage, and two patients, one seriously injured.

The passenger was taken to the Trauma Center via TraumaHawk Air Rescue helicopter, and the driver was taken by ground to a local hospital. The driver in the other vehicle was not injured.

The crash is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E72, T72, R73, R73B, EMS7, TH2.

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Photos from Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on November 10th , 2008.

Station 72 Wraps up Fire Prevention Month with Fire Safety Presentation

On Thursday, October 30, 2008, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and Palm Beach County Emergency Management Division conducted a fire safety presentation at the New Hope Charities Day Care Center in Pahokee. This was done in conjunction with the end of Fire Prevention Month.

The children were taught various aspects of fire prevention and safety, shown the gear that firefighters wear and use, and were given a tour of a fire engine. It seems that the children really enjoyed the presentation.

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by District Chief Gary Burroughs, Capt. Craig Prusansky, and center staff.
Posted on November 3rd , 2008.

Sr. Jake Hits 33 at 33!

Congratulations to Buddy Yarbrough for completing this milestone shift this past Saturday! Thirty-three years of service, all at Station 33! That's tremendous, especially when you take into account that 33 used to run as many as 20 calls per shift and travel as far west as Twenty Mile Bend.

Buddy started at Southwest Fire Control District #6 back in 1975 at Station One (Old Station 33). Years later, Southwest opened Station Two (currently Station 25 in Wellington). Buddy never left the original station which was located at 1108 S. Military Trail and is currently a local laundrymat. It wasn't until four years after consolidation into Palm Beach County Fire Rescue that Old 33 was moved to it's current location off Kirk Road. Buddy's annual salary was $7,600 at a time when the price of gas was only $0.57 cents per gallon. Buddy's father also served for Southwest Fire District along with Buddy's uncle Rodney Yarbrough.

Some folks might remember stories where early firefighters did all their own station maintenance and yardwork, but the Yarbroughs-along with other fire department members-actually built the fire trucks! In fact, they event built the fire station that housed those original trucks. They didn�t contract the work out! They built Old Station 33 with their own tools and their own hands.

Times sure have changed since Buddy's rookie year as a firefighter, but as the Sr. Jake and DO on one of the department's hottest engine companies it is Buddy who has stood the test of time. He is a mentor, a leader and one of the most respected members of Fire Rescue!

Congratulations, Buddy, and thank you for your dedication and love for the job!

For more history on Station 33 "The Fire Factory" please visit www.firefactory33.com.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos provided by Lt. Doug McGlynn
Posted on November 3rd , 2008.

Belle Glade Firefighter of the Year

On Tuesday evening, October 28th, District Chief Stephen Rice was recognized as the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce's Firefighter of the Year. Chief Rice joined a list of distinguished recipients, and was recognized for his tireless contributions to the fire service over the past 28 years.

Chief Rice's commitment to the Glades citizens was exemplified post-Hurricane Wilma when Belle Glade's fire station was untenable and he moved all of the department's personnel to his home so they could continue to provide service to the citizens.

Chief Rice was one of the key players who helped bring regionalization of Fire Rescue services to the Glades. Since merging with PBCFR he has assisted with all preparation activity ensuring nothing was left to chance.

In closing, Chief Rice's long-term commitment to the fire service is exemplified in every facet of his job performance.

Congratulations, Chief Rice, on a job well done.

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Story and by Battalion Chief Mike Arena and Lt. Al Sierra, photos by Lt. Al Sierra
Posted on October 30th , 2008.

Townhouse Fire in Royal Palm Beach

A morning fire in a townhome in Royal Palm Beach on Oct 29th left a family of three without a place to live. Units from station 28 could see smoke while enroute to the fire at 112 Conaskonk Cir. When they arrived, Lt. Shaw from E28 said heavy smoke and flames were coming from both the front and back of the residence. Crews were able to isolate the fire to the one townhome and kept the fire from spreading to the attached unit.

Units on scene included: E28, Q29, E21, E26, R28, EMS2, DC2, PI1, IV3, BC2, E22, Volunteers.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 29th , 2008.

Garage Fire in Belle Glade

On Monday, October 27, 2008, at 8:49 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 72, 73, and 74, responded to a reported garage fire in the southeast section of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the garage of the single family residence.

The first-in crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and contain the majority of the damage to the garage but the entire house sustained minor smoke damage. Two cars parked inside of the garage also sustained some moderate damage.

The cause of the fire was determined to be a pair of 6-volt "lantern" batteries stored in the garage which had made contact with each other and "shorted" out. No one was injured during the fire.

Units on scene: E73B, E74, E72, R74, DC7, EMS7, IV2

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 28th , 2008.

House Fire in West Delray

Units responded to a 911 call for a fire in a two story, 5,800-square foot home in Saturnia Isles today, October 27. The 8:30 am fire at 15970 Mataro Bay required a 2nd alarm response. The fire was under control in approximately 30 minutes but the home suffered major damagage estimated at $650,000.

The owner's German Shepherd was killed in the fire.

The cause is still under investigation. Units on scene included: E42, E44, Q57, E54, E45, R42, EMS4, DC4, PI1, BC4, R54, EMS5, BC5, DC5, BC2, IV6 and LA 24. PBCFR volunteers were also assisting on scene.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 27th , 2008.

MacCloud Makes Mechanics into Magic for Family!

This October, Rescue Lieutenant Pat MacCloud (no stranger to the Frequent Fire Mile Program) responded with his R36 crew and E31 to a critical pediatric allergic reaction at the local school's nurse's office where an 11-year old girl had already had her EPI pen administered to her.

Upon Mom's arrival to the parking lot, her car broke down - barely making it into a parking place. Like we often say, "our customers need us at our best since we often see them while they're at or having their worst!"

The daughter had dramatically improved, but now the car was broken down and unable to be driven. To make matters worse her only EPI pen was now gone and they had no insurance for a new one, since she had recently lost her job and her coverage.

Prior to transporting the daughter, RLT MacCloud leans out of the truck and says to the engine, "Hey guys ... interested in helping us fix this lady's car while the family is in the ER?". The crew was ALL IN! When Discount Auto Parts learned of the crews good deeds they insisted in giving a manager's discount for the $80 in parts that the crews paid for out of their own pocket.

After clearing the call, purchasing the parts, and installing the water pump and power belt into the 1991 Oldsmobile in less than an hour,....the crews drove the lady's car in new repair back to the ER so that Mom and Daughter could have it for the ride home! Wow!! When we boast what it is to be a part of this incredible movement of Self-Empowerment in pursuit of "doing the right thing" even when it involves "going the extra mile" such as these guys....this is the type of leadership that is getting the job done.

Thanks, R.LT MacCloud, as well as your crew: FM Hector Gonzalez, FF Andy Mercier, Lt Dave Iman, DO Mike Depascale, FM Joe Deltergo. Coincidentally, A/Lt. Bookmeyer was the company officer that day at 36 and he already had to write up an EDF for MacCloud for his behavior. That is what we should be using these forms for anyway,....positive employee development. Frequent Fire Miles are being dispatched to all crews involved!!!!

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)

Posted on October 27th , 2008.

Station 72 Meets American Hero

Station 72 "C" crews had the opportunity to meet a true American hero today. E72, R72 and T72 crews visited Kevin Harden, from Jupiter, Florida. Kevin just returned home from Iraq. Having just returned to the country, Kevin was enjoying the weekend at Everglades Adventures next door to our station. Upon hearing he was there, we had to meet and thank him.

In Iraq Kevin was a U.S. Army Medic assigned to a tank platoon. In his 13th month of duty he was hit with an anti-tank missile. Kevin had massive trauma to both hands and arms. After 20+ surgeries he is back home. Kevin had a dream of working in the fire service or in the medical field upon his discharge. His injuries may have ended his chances.

It was a pleasure for our crews to have the opportunity to walk him through our vehicles and interact with him. We cannot thank him enough for the sacrifice he made for us.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Bud McCarroll
Posted on October 17th , 2008.

Firefighters Win the Fire-Rescue Division of the Lake Okeechobee Survivor Series Race

On Sunday, October 12, 2008, Palm Beach County firefighters Amy Tuminski from Battalion 7 and Ryan Bouse from Battalion 4 competed in the Lake Okeechobee Survivor Series Race held in western Palm Beach County. The course consisted of four to six miles of running as well as 10-15 miles of biking and paddling with some interesting challenges in between. As a participant in the race, they were required to orientate themselves using a map and compass and to complete various physical and mental challenges.

They completed the course in 3 hours and 25 minutes, putting them in first place in both the 2-Person Co-ed Recreational and the Fire-Rescue Divisions. This is the second time they have found themselves winning as they had nabbed the first place position in the Fire-Rescue Division at the last race back in April of this year.

Congratulations go out to both of these firefighters for doing extremely well at the race.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 14th , 2008.

Structure Fire in Runyon Village

On October 12, 2008, at 8:49 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 72, 73 and 74 responded to a reported building fire in Runyon Village, just north of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find smoke coming out of the abandoned building and a small fire inside.

The fire was quickly extinguished. In the past, the building was used as a mess hall for the sugar cane workers, but has been abandoned over the years. No one was injured in the fire.

The fire is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, R73, T72, DC7, EMS7, IV4.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 14th , 2008.

Car Fire Damages Strip Mall in Royal Palm Beach

Shoppers at the Southern Center on Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach had front-row seats to quite a show on Tuesday, October 7, 2008. A patron of one of the stores parked his 1994 Mercury Marquis in front of a business and was inside when someone went in and reported fire under his car. As the fire grew and firefighters responded, more shoppers and workers gathered to watch the growing blaze as it extended quickly to the front of the shopping center and up toward the roof.

Two District Chiefs were in the area at the time of the call and arrived first. Soon thereafter, firefighting crews on Engine 28, Rescue 28 and Quint 29 arrived and deployed two attack lines. One line was aimed at extinguishing the fire spreading up the column on the front of the building while the other line was directed at quelling the vehicle fire.

Pastors Tate Soles and Dan Lang, from nearby First Baptist Church of Royal Palm Beach, had been meeting in one of the businesses nearby and were quick to record the scene with their cell phone cameras and were kind enough to provide the photos for fire department use.

Damage to the shopping center was minimal but the car was a total loss. There were no injuries.

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Story by Mark Carr; photos by Dan Lang and Tate Soles
Posted on October 10th , 2008.

Structure Fire in Pahokee

On Thursday, October 10, 2008, at approximately 12:49 AM, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to a reported mobile home fire in the 400 block of Golden Place in the southwest section of Pahokee. Crews arrived to find a mobile home completely engulfed in flames. It took the crews a relatively short amount of time to extinguish the fire.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the property had been abandoned for some time. No one was injured. The fire is labeled as suspicious, but no exact cause has been determined. The fire is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Investigations Bureau.

Units on scene: E72 E73 R72 R73 EMS7 DC7 IV3.

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky; photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky and Firefighter/Paramedic Mark Musso
Posted on October 10th , 2008.

Habitat for Humanity Team Build Day - A Soggy Success

Menacing, gray skies poured down rain upon the slippery, trussed rib-cage skeleton of what would soon be a roof over a Habitat for Humanity home under construction in Jupiter. Donny Kula, the construction supervisor for the Palm Beach County Chapter of the international organization asked our group, "Who's not afraid of heights or water?"

A few minutes later half of us were on the roof and the rest were on the ground feeding up plywood cut to the measurements being yelled across the site like open bidding at a farm auction, while that slow, constant rain saturated everything and everybody. It stayed like that much of the day except for when we ate lunch - we hid out in a partially finished house two doors down where the carpenters were installing the trim work.

The parcel we were working on is called Kennedy Estates and is located in the Jupiter area just off I-95 and Indiantown road. There will eventually be 27 homes on the site. The land was donated by Palm Beach County Commissioners who are supporters of Habitat's mission to create safe, decent, and affordable housing.

The group of us from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Palm Beach County Planning and Zoning worked together to help wipe out sub standard housing in our community while participating in a team build. What I like most about team builds is that we leave our positions and titles at our jobs and come together on the work site as a team. We're all equals working together for a common goal. In our group there were also two father and son teams that took advantage of not only an opportunity to share camaraderie amongst the larger group but to also share some one-on-one time.

I have worked on several Habitat projects both here in our community and abroad. What I found most remarkable about this particular experience was the fact that no matter how miserable the weather got or how wet, dirty and cold we were, none of us wanted to stop until the entire roof was covered. Not only am I proud to have worked alongside these selfless individuals while volunteering at Habitat, I'm also glad to call them my co-workers; I think they all exemplify the commitment and dedication it takes to be an employee of Palm Beach County.

Participating in the team build from PBZ were: Richard Gathright, Grahm Christie and Whitey Kovalainen. Members of the group form Fire Rescue were: Randy Sheppard, James St. Pierre, Brian St. Pierre, Rick Gass, Chris Gass, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Burroughs, Larry Doelling and recent retiree Terry Croke.

To form a team of your own, contact the Habitat office at 433-3351. They have several houses under construction that could use your team's help.

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Story and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on October 7th , 2008.

Fire in Old Sugar Mill Dormitory

Units from PBCFR were dispatched to an early evening fire at an old sugar mill dormitory building. Initial units had a 15 minute response due to location of the mill, E73 arrived to find a 2 story dormitory building with heavy smoke from the street side. Additional units on the call were; E73B, R73, R73B, DC7, EMS7, T72, T21, E74, LA24, Q47, and INV2. Crews deployed a quick fire attack from the unburned side with aggressive ventilation by second in units. A water supply was established from the tender. DC7 established command, EMS7 safety. E74 RITQ47 went to the roof to check for fire extension. Rescues conducted primary and secondary searches. The fire was knocked down within 20 minutes and extension was minimal. No injuries were reported. The fire is under investigation.

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Story and photos by EMS Captain Cameron Bucek
Posted on October 7th , 2008.

PBCFR Basketball Team Wins Gold

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's basketball team competed in the National Fire Fighter Games in Palm Beach Gardens on Sept. 23 and 24. The team went undefeated, beating the likes of former champs Miami-Dade, Orlando and City of Miami-twice to bring home the first gold medal in PBCFR basketball. The team consists of Coach Bryan Lancey and Players Lee Bronco, John Mends, Chad Snyder, Joe Bostic, Victor Van Eman, Robert Hugus, Pierre Simbert, Lamar McThay, Casey Maher and Matt Ritter.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 7th , 2008.

Tractor-Trailer Rollover

On Monday, October 6, 2008, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a tractor-trailer rollover inside of the Okeelanta Sugar Mill. Crews arrived to find a tractor-trailer dump truck on its side inside of a raw sugar storage facility. The driver of the truck was trapped inside of the truck.

It took the crews approximately 30 minutes to extricate the driver from the cab of the truck. He was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The cause of the rollover is under investigation by the local law enforcement agencies.

Units on scene: E74 R74 E73 DC7 BC7 EMS7

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 6th , 2008.

Mutual Aid Motorcycle Crash on US 27

On Friday, October 3, 2008, at approximately 11:18 am units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 and Broward Sheriff Fire-Rescue Station 106 and Battalion 55 responded to a crash involving several motorcycles on US Highway 27, 6 miles north of the Broward County Line.

Units arrived to find several motorcycles involved in a crash with 3 patients. Bystanders had started CPR on one of the patients with the other two sustaining less severe injuries. Two patients were airlifted to local trauma centers, one by Palm Beach County TraumaHawk 1 and the other by Broward Sheriff Air 85. The third patient was transported to a local hospital by Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

Since this call happened so close to the County line, both Palm Beach County and Broward County Fire agencies responded. A radio patch was set up between the two dispatch centers, allowing for common communications between all units. Palm Beach County Sheriff Office deputies also provided assistance.

Units on scene:
Palm Beach County: Engine 74, Rescue 74, Rescue 73, District 7, Battalion 7, EMS 7, TraumaHawk 1
Broward County: Engine 106, Rescue 106, Battalion 55, Air 85.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by Batt. Chief Michael Arena and Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 6th , 2008.

Walk of Honor Brick Installation

On September 25th, members from Project Pride installed the engraved bricks in the Walk of Honor. On the same day, the 6,000 pound solid granite Fallen Firefighter monument was moved from the current Headquarters location to its new home at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park at the new Chief Herman W. Brice Fire Rescue Complex.

Bricks for the Phase II of the Walk of Honor can now be purchased. Please visit the Project Pride, Walk of Honor page for more information or to download the order form. To order bricks for this Walk of Honor, please use this form.

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Story and photos by Division Chief Vick Sheppard and Lt. Doug McGlynn
Posted on October 1st , 2008.

Station 55 Reads for the Record

On October 2nd, units from station 55 paid a visit to their neighboring St. Jude Catholic school to read the Corduroy story book to the kindergarten and first grade classes. The children really enjoyed the crews' presence in the school and had a great time as the story was read to them. In the end it was difficult to tell who had a better time, the kids or the crews.

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Story by Battalion Chief Joaquin Hernandez and photos by Lt. Pamplona
Posted on October 2nd , 2008.

Car vs. Tree

On Tuesday, September 30, 2008, at approximately 3:50 pm, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 20 responded to a single vehicle vs tree crash in front of the Wellington Golf and Country Club on Aero Club Drive. Units arrived to find a heavily damaged SUV with the driver already outside of the vehicle. The force of the impact peeled away the passenger side of the SUV and separated the roof. Fortunately, the driver was wearing her seatbelt and sustained only minor injuries. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Units on scene: E20 and R20.

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Story and photos by Rescue Lt. Kevin Hannah
Posted on October 1st , 2008.

Station 36 2009 Calendar Event at Slainte's

If you weren't at Slainte's in Boynton Beach on Monday evening the 22nd of September, you missed a terrific event. Station 36's First Annual Calendar Event was a huge success! The place was packed to the hilt and everyone had a great time! The Union Local 2928 IAFF Fire Engine was parked out front along with DO Majhess's Engine. Entertainment began with Keith our favorite guitarist and went down hill from there. The PBCFR Pipe and Drums kicked off the festivities with a few tunes. Celebrity Judges were Carlye from Wellington ER, Leta Murray from Bethesda's Newborn Nursery and Michelle from SUNNY 104.3 morning radio. As the night unfolded, Calendar hopefuls strutted their stuff for the judges in the most tasteful manner possible. Entrants included Station 24's Macho Libre Wrestlers, Do You Think My Tractor's Sexy - Dave Sears, FF Dangle - Marcus Johnston and Brave Heart - Pipe and Drums, to name a few.

The calendar will go on sale in October for $20. Proceeds will benefit the Benevolent Fund. Thanks to everyone who participated!

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Story by Lt. Doelling and photos by Jack Norris
Posted on September 29th , 2008.

Vice Presidential Visit

On Thursday, September 18th, crews from Battalions 1, 3, and 9 participated in a special detail for the Vice President's visit to Palm Beach County. Vice President Cheney arrived on Air Force Two midafternoon for a fund raising event to be held in Jupiter that evening. Units from stations 35, 34, 19 and 14 were placed on stand-by for the event. Participating in the motorcade were personnel from Special operations and Station 23.

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Story and photos by Rescue Lt. Duane Hodges
Posted on September 23rd , 2008.

Retired Lt. Joe Bartlett Lives on as Legend

On a recent visit to the State Fire College to see my son in action at training drills, who do I run into but none other than THE Joe Bartlett. Joe was actually working with a team of USAR instructors who were training a group of military officers from the country of India. An excellent prop is set up for collapse training with the ability for inserting vehicles under concrete slabs. The next thing I knew, I was handed a pair of gloves and a helmet and went "down under" to take photos. Joe gave me a quick tour of the Fire College campus and pointed out numerous training areas and props he contributed to. He sends his regard to all and definitely misses being on shift.

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Photos provided by Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on September 18th , 2008.

1st Annual Jeff Annas Memorial Firefighter Run

On September 13th, over 500 runners participated in the First Annual Jeff Annas Memorial Firefighters 5k run at Okeeheelee Park. The event was named after Lt. Jeff Annas, who passed away on March 30th, 2008. Thousands of dollars were raised for the Firefighters/Paramedics Benevolent Fund. Over 100 Fire-Rescue employees from various departments ran the race. On hand were the Pipes and Drums, DJ Brian Gordan, Firehouse Subs, and Chief Gribble cooking Bar-b-q ribs. Dr. Hope and his staff were there providing post race massages. Several PBCFR units were on site providing a medical rehab area and assisting with the activities. Special thanks also goes to MD Now and Firefightermortgages.com for supporting the race. It was an emotional day for everyone. Jeff's family was there and his daughter Sydney helped pass out the winning medals.

Congratulations and thanks to all who participated. The overall winning time for men was 17:12 by Ed Turrentine. The woman's winner was a nurse who knew Jeff, Carol Hassel with a time of 21:59. In the Fire-Rescue division, Alex Mirich won the men's with a time of 18:55. Jill Bassford was the fastest Fire-Rescue female at 24:07. For a complete listing of the results, please click on the following link:
http://www.eteamz.com/accuchiptiming/files/JEFFANNASMEMORIALFIREFIGHTER5KRUN.HTM.

Special thanks to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Deputy Chief Steve Jerauld; and to Susan Hall and Jim Elsberry for their assistance with the organization of the event. This event would not had been successful without the help of all the volunteers that came to help including the support from the Volunteer Battalion and the Explorers. We look forward to making this an annual event that everyone in the community can enjoy.

Click here for more photos of the race day.

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Story by Capt. Rich Ellis
Posted on September 15th , 2008.

Company Level High Rise Drill in Battalion 9

Station 30 crews hosted some company level training at Poinciana Place (a 6 story garden apartment complex) for Battalion 9 personnel the other day. The training was targeted at identifying strategies specific to multi-story, multi-unit residentials. The goal was to compare tactics of placing fire attack lines into operation to upper floors by the initial arriving companies working off their 750 gal tank of water rather than waiting for the 2nd due engines to secure the building system with pressurized supply. Rope bags were dropped off the landings for pre-connected crosslays for a simulated 3rd floor apartment fire. Scenarios were performed in real time with true radio communications, par levels, etc. The drill components included placing portable standpipes to the 5th floor by means of hoisting 3" supply lines to the upper landing as well as standpipe operations via the hose cabinets within the exterior corridors for a 5th floor apt fire. A nozzle station and flow readings were set up by Captain Doug Watson off the 5th floor. Due to the long stretch between Standpipe connections a 50' section of supply was warranted. Crews demonstrated a "hands free" technique with the Denver Hose Pack which consists of a horseshoe loaded section of 2.5" supply as a bottle load & carry. This is compared to the flat loaded 3" supply that is often shoulder loaded and carried to supply our high rise packs. Much lighter, much easier, much safer to ascend up the stairs. Q29 laddered the 3rd floor landing with the 35' extension as well as demonstrated an elevated standpipe operation to the 5th floor. Crews participating in the drill were: Q29, RP30, E32, R32, DC9, EMS9, and Safety 5.

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Photos provided by Capt. Doug Watson
Posted on September 16th , 2008.

Fire Rescue Employee Travels to Hungary with Habitat for Humanity

The trip started in Budapest where the team from 4 different countries met to begin their mission of providing affordable housing to working families. Jack Norris co-lead the team with Charlie Buracker a fellow Habitat veteran from Virginia. They and 15 others visited the country side village of Szarvaz, a community of about 15,000 residents. While there they worked on a multi-family dwelling that will provide homes to 3 deserving families. Their work included installing the plywood exterior walls, papering and shingling the roof, digging and pouring the foundations for the staircases of each unit and staining the woodwork trim.

"This team is one of the most diverse and largest groups I've ever worked with." Jack reported. "Our oldest member was over 70 and the youngest was 19 years old. We had folks from The U.S., Canada, China and Germany. This team was highly motivated and extremely effective." He went on to say that "Our hosts were very impressed with our team's accomplishments. We brought game."

The trip was organized by Norris and Buracker who are certified Global Village Program team leaders. The Global Village Program is administered by Habitat for Humanity International. They sanction and offer logistical support to these builds to order to fulfill their overall mission of wiping out substandard housing.

In addition to providing labor, funds and materials to build homes, global village teams also participate in cultural exchanges with other countries. This team brought baseball equipment on this trip and engaged in a game before they left the country.

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Story and by photos by Jack Norris
Posted on September 12th , 2008.

Media Attention for Flood Response Trailer

On Saturday August 23, journalists from News 12 and The Sun-Sentinel came to ST 42 to see the Volunteer's Flood Response Trailer. Recent flooding from tropical storm Fay has peaked interest in how emergency responders would react to such flooding. The media was briefed on the capabilities and role of this trailer, which is part of the apparatus provided by the Volunteers to support the Career Firefighters of PBC Fire Rescue.

PBCFR provided a cargo trailer that the volunteers would modify to meet their needs. Using donated items and funds, the volunteers customized the trailer and purchased several small boats. In addition, donated funds were used to purchase safety equipment, motors and a host of other items that could be used for flood response.

The trailer is completely self sufficient and is towed by a Ford Excursion. It presently houses (1) 16 foot inflatable boat, (1) 12 foot inflatable boat, (1) 6 foot inflatable boat and (2) 16 foot jon boats. It also houses the motors, generator, and all safety equipment.

This trailer can be deployed anywhere it is needed and is operated by the Volunteer Battalion. It's primary purpose is to get County Firefighters and equipment to those in need in flooded areas, but can also be used to evacuate personnel from the flooded area.

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Story and photos by Kevin Rattey
Posted on August 23rd , 2008.

Crew and Apparatus Familiarization at Station 17

On August 14, 2008, the "Outpost" at station 17B and crew Lieutenant N. Gerry, Driver Operator S. Newell and Firefighter/Paramedic N. Ryder hosted a Crew and Apparatus Familiarization with West Palm Beach E6, R8, Palm Beach Gardens R63 and E63 and Riveria Beach E4.

The purpose of the familiarization was for neighboring fire station crews from other departments to meet and become familiar with each other's crews, apparatus and equipment.

Fire Rescue crews spent time going through each department's engine and discussing the equipment used, such as large diameter supply hose, adapters, SCBA's, RIC bag's, and extrication equipment. Crews also discussed the use of RIC bag's/SCBA's, guidelines and procedures between departments.

Everyone had a great time and agreed to make this a yearly event!

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Story and photos by Lieutenant Nick Gerry
Posted on August 20th , 2008.

Station 81 Puts New Rigs in Service

Palm Beach Int'l Airport, in West Palm Beach receives fire protection and emergency medical services from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 81. Recently, Station 81's service was enhanced by the acquisition of three new vehicles, most significantly, the station's first air stair truck.

Air Stair 81 is based on a 2008 Ford F550 chassis with an elevating platform built by Stinar. The new rig allows firefighters to access the cabin doors on large jetliners without having to depend on the airline companies to have one readily available. The truck can be used in a variety of cases including, but not limited to, providing access to firefighters during a fire, providing a safe means of egress to passengers during "hot fueling" operations, providing a safe platform to work on if needed to ventilate or force entry into the plane. It can even be used when the United States President and other dignitaries come to town.

Equipped with a Yamaha EF2800i gas powered generator and several flood lights, as well as a gas powered SuperVac ventilation fan, the unit will provide a versatile service to the airport.

Additionally, a new position was recently created employing a captain in charge of each 24-hour shift. The new unit, designated Airport Captain 1, drives a new 2008 Ford F150 equipped with all of the necessary incident command equipment and airport communications equipment.

Finally, Escort 1, a truck used primarily to escort firefighters and others to the fire station located in the middle of the airfield as well as provide support on medical or other types of calls, has recently placed a 2008 Ford F350 in service. This truck carries a variety of equipment including fire extinguishers, medical gear and absorbent pads.

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Story and picture by Mark V. Carr
Posted on August 16th , 2008.

Two Alarm Fire in Royal Palm Beach

A two alarm fire in Royal Palm Beach was very challenging to crews on the afternoon of Thursday, August 14th. A lightning strike on a ten-unit apartment building spread rapidly due to its wood frame construction. Another factor was the lack of firewalls in the building because in the 70's when it was built, firewalls were not part of the building/fire code. Crews made a stop at the third connected apartment by getting ahead of the fire and quickly pulling drywall from ceilings and walls. The end result was three fire-damaged units upstairs and three water-damaged units down stairs. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians, and a number of dogs plus one cat were rescued.

Some of the units on scene included: Q29, R29, E28, R28, Chief2, R41b, E20, E26, EMS9, R21, E21, BC2, PI1, DC2, E25, EMS10, BC9, LA24, IV6, R23b, E34, E46, E22.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on August 15th , 2008.

Residential Structure Fire in Battalion 9

On August 7, 2008, crews from Station 34, Q29, E32, R25, E25, E33, DC 9, EMS9, BC2, BC9, DC 10, investigators and the volunteers were dispatched to a residential structure fire in Station 30's zone. Instructor Jon Ferguson, who was teaching Driver Candidate School in Okeeheele Park, called dispatch to report a large column of smoke visible from Okeeheelee Park.

E34 reported heavy smoke and flames on arrival; two cars parked in the driveway and the garage were involved. Fire extended into the attic and burned through the roof. Although the fire was contained to the garage, the entire structure suffered from smoke and/or water damage.

Firefighters were challenged by the heat index that was reported at 109°F, yet there were no injuries.

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Story and photos by Captains Houston Park and Doug Watson
Posted on August 12th , 2008.

Vacant House Fire on July 21

On July 21, 2008 at 01:55, companies of the 3rd battalion, E23, E24, E33, Q29, R24, DC10, EMS 10 were dispatched to a structure fire on Elmhust Rd/ Military Tr.

E23 arrived to find a vacant house fully involved in fire. This is the 3rd time in a year that this house has caught fire. Companies operated defensively with no injuries reported.

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Story and photos by Driver/Operator Jon Ferguson
Posted on August 11th , 2008.

Barn Fire in Homeland

A fire broke out in a large shed/barn combination at a residence in Homeland at 5635 Reynolds Rd around 9:53 am. One of the owners evacuated the their three horses before they were injured. A column of smoke could be seen miles away. No one was injured but two firefighters were hospitalized for heat related issues. Both were released later in the day. A second alarm was called due to the size of the structure and to cover exposures.

Units on scene included E32, R32, Q29, E27, E48, EMS9, DC9, PI1, BC9, DC3, T21, E25, EMS3, BC3, B890, IV6, IV1, B48, Ops2, LA24, RP30, E27, B27

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on August 8th , 2008.

Firefighter for the Day

7-year old Stefano Villegas will have a great time telling his classmates at Verde Elementary what he did on his summer break. Recently, the Girl Scouts of Palm Glades Council held a luncheon and silent auction to raise money for their chapter. One of the items being auctioned was a certificate signed by Chief Brice granting authorization to visit any fire station and become a firefighter for the day. Fittingly, Stefano's aunt District Chief M.C. Madigan, won the bidded item. Chief Madigan chose Station No. 55 "The Funhouse" C-shift to host the young junior firefighter.

After a hardy pizza lunch, Stefano went right to work assisting crews with the daily station chores. He was given a full tour of the firehouse and rode in both the Engine and Rescue Companies. Stefano also helped crews decide where to mount special safety equipment aboard Engine Co. 55. The firefighters were impressed with Stefano's work ethic and decided to award him with a Funhouse Challenge Coin and T-shirt making him an official member of the Funhouse.

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Story and photos by Lt. Sean Pamplona
Posted on August 5th , 2008.

PBCFR Flight Nurse Tom Reyes Receives National Certification

The Department is pleased to announce that one of its flight nurses has attained a nationally recognized credential in flight nursing. Tom Reyes, RN recently passed the Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) examination administered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.

The CFRN credential represents a commitment of the individual nurse, as well as the program that supports CFRN credentialing, to quality state-of-the-art emergency care. Certified Flight Registered nursing incorporates a wide spectrum of patient care that requires highly specialized skills and extensive knowledge, as well as the unique ability to care for all ages of patients that have illnesses or injuries ranging from the very minor to extremely critical. The CFRN examination evaluates the nurse's knowledge in the areas of clinical pathophysiology, patient care management, and professional issues, environment, toxicology, shock, trauma, and medical emergency care.

Tom has been with the department since 2004 and has been a full time Flight Nurse since 2006.

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Story and photos by Capt. Al Borroto
Posted on July 25th , 2008.

Accident Puts Vehicle Inside Coffee Shop in Royal Palm Beach

At about 3 p.m. on Monday, July 21, customers and workers at the Chevron Extra Mile convenience store at 10175 Okeechobee Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach were shocked when a woman accidentally drove her car into the store. No one in the store was hurt when the errant driver plowed up onto the sidewalk and through the front glass doors stopping just as the car hit a coffee and beverage island inside the store.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Engine 28 and Rescue 29 in Royal Palm Beach secured the store and assessed the driver of the car. She was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Damage to the store was minor with no structural damage, allowing it to be reopened and repaired by late the next day.

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Story and photos by Mark V. Carr
Posted on July 23rd , 2008.

Difficult Bridge Rescue in West Boynton

On Tuesday, July 15th, Special Operations and crews from Station 41 assisted with a rescue call that took over 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete. A driver somehow managed to drive his Buick onto an aluminum footbridge and was trapped. When units arrived they found a somewhat disoriented individual in his car with an aluminum railing through the windshield, narrowly missing the man's head.

It took a lot of innovative thinking and planning to finally rescue the man without putting any additional strain of the heavily damaged bridge. The water in the canal below was at least 8 feet or more in depth. Boynton Beach Fire Department's 3-month old, 100 ft. Sutphen aerial platform and a heavy wrecker from Beck's Towing assisted with the rescue.

All local television stations and both newspapers were onscene for most of the rescue. The positive publicity we received through the efforts of Special Ops 34 and the other crews on scene was priceless.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on July 16th , 2008.

Vehicle Accident at Forest Hill and Congress

A serious vehicle accident occurred this past Saturday, July 12th, at the intersection of Forest Hill Blvd and Congress Ave. Our Special Operations crew was requested to assist with extrication and one trauma alert patient was transported to St. Mary's Trauma Center.

Units on scene included E39, R39, R33, DC3, R36, SO34, E34, R34, DC3 and EMS3.

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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, photos courtesy of Roger Brand
Posted on July 16th , 2008.

Residential Structure Fire in Palm Springs

On July 15th, 2008 at approximately 0030 hours, E39 was dispatched to 3140 Garden Lane in Sunshine Village Mobile Home Park, Palm Springs. They arrived to find a mobile home fully involved with fire. Palm Springs Police Department units on scene reported the mobile home was vacan. E39 began knockdown until E31 arrived, established command, and provided water supply. There were no hydrants inside the mobile home park. R31 provided exposure protection on side B. E36 made partial entry on side C/D. The fire was knocked down after about 20 minutes.

This incident was a clear example of the positive working relationship and cooperation that has resulted from the partnership and closest unit response agreement.

The State Fire Marshal determined the cause to be arson and collected evidence. It was later determined that the mobile home was in fact vacant and owned by the mobile home park. It was scheduled for demolition at a later date.

Units on scene: E31, R31, E39, E36, DC3, EMS3

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Story and photos by Kevin Higgs-Pinkston, CO/FF/PM
Posted on July 16th , 2008.

Crash in Belle Glade

BELLE GLADE - At approximately 6:30am, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 73, 74, and the Special Operations Team from Station 34 responded to a head-on crash just east of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find a car vs. pickup truck collision with the drivers of both vehicles trapped. The driver of the pickup truck was able to be quickly extricated and was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. It took the crews over an hour to extricate the driver of the other vehicle, who was flown to the trauma center.

The crash is being investigated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on July 9th , 2008.

Truck Trailer Fire at Affron Plumbing

This July 1 fire was determined to have been started by a homeless person. Cardboard boxes were set on fire and it spread to a mattress that was under the trailer.

Units on scene included E36, R36, Q29, E39, E31, DC3, R39, BC3, EMS10, Inv 5, LA 24 and R31.

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Story and photos by Pam Summers
Posted on July 7th , 2008.

Crash on US 27 Near Lake Harbor

On Thursday, June 26, 2008, at approximately 11:43 am crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a single vehicle rollover crash on US 27 just west of Lake Harbor. A Hendry County EMS ambulance was transporting a patient from another call when they came across this crash first, and began treatment.

The crews found the driver fatally injured and the passenger, a young boy, had crawled through one of the windows. After the Palm Beach County units arrived, they took over care of the young boy. The boy was airlifted via TraumaHawk to the trauma center.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by Florida Highway Patrol.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 27th , 2008.

Truck vs Tractor East of Belle Glade

A little after 8:00 am on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to a pickup truck vs. farm tractor just east of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find the driver of the pickup pinned inside of the truck with the passenger on the ground. The tractor operator was satnding along- side of the crash. The driver of the pickup was extricated and flown to a local trauma center, as well as the tractor operator. The passenger of the pickup truck was transported to a local hospital.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by Florida Highway Patrol.

Units on scene: E73 E73B R73 R74 DC7 EMS7.

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Story by Capt. Craig Prusansky, photos by Lt. Scott Berkowitz and Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 24th , 2008.

Fire in Canal Point Elementary School

On June 17th at 0236 hrs, Battalion 7 and Battalion 2 units were dispatched to a commercial structure fire at the old Canal Point Elementary school. When units arrived they found a two story abandoned school fully involved.

Access was difficult and the water pressure was extremely low, making it extremely challenging for crews to extinguish. Water was shuttled from State Market Road and defensive operations were utilized. There were several collapse zones within the structure and the roof ultimately made a pancake collapse into the building.

Crews worked on scene for over 5 hrs.

Units on scene were E72, R72, E73, E73B, T72, T21, Q29, EMS7, DC7, BC7, IV2.

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Story by Battalion Chief Mike Arena; Photos by Battalion Chief Mike Arena, FF/PM Michael Casanova and Investigator Tom Fucci
Posted on June 17th , 2008.

Motor Vehicle Accident: Semi Pins SUV

At approximately 0928hrs, E74, R74, DC7 and EMS7 responded to a motor vehicle accident at 2000 S Main St. Upon arrival E74 found a semi had pinned a Ford Explorer up against a guardrail with the driver still inside with injuries.

PM L. Grau climbed inside and assessed the patient's injuries which he found to be minor. DC7 assumed command and E74 began extrication.

The Explorer looked worse than the situation presented, and it was a simple extrication. After a portion of the guardrail was removed, the front and back doors were removed and the patient was extricated and transported to GGH. The driver of the semi had minor injuries and refused further treatment.

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Story and photos by Rescue Capt. T. McCabe
Posted on June 13th , 2008.

Cropduster Training in Belle Glade

BELLE GLADE - On Monday, June 2, 2008, crews from Station 73 attended an aircraft familiarization session at Air Crop Care, located at the Belle Glade State Airport. Willy Lee, a pilot with Air Crop Care, discussed the Air Tractor AT-502 cropduster aircraft with the crews. The training included how the aircraft operated, hazards of this particular aircraft, and suggested procedures when rescuing a pilot.

The Air Tractor AT-502 is a turboprop aircraft capable of carrying 500 gallons of product which can either be sprayed through under-wing nozzles or dumped all at once out of the hopper. Most cropdusters in western Palm Beach County are this type of aircraft.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 3rd , 2008.

Rollover with Extrication on US 27 Near Okeelanta

OKEELANTA � At approximately 12:30 pm on Monday, June 2, 2008, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue station 74 responded to a report of a rollover vehicle crash with entrapment on US Highway 27, several miles south of the Okeelanta Sugar Mill, or about 15 miles south of the City of South Bay.

Crews arrived to find a single vehicle that had rolled over several times, landing upright with the driver trapped inside. The crews extricated the patient using the Hurst Tool ("Jaws of Life"). The patient was transported to a local Trauma Center via TraumaHawk. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

Units on scene: E74, R74, DC7, EMS7, TH1.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on June 3rd , 2008.

Mobile Home Fire

7272 42nd Way (off of Blue Heron Blvd west of I-95): Mobile Home Fire dispatched at 0738 Saturday May 31.

Units responding were: TR61, R63, E63, E68, E17, T21, E23, DC6, EMS6

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Photos by Kevin Higgs-Pinkston, A-Shift Supervisor, Palm Springs Fire Rescue
Posted on June 2nd , 2008.

Structure Fire in Belle Glade

On Tuesday, May 13, 2008, BC7, DC7, E73, E73B, E74, Q29, R73, R74 and Investigator 4 responded to a residential structure fire in Belle Glade. Units arrived to find heavy smoke showing.

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Posted on June 2nd , 2008.

Brush Fire in Pahokee Threatens Junk Yard

A small brush fire near Glades Drive and 87th Place North in Pahokee didn't take long to be whipped by high winds into a fast-moving, 5-acre threat on May 12th. Units from Station 72 in Pahokee as well as Station 73 in Belle Glade and Station 21 in Loxahatchee fought the afternoon fire involving sugar cane, brush, old auto parts, tires and other debris well into the evening and were back on scene the next day continuing mop up.

Bordered by railroad tracks on the west and an apartment complex to the south, the fire moved rapidly toward an abandoned strip mall to the east and a junk yard to the east and north. Poor access and thick smoke hampered firefighters' efforts to contain the blaze. Large volumes of water were put on the fire stopping its forward progress just before it reached a large metal building housing used auto parts and machinery. Junk cars were moved by forklift out of harms way as firefighters fought to contain the fire.

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Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on May 14th , 2008.

Commercial Structure Fire in West Boynton

A fire at the Vienna Fliar Hair Styling Salon in Western Boynton the evening of May 6, brought 8 units and some 20 firefighters to a strip shopping center around 9:40 PM. One unit occupied by the Vienna Flair Hair Styling salon had had a small fire which put out a fair amount of smoke that eventually entered a number of adjoining units and caused the evacuation of a small pub that was also in the center. Damage was kept to the unit of origin and the source of the fire is under investigation.

Units on scene included E41, Q47, E46, E42, R41, EMS4, DC4, BC4, PI1 and IV4 (Farill).

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Story and Photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on May 7th , 2008.

House Fire in South Bay

SOUTH BAY - At approximately 7:30am on Tuesday, May 6, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 "A" Shift responded to a reported house fire in the City of South Bay. Crews arrived to find smoke and fire coming from one of the rear bedrooms. Crews were able to confine the fire to the room of origin, but the rest of the house suffered severe smoke damage. The residents were not home during the fire, and the American Red Cross is handling their accomodations. No one was injured during the fire and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, E74, R73, DC7, EMS7

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Story and Photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 7th , 2008.

Car Fire in the Glades

BELLE GLADE - At approximately 6:10 pm crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 "C" Shift responded to a reported car fire on Hatton Highway between US Highway 98 and State Road 80 in the rural sugar cane fields east of Belle Glade. The smoke plume could be seen for several miles. Crews arrived to find a Ford Explorer fully engulfed in fire. The crews were able to extinguish the fire quickly after arriving, but the vehicle was a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Units on scene: E73B, R73, EMS7

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Story and Photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 6th , 2008.

Abandoned Building Fire in Belle Glade

BELLE GLADE - At approximately 8:30 am on May 3, 2008, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 "A" Shift responded to a reported fire in an abandoned building in the southwest section of the City of Belle Glade. Crews arrived to find smoke and fire coming from one of the units on the ground floor. A pile of debris inside of the abandoned apartment was on fire, and was rapidly extinguished by the crews. No one was injured during the fire. The fire is being labeled as "suspicious" and the cause is still under investigation.

Units on scene: E73, E73B, E74, R73, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on May 6th , 2008.

Bryant Sugar Mill Fire

All units from Battalion 7 responded to the Bryant Sugar Mill for a Commercial Structure Fire on Saturday 05/03/2008 at 1809 hrs. The entire sugar mill is currently under demolition and has had several fires there recently. The fires have been started by the sparks of the torches used to dismantle the structure. While enroute, station 72 units reported heavy black smoke from a distance. E72 arrived on scene and reported a 4-story commercial structure with a working fire and 4 stories involved with fire. Since the site is under demolition, all of the hydrants have been turned off and were no longer in service. The engines on scene worked together and were able to shuttle water to supply the attack lines. The fire is fueled by "baggasse" which is fine particles (like saw dust) leftover from the processing of sugar cane into sugar. The structure doesn't have any walkable floors so the fire was extinguished from a defensive mode outside.

Thanks to units E72, R72, T72, E73, E73b, R73, E74, T21, Q29, BC7, EMS7 and the Incident Commander, District Chief Gary Burroughs DC7, an effective and safe fire attack was done without any injuries.

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Story by Rescue Lt. Tony Faso, R72. Photos by EMS-7 Craig Prusansky, Rescue Lt. Tony Faso and others on scene.
Posted on May 6th , 2008.

Fire in Brazilian Court Draws Mutual Aid

Three local fire departments came together to work hand-in-hand to extinguish a fire in a mansion in the Town of Palm Beach on May 5th. Just after noon, reports of a fire in the 400 block of Brazilian Court were received by the town's dispatch system. The fire quickly exceeded the capabilities of first-in units and mutual aid was requested. The City of West Palm Beach's Fire Department responded with several units as well as Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Local police cordoned off the street as a large plume of smoke visible for miles attracted onlookers from all over.

Within a couple of hours, firefighters from the three agencies were able to bring the fire under control but not before the house was rendered a total loss. One dog was saved from the burning house but news reports say that several others were lost. News reports put the loss at over 5-million dollars.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on May 6th , 2008.

Fire at Elbridge Gale Elementary School

On Friday, April 25, units responded to Elbridge Gale Elementary School for a reported fire in the kitchen. Upon arrival they found a fire in one of the kitchen's stoves along with a sprinkler activation. The fire was quickly brought under control.

Units on scene included: E25, Q29, E27, E20, R25, DC2, EMS2, and BC2.

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Story and photos by Lt. Shaw
Posted on April 28th , 2008.

Stations 31, 47 C-Shift to the Rescue

The local United Cerebral Palsey Foundation office called Fire Rescue with a request: They were located in a building on 2nd Avenue North in station 31's area. They had a flagpole that was inoperative and asked our assistance in putting it back into operation. Some 50 individuals with cerebral palsey visit the center daily and wanted to see a flag flying outside their center.

Lt. Drew Kirshner and his station 31 crew, along with Lt. Pete McGrane and his crew from station 47, showed up Wednesday evening, April 23rd, with a plan of attack. By 8 PM, not only did they have the pole in operation with flags flying, but were able to do some Stokes basket rescue training off the roof of the building (much to the delight of the 20+ individuals who stayed and watched.) Needless to say, the Foundation was ecstatic. Compliments to 31 and 47 C-Shift.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on April 24th , 2008.

Car Fire in Station 24's Area

Station 24 responded to a vehicle fire on April 11th, 2008 just before noon. A Volvo 960's engine compartment was fully involved, the fire was impinging on the Ford Explorer that was parked next to it. As the action photos taken by a bystander show, R24 and E24's crews initiated a fast, aggressive attack and "choked the red devil into submission" with ease.

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Story by Lt. L. Doelling
Posted on April 22nd , 2008.

Head-on Crash on SR 441

Fire Rescue units were dispatched to a reported traffic accident Friday evening, April 11th, at 11:07 PM. When they arrived they found a two vehicle head-on crash on US 441 just South of Boynton Beach Bl. Witnesses stated a vehicle was traveling South in the North bound lane just prior to the accident. One victim was pinned and the Special Operations crew along with others had to cut the vehicle apart to free the victim's legs. In all, three patients were sent to the Delray trauma center, two by ground and one by air.

Units on scene included R47, Q47, EMS4, DC4, E41, R41, EMS3, Splops, TH1, E48, E34, DC9 and PI1.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on April 14th , 2008.

House Fire in Madison Green

Around 9:45 am, dispatch received a 911 call from a homeowner at 1261 Gembrook Ct in Wyndham at Madison Green who reported smoke in her home. Arriving units began investigating and eventually found an active fire in an upstairs bedroom. Crews contained the fire to the room of origin. Damage to the home is expected to exceed $200,000. No one was injured.

Units on scene included E21, Q29, E22, E26, R28, EMS2, DC2, BC8, PI1, CAT2, IV5, LA34, DC10 and E920.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on April 14th , 2008.

Structure Fire on Purdy Lane

On Monday, March 31, fire broke out in an apartment at 500 Village Green Circle 2, Bldg A. The 12:48 fire brought units from Palm Springs and Palm Beach County and included the mutual aid response of a ladder from West Palm Fire. A number of units had smoke in them on the third floor and the building had to be evacuated. Palm Springs Fire and the State Fire Marshall's office are investigating the cause.

Units on scene included E39, Q29, E33, E36, R36, DC3, EMS10, DC39, L5 and AT13.

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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO and photos by Roger Brand
Posted on April 2nd , 2008.

Fuel Truck vs Tug with Luggage Cart

At 12:09 on April 1st, 2008, the crew of "B" Shift under the command of Captain Abramovitz responded to a Signal 4 involving a fuel truck carrying 5400 gallons of Jet A fuel. The fuel truck had collided with a tug and baggage cart on the airline ramp in front of gate C7. The driver sustained minor injuries and was transported via BLS Ambulance to the hospital for evaluation.
No other injuries were reported.

A minor fuel spill of gasoline from a ruptured fuel tank and fuel line on the tug was caused by the fuel truck running over the rear of the tug.

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Stories and photos by John Boike
Posted on April 1st , 2008.

Busy Week in the Glades

It was another busy week out west. Here is some information about three of the calls units responded to:

On Sunday, March 23rd, units responded to a single vehicle accident. While learning how to drive, the driver lost control and crashed through a fence and hit a tree. Occupants were trapped by the fence and poles wrapped around the vehicle. E73 and R73 personel cut fence and post to gain access to the two patients in the vehicle.

On March 26th, BC7, BC9, DC7, DC9, E73, E73B, R73, R73B, SPECIAL OPS 34, E34, R34 AND Trauma Hawk responded to a vehicle accident involving a dump truck on SR 80 AND SR 98. First-arriving units found vehicle with heavy damage and entrapment. Units worked for about 40 minutes to free the victim, who was transported by Trauma Hawk to nearest trauma facility. Great job done by all. (For more photos of this event, please click here.

On Saturday, March 29th, BC4, DC7, E74, E73, E73B, R73, R73B, Q29, Light & Air 24 and Investigator 4 responded to a residential structure fire in South Bay, units arrive to find heavy smoke coming from the residence. Heavy fire was found in master bedroom and attic in a large portion of the residence. Two occupants were treated and transported to a nearby hospital.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Stories and photos from Scott Berkowitz
Posted on March 31st , 2008.

Dump Truck vs. Van

On Wednesday, March 26th, 2008, at approximately 13:00 hours, units of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Battalion 7 were dispatched to a signal 4 at State Road 80 and U.S. Highway 98. Initial reports advised a dump truck and a mini-van collided at the location. Reports from PBSO at the scene reporting heavy entrapment facilitated dispatch to send Trauma Hawk along with a full Special Operations response.

Units operated for over an hour to remove the female driver utilizing dash roll and roof removal techniques. The driver was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital and a female passenger was taken to Palms West Hospital. The driver of the dump truck was not injured.

Units on scene were E73, E73B, R73, R73B, EMS7 DC7, E34, R34, SO34, DC9 and Batt7

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Story and photos by Artie Werkle
Posted on March 27th , 2008.

PBCFR Pipes and Drums Fund Raising Events for Vazquez Family

On St. Patrick's Day, members of Palm Beach County Firefighter's Pipes and Drums took part in a fund-raising effort for Lieutenant Rafael Vazquez's family. Several Irish establishments around Mizner Park, Boca Raton, and one in Boynton Beach were gracious enough to allow the band to play and collect donations towards the fund. At one point in the evening, Michelle Vazquez and her children joined the Pipes and Drums in Boca and actually played with the band by banging on the bass drum; they did an excellent job keeping the beat!!

Donations towards the fund are still being accepted. Checks can be made out to the Firefighters Benevolent and write the name "Vazquez" in the memo section at the bottom left of the check.

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From Captain Doug Watson
Posted on March 25th , 2008.

Motorcyclist Severely Injured in Royal Palm Beach Mishap

A mid-morning crash involving only a motorcycle critically injured its operator on March 24th. The crash happened in the southbound lanes of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., just north of Okeechobee Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach. Engine 28 was the initial responding unit and was assisted initially by a passing fire inspector and an off-duty firefighter from Station 42. Battalion 2 Chief Nigel Baker oversaw the activities as the incident commander. Rescue 21 was dispatched to transport the patient, who was not wearing a motorcycle helmet, to the trauma center. TraumaHawk Air Ambulance could not respond due to fog.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 25th , 2008.

Station 28 Provides Easter Fun for Local Orphanage

Children in orphanages are often forgotten when it comes to the fun associated with various holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Crews at Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 28 in Royal Palm Beach saw to it that that wasn't the case for the children of Kid's Sanctuary Orphanage. The brainchild of Rescue Lieutenant Mike DelRossi, an Easter egg hunt and games were hosted by the crews of Rescue 28, Engine 28 and District Chief 2.

Using candy-filled eggs donated by nearby First Baptist Church of Royal Palm Beach, crews, along with Lt. DelRossi's family, hid the eggs throughout the many rooms of the home. After the egg hunt, despite a light rain, crews and kids alike moved outside for some games including a relay race involving carrying an egg on a spoon, and a water balloon toss. The balloon toss was a hit as both firefighters and kids got soaked by bursting balloons.

Lt. DelRossi took it upon himself to purchase prizes for the kids using contributions from each of the crew members. All in all, everyone had a great time � including the big kids of Station 28's B-shift.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 25th , 2008.

2 Injured as Car Collides with Fuel Tanker

Two people received minor injuries on March 24th after their small car came into unplanned contact with a tractor-trailer hauling 8,000 gallons of fuel. The location of the incident was Belvedere Road just east of State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. Quint 29 and Rescue 29 responded from their station nearby and Rescue 23 responded from training in the area. There was no fuel leak or fire as a result of the accident. Both occupants of the car were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. The truck driver was not injured.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 25th , 2008.

Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade

On March 14, 2008, of the dept.'s Pipes and Drums marched in the 184th edition of the Savannah St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah, Georgia. This is the 2nd biggest parade behind New York City. The members marched with our friends from Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drums from Long Island, New York. It was a 3-mile long parade with over 200,000 merrymakers watching from the sidleines. It was a great time...Members of the band that attended were Capt. Doug Watson, Lt. John Fischer, D/O Jon Ferguson and FF Khristy Osment.
(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)

Posted on March 25th , 2008.

Boca Woods Hosts Firefighter Appreciation Dinner

On March 6th, personnel from Battalion 5 attended a community gathering in their honor held at the Boca Woods Country Club in western Boca Raton. The idea for this event was borne from members of a committee that was created to show appreciation for the local fire station (51) who routinely runs calls to this community.

The idea for this event was conceptualized months ago as the group called "Friends of Fire Station #51" brain-stormed about what else they could do for the station after already having purchased a large screen HD LCD TV for the folks. Soon, the idea of having an old-fashioned, community-based fundraiser came to life.

The evening started out with some opening remarks by our gracious hosts, followed by remarks from Chief Hernandez, who shared the events of the tragedy of Monday involving Lt. Ray Vazquez. A moment of silence was held out of respect for him, his wife and children. The introduction was followed by light-hearted talk about the history of fire-rescue services offered in the western Boca Raton communities over the last 35 or so years and covered the progressive increases in personnel and equipment over that time span.

The evening was a huge success, with a grateful and pleasant, sold-out crowd. Personnel were wooed and fussed over throughout the night, hors 'douvres, a pre-dinner reception, and then we moved onward to the main room for music, conversation and yet more fellowship with the very gracious sponsors/residents.

A great meal followed with the gracious crowd showing the visiting personnel from the station their most humbling and gracious appreciation for responses to their community.

In attendance were personnel from all 3 shifts at station 51 along with each respective Company Officer, as well as the on duty District Chief Tom Tolbert, EMS Captain Manny Mayo and Battalion Chief Joe Hernandez.

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Story by BC Hernandez, photos by FF/PM Robert Cuenca
Posted on March 12th , 2008.

Crash on US 27 Near Okeelanta

At about 12:30 pm on March 4, 2008, Crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 73 and 74 responded to a crash on US 27 near Okeelanta in western Palm Beach County. The units arrived to find a tractor-trailer and a dump truck involved in a crash in the northbound lanes. The driver of one of the trucks sustained only minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation by Florida Highway Patrol.

Units on scene: E74, R73, DC7, EMS7.

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on March 12th , 2008.

Pilot Safe After Belly-Landing at PBIA

Being in the right place, at the right time, allowed me to witness a plane crash as it happened at Palm Beach Int'l Airport (PBIA). While eating lunch and watching airplanes on the south side of the airport on March 5, a Piper PA-24 Comanche airplane flew overhead to my left as it made its short-final approach to runway 31. Noticing that the aircraft's wheels were not down, I picked up my camera and started clicking off the shutter. As the plane continued toward what appeared to be imminent doom at the end of the runway, other pilots nearby could be heard on the aircraft radio alerting others that the plane's wheels were still in the up position. Just after crossing the main runway, runway 27R, the plane touched down, bounced back up and then hit the ground again. In a cloud of smoke and dust, the plane skidded for several hundred feet before skidding sideways to a stop at the edge of the runway.

Within seconds, the fire-rescue radio blared the report of an Alert III, an actual crash, to Battalion 8 Fire-Rescue crews located inside PBIA. Seconds later, the monstrous, yellow, aircraft rescue trucks pulled out of the station and made their way out to the disabled aircraft. At the time of the crash, firefighters were already handling three other calls - medical emergencies - in the airport's terminal yet a full contingent of rescuers was still able to meet the needs of the downed aircraft. On scene, firefighters under the command of Airport Captain Fred Abramovitz were relieved to find that there was no fire, no fuel spill and no injuries sustained in the belly landing. Crews stood by as investigators and airport officials surveyed the scene and interviewed the pilot in order to ascertain the cause of the crash. Runway 31 remained closed until the plane could be towed to a ramp off the airfield.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on March 6th , 2008.

Motorcycle Accident at Lantana Rd and Lyons Rd

Around 4:30 pm on February 2, units from Station 46 and 48 responded to a reported motorcycle vs. SUV collision at Lantana Rd and Lyons Rd. Callers also were advising that the motorcycle was on fire. When crews arrived they found a cyclist down with severe injuries and a fully involved motorcycle. The patient was Trauma Alerted to Delray Community Hospital and the cycle fire was quickly extinguished.

Units on the call included: Trauma Hawk, R46, E48, Q47, DC4, EMS 4.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO; photos by Lt. Millstone
Posted on February 12th , 2008.

Volunteer Battalion Receives New Logo

The Volunteer Battalion now has an officially approved logo thanks to the efforts of Volunteer Lt. Bill Senyshyn. As project manager, he decided to contact The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and meet with Paul-M. Kane, instructor of Graphic Design and Advertising and creative director for Artemis Design Group. Christine David, Dept. Chair of Advertising and Graphic Design founded Artemis Design Group - a full service advertising and design agency that doubles as a prestigious Honors Program within the Art Institute curriculum.

Three honor students volunteered for this project and were challenged to create a design that was unique, and exciting. Several outstanding logos were submitted to the Battalion. After the logos were submitted, the general membership voted on the design that best suited the organization. Various members of PBC Fire-Rescue were also asked to vote. The results were definitive and a clear winner emerged.

The winning logo was created by Sara Borda Bossana, an honor student. Ms. Bossana was awarded a cash prize and plaque in appreciation for her winning design from the Volunteers. The logo will make its official debut on the apparatus at the end of this month.

(Please visit our website at the link below to view pictures associated with this article.)
Story by Battalion Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on February 6th , 2008.

Quint Climbs to the Top with Hot Shots Initiative

Quint 29 B shift under the direction of Lt. Bill Morris were at a training evolution recently at Okeeheelee Park. Apparently while on break they noticed a familiar "on-looker" off in the distance. It was 4-year old little Nicholas visiting the park with his family. Mom decided to take Nick to the park with his two sisters. Lt. Morris decided to take advantage of the Polaroid cams that were placed on the truck early last year since this opportunity was exactly what the Hot Shots Program was designed for.

As a reminder, The Customer Service Team launched an initiative called The Hot Shots Program where Phase I included the delivery of Polaroid cameras to all the Engines. The intent of the program was to wave little Joey over from the Publix parking lot anticipating that he'd like to see the BRT (Big Red Truck). In doing so, a red plastic fire helmet is donned with a smiling child outside the window of one of our engines so that the Polaroid may capture this moment for the family. The snapshot finds its way to the refrigerator door back home and PBCFR gets the credit for brightening up the week for some would-be shopper in the neighborhood.

So the crew grabbed the camera, which was out of film. No problem, since we're at a training event ... they search another engine on-scene for their camera. Out of film again! This is a common problem we have noticed since most crews don't realize that the warehouse catalog number for the film is actually adhered to the bottom of the camera itself with the label maker. Crews should feel free to order additional film packs for their polaroids via the monthly Janitorial/Station Supply ordering process. In fact, we're going to add the item to the quick sheet that's located on the Intranet Filing Cabinet.

So here's what 29 did: they grabbed a personal digital camera from one of the crewmember's gear bags. After taking a ton of pics with the kids in and outside of the truck, they learned that Nicholas wants to someday become a fireman (so he called it) Lt. Morris and crew let young Nicholas assist in raising and taking down the 77' aerial ladder as well as tuck away the outriggers and foot plates. Mom could not have been more pleased! At the end of it all, they wrote down the family e-mail address so that they could send them the pics when they got back to the station. It is this endless pursuit to improve the quality of one's life if not just for one day that Q29 had displayed through their efforts. In this case, possibly the inspiration of one young boy's dream to someday ride one of these PBCFR rigs. Frequent Fire Miles are being dispatched to the following:
LT Bill Morris
DO Aaron Turner
PM Gary Garrett

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Posted on January 30th , 2008.

Belle Glade Car in Canal

At 5:40 pm on January 25th, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to the 2200 block of East Canal Street South for a witnessed car into a canal in Belle Glade. Units arrived to find two PBSO deputies and two civilians in the water attempting a rescue. One patient was pulled immediately out of the water, but a second one remained. The second patient was able to be brought to the surface by the crew from E73B and PBSO deputies after a few minutes. The crew from R73B was able to restore a pulse and breathing to the patient before arriving at the hospital. The first patient suffered only minor injuries while the second patient was listed in critical condition. The cause of the crash is under investigation by PBSO.

Units on scene: E73B, R73, R73B, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusansky
Posted on January 29th , 2008.

House Fire in Station 33's Area

On 1/26, at approximately 5:45 PM, a fire was reported on Wilson Rd. E33, E2, E24, Q29, R33, DC9 and EMS3 were dispatched. E33 and R33 were first to arrive with fire showing at the front of the building on the 2nd floor. Three lines were stretched, searches conducted and the fire was brought under control.

E39, R24, LA24, BC3, DC11, EMS 11 also responded.

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Story and photos by Jon Ferguson
Posted on January 28th , 2008.

The "Fun House" Opens Doors to Stranded Out-of-Towner

The crews from Station 55, B Shift are all receiving Frequent Fire Miles for the way they handled a stranded out-of-towner that stopped in for directions. Frequent Fire Miles are issued to crew members that express behaviors that depict FF's "Going the Extra Mile" for our fire rescue customers. On this particular scenario there was a man who drove up to the firehouse to secure directions from the on-duty crew. The man was not from this area and was trying to get back home. The man was down and out, low on cash and almost out of fuel. In addition, the time was getting late into the evening and the man had not gotten anything to eat yet. The crews invited the man into the firehouse for a cup of coffee while they drew him up some maps. The man had an extended trip ahead of him and the crew decided to help him out a bit. Turns out the crew provided him a hot meal, filled up his car with gasoline as well as networked with a local motel in order to get him somewhere safe to spend the night. The crews took up a collection to pay for all of this and they left their phone number in case there was anything else they could do for him. If a loved one of mine ever finds themselves stranded in foreign country, I should only hope they encounter the compassion and hospitality of Station 55's finest.

Frequent Fire Miles are dispatched to the following members (see photo from left to right): Jeff Berry, Justin Schainuck, Mike Meyer, Brian Johnson, Pierre Simbert, Mat Poulin and Tim Waterhouse.

Thanks guys for Leading by Example!

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Posted on January 24th , 2008.

Golf Cart Fire at Donald Trump Golf Course

On January 18, Station 33 C Shift responded to a golf cart fire on the Donald Trump Golf Course. E33 and R33 responded to the 1st hole and established "Trump Command". The crew commandeered "Golf Cart 33" and "Golf Cart 33B" to gain access to the blazing cart, took an extinguisher and knocked down the fire. Photos are attached as proof of their outstanding creative firefighting.

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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO, and photos by DO Gordon Wilson
Posted on January 22nd , 2008.

Church Fire in Belle Glade

On January 15 around 1:13 in the afternoon, an engine from Station 73 was dispatched to a possible trash fire. When they arrived Engine 73 called for a full structure assignment. E-73B, E-74, R73, R73B, EMS-7, DC-7 and BC-7 were all assigned to the fire. First in companies found heavy smoke and fire conditions coming from the rear of The First Haitian Church of Belle Glade. It took crews about 30 minutes to get the fire under control and about 19 firefighters and command staff responded to the incident.

The fire was contained to the offices and living areas. The main congregational area only suffered minor smoke and water damage. A good initial aggressive offensive attack by Lt. Dan Smith and probationary firefighter Hadjarree are what saved this house of worship. The fire is still under investigation and the cause is still unknown at this time.

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Story and photos by Captain Bucek
Posted on January 17th , 2008.

Residential Structure Fire

On Saturday 1/12/08, PBCFR units: BC3, E36, R36, DC10, EMS10, E23, R23, E24, Q29, Palm Springs FR E39, and CAT responded to a residential structure fire at 4682 Summit Blvd in station 33's area. First unit on scene was off-duty firefighter Manriquez, shift 3A, who made sure the apartment had been evacuated and assisted with the occupants. Battalion Chief 3 arrived and established command and Engine 36 initated fire attack. All units worked together and the incident was stablized.

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Story and photos by Driver Operator Gordon Wilson
Posted on January 16th , 2008.

Second US-27 Crash

At 2:27pm on January 13th, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to the second of two reported car crashes in the 44000 block of US Highway 27 near Lake Harbor. Crews arrived to find the driver out of the pickup truck, but the passenger was still in the truck. The crews removed the passenger from the truck and transported her to a local hospital. The crash is under investigation by PBSO.

Units on scene: E74, R73B, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusanksy
Posted on January 15th , 2008.

US-27 Crash

At 7:24am on January 13th, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Stations 73 and 74 responded to the first of two reported car crashes in the 44000 block of US Highway 27 near Lake Harbor. Crews arrived to find both of the occupants out of the vehicle suffering only minor injuries. The crash is under investigation by PBSO but heavy fog is believed to be a contributing factor.

Units on scene: RP74, E73, DC7, EMS7

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusanksy
Posted on January 15th , 2008.

Belle Glade Fire

At approximately 1:45pm on Monday, January 7th, units from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 73 and 74 were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the Palm Glade apartment complex. Crews arrived to find light smoke coming from a second floor apartment. E74 made entry and extinguished the fire, assisted by crews from E73, E73B, and Q73. The damage was confined to the room of origin. The preliminary cause of the fire was determined to be electrical in nature, inside of the wall. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Units on scene: E74, E73, E73B, Q73, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV4.

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusanksy
Posted on January 9th , 2008.

Vehicle Accident in Belle Glade

At approximately 3:00pm on January 4th, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 and AMR Zone 4 responded to a reported car crash in the 38000 block of State Road 80 in Belle Glade. Dispatch advised that they had received numerous reports of an SUV that had rolled several times. Crews arrived to find a single occupant still inside of the vehicle with minor injuries. Fortunately, the driver was wearing a seatbelt which probably prevented more severe injuries. The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Units on scene: E73, DC7, EMS7, AMR Medic 42

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Story and photos by Captain Craig Prusanksy
Posted on January 7th , 2008.

Pictures from the 1st Annual Jeff Annas Memorial 5K Race

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Posted on September 17th , 2008.

Santa Helps Adopted Family in Lake Park

On Christmas Eve day, Station 68 along with numerous Santa helpers, delivered toys to a needy family in the Lake Park area. Don Keltner drove the Union's antique engine with Santa and led the parade of equipment that delivered presents to a family that included six children. All three television stations recorded the event for the evening newscasts.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO, photos by Don Delucia and CAT Volunteer Ron Radwin
Posted on December 26th , 2007.

Santa Delivered to St. Mary's Children's Hospital

On Friday December 21, PBCFR and the PBC F.O.O.L.S. delivered Santa and numerous toys to the children at the Jack Nicholas Children's Hospital. Nearly 27 young patients received toys and encouragement from Santa who arrived in Local 2928's antique fire engine. This was the fourth annual visit to the facility at St. Mary's Hospital.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on December 26th , 2007.

Mentoring from the Tailboard

We all know by taking the oath to serve our community as PBC firefighters that we are held to standards much higher than those of other members of the public. Our firefighters are striving beyond this standard in seeking new ways to "Go the Extra Mile" for our fire rescue customers. Our elders depend on it as much as our youngest members of the community look up to it. These firefighters are exemplary in their efforts towards "doing the right thing." R/LT Kyle Ventry and Paramedics Liz and Jay Martino are perfect examples of what it means to capture this spirit and compassion.

Apparently Kyle's wife is a school nurse at one of the local schools where they met a young boy living in a most unfortunate family environment. After multiple absences from classes they found out that the young boy was staying home to take care of his foster parent. Despite the young boy being dealt a tough hand in life he was doing what was asked of him. Kyle and his wife took him beneath their wing and started caring for the young boy, including paying for medical and school supplies and even welcoming the boy into their own home. While attempting to find another loving home for the boy to live, he was jumped and robbed after school one day. Items stolen from the boy, his only prize possession ... an iPod which allowed the young boy to escape from the daily challenges he faced. Jay and Liz Martino, who have always been inspired by Kyle's unselfish pursuit of "giving back", decided to purchase a new iPod for the boy and anonymously present it to Kyle. Kyle says the darn thing just showed up one day, but he knows who did it. The Martino's generosity is only matched by their modesty. Together firefighters can really make a difference to the young members of their community if they so choose. Our goal should be ensuring that difference is a positive one. We should all take something from this as we empower ourselves to mentor members within our given response zones. Thank you Kyle, Jay and Liz for representing the spirit of our Department All three will receive Frequent Fire Miles for "Going the Extra Mile" and Mentoring from the Tailboards!

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Posted on December 25th , 2007.

CAT Team Donates for Toys for Tots

As we all know, the dedicated members of the CAT team are volunteers who devote their time and energy supporting and guiding people who have suffered a loss due to fire or death. Their efforts are selfless and often go beyond the call of duty. Their ability to always think of others was recently demonstrated this last week when the CAT members decided to turn their monthly meeting into a toy drive to help support Toys for Tots. Their donations helped fill a box at headquarters. As always, the CAT members have gone beyond their expected duties.

Great job team!!!! Thank you!!!!!

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Story and photos by Alicia Kula
Posted on December 20th , 2007.

Station 42 Hosts Division of Forestry Training

On Thursday, December 20th, the Division of Forestry conducted CVOC training for their personnel at Station #42. Approximately 11 DOF personnel completed the course using Transports and Class 6 engines (brush trucks).

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Story and photos by Battalion Chief Mike Wells
Posted on December 20th , 2007.

Firefighters of the Year

LT Frank Cote and R/LT Richard Christmas named Firefighters of the Year.

The text below was edited and taken from context of the original speech written by Chief Mike Arena to the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce:

These individuals are both exceptional individuals and they both have a sincere commitment to the City of Belle Glade, to Palm Beach County, the Glades area and the people who live and work here. We are very proud to offer these two individuals as the 2007 Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce firefighters of the year. We would like to recognize them together and then share with you some of the contributions that have made to Fire Rescue and the community.

Over 2 years ago Lt Frank Cote had a mission of bringing about a better way to serve the Glades area specifically when people get injured on Lake Okeechobee. He worked very closely with Chief Steve Rice and they were able to secure a grant for a Rescue Airboat for Belle Glade. Lt Frank Cote spent a tremendous amount of his personal time designing and specifying where every thing needed to be on this airboat.

Frank is one of those people who continue to work until the job is done right and he has been doing a tremendous job working with his new Palm Beach County co-worker R/Lt Richard Christmas on developing the training program for it. R/LT Christmas quickly came on board over a year ago and has become an integral part of the airboat program.

This Rescue airboat is the first of its kind to Palm Beach County and it probably would not have happened if it were not for the efforts of both Lt Frank Cote and R/LT Rick Christmas. The airboat program was recently featured on Channel 5 news and the efforts put forth by both Lt Cote and R/LT Christmas were what made that very positive publicity possible.

The airboat was also featured on the evening news on Channel 12 because these 2 individuals once again came together in rapid fashion to save a drowning dog stuck in a weed invested waterway to assist Animal control personnel and ultimately saving the dog. This was also a highly publicized event which all resulted in very good press for Belle Glade and Fire Rescue.

When Richard Christmas found out that Belle Glade was merging with Palm Beach County he immediately wanted to be part of making sure it was going to work and it was going to work right for Belle Glade. He volunteered to transfer out here and came to work to assist anyway he could.

The airboat is not the only thing which puts the two individuals ahead of the pack so let me give you some other examples.

We recently had a large fire at the Okeelanta sugar mill resulting in many firefighters staying out all night. When it was time to switch out crews around 11pm, Lt Cote volunteered to stay out and work so others could go and get some needed rest. He did not want to take no for an answer since he knew there was a great deal of work to be done and he wanted to see it through.

R/LT Richard Christmas made him self available 24/7 immediately after the merger of Belle Glade Fire Department and Palm Beach County after October 1. He responded out on his personal time each time we had a fire or major car accident and was instrumental to the seamless transition between the two departments.

LT Cote has been an ambassador for the Lake and its assets and took the opportunity to showcase it by taking out various elected officials on tours often utilizing his own personal time. He received a personal thank you and commendation letter from Senator Aaronberg.

On Sunday March 11 at approximately 11pm in the evening we received a call for assistance at the 20 Mile Bend boat ramp and there were no airboat operators on duty a call was placed to R/LT Rick Christmas who quickly responded from home and was able to rescue the stranded people.

I have had the opportunity to work several large incidents with these two folks and they are true professional who will do whatever is necessary to get the job done. It does not matter what time of the day it is.

It is the efforts of people such as Frank and Rick that made this happen.

Congratulations!

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Posted on December 19th , 2007.

Pahokee Christmas Parade

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue participated in this year's Pahokee Christmas Parade. In the parade was Pahokee's own Engine 72, along with the Battalion 7 airboat.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on December 19th , 2007.

Brush Fire in Belle Glade

On Tuesday, December 17, at approximately 7:15 pm crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 73 responded to a report of a large brush fire in a subdivision near the southeast side of the city. Crews arrived to find a large pile of fallen trees and debris on fire adjacent to a vacant lot. Engine 73 crews were able to knock the fire down without any further fire spread. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.

Units on scene: Engine 73, Brush 73, District 7, EMS 7, AMR Medic 41

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on December 19th , 2007.

Rollover Crash Near Lake Harbor

On Saturday, December 15, at approximately 6:20 pm crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 74 in South Bay responded to a single vehicle rollover crash on US Highway 27 3 miles west of Lake Harbor. Crews arrived to find a female occupant and her young son already out of the vehicle. The driver sustained minor injuries and the young boy was uninjured. The vehicle had initially rolled onto its roof, trapping the driver and her son. Several passer-bys lifted the truck off of her, pulled her away from the truck, and removed her son from his car seat. Fortunately, the car seat prevented any injury from occurring to the boy. Crews from Hendry County Fire/EMS and Clewiston Fire Department also responded as this was about 2 miles east of the Palm Beach/Hendry County line. Units on scene: Engine 74, EMS 7, District 7, AMR Medic 42, Hendry Medic 408, Clewiston Engine 1.

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Story and photos by Capt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on December 19th , 2007.

Construction Worker Saved After Being Buried Alive

Engine 32 and Rescue 32 in suburban Lake Worth were dispatched to a construction accident on December 12th at a site in The Fountains development where an underground lift-tank was being installed. A collapse in the soil had caused a worker to fall to a level approximately 12 feet below level ground and become covered with dirt. Dispatchers initially relayed to responding crews that the patient was buried over his head in dirt but that construction workers had uncovered him enough to clear his face. Engine 32's lieutenant requested the response of one of the county's two special operations units to assist in the rescue. The initial engine and rescue arrived within minutes and were able to uncover the patient a bit further before special operations crews arrived.

Once on scene, special operations crews from Station 31 began laying the groundwork for the below grade, confined space rescue. Firefighter/Paramedic Drew Reyburn spent more than two hours alongside the patient comforting him while directing operations around him from his perspective. Other special operations team members assisted by cutting and placing large boards in the hole in order to shore it up and keep more dirt from collapsing around the patient. The special operations team from Station 19 in Jupiter was requested, as was the special operations team from nearby Boynton Beach Fire-Rescue, in order to relieve weary firefighters working the labor-intensive operation.

A large Aquatech vacuum truck was brought in from Palm Beach County's Water Utilities Department and was used to remove dirt and mud from the area surrounding the trapped worker. Before it was all over, more than 25 Fire-Rescue crews worked together to rescue the worker. After more than four hours, the worker was finally freed and was transported by TraumaHawk AeroMedical helicopter to a local trauma center.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on December 14th , 2007.

Suspicious Incident - Car on Fire Crashed Into House

Engine 24, in Westgate, started the shift December 12th with a bang when they were dispatched to a fire in a home at 500 Dogwood Road in suburban West Palm Beach. They arrived to find a working fire in a car that had been crashed through a fence and into the rear of the single-family dwelling. The same crew had responded to another fire at the same location three days prior.

Engine 24's crew brought the fire under control with support from West Palm Beach Fire-Rescue's Ladder 5 and Rescue 5. There were no injuries and the fire remains under investigation.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on December 13th , 2007.

Station 43 Honors 13 Year Old Hero

On November 11 of this year, a 13 year-old youth, Kevin Gombaut, had the surprise of his life when his friend and companion suddenly fell to the floor and appeared to be dying. The two boys had been playing football all morning and decided to take a break, go into the house and drink grape juice together. While sitting in a chair, 13 year old Jack Salonsky suddenly fell to the floor and began having a seizure. Kevin had never seen a person having a seizure before and thought his young friend was dying. He immediately called 911, his friend's mother and his parents.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 43 responded to the 911 call and transported young Jack to the hospital. The crew was so impressed with Kevin Gombaut's actions that they decided to honor him at the fire station this past Sunday, December 9. They gave both families a bar-b-q lunch in his honor and presented him with a certificate for his bravery.

Channels 5, 12 and 25 covered the event.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on December 11th , 2007.

Mobile Home Fire

A fire broke out in a mobile home today (11 am Dec 7) in Casa Del Monte Trailer Park. Units arrived to find moderate smoke coming from the unit at 1558 63rd Way S. The fire was quickly knocked down. Crews found the resident's cats had perished from smoke inhalation.
Units on scene included E36, E32, R36, EMS3, DC3, T43, PIO, Cat4, Q29, IV5 and DC10.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on December 10th , 2007.

Fire Nearly Spreads to Home

A fire occured on Honeywood Way in suburban Lake Worth yesterday afternoon (12/6) at around 3:00pm. The fire was in the rear of the home and involving a child's plastic play set and a wood deck, and had started to work its way into a bedroom window. A quick stop by fire crews saved the home from further damage. Cause of fire was yet to be determined.

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Story and photos by John Harsch, Fire Safety Specialist
Posted on December 10th , 2007.

Volunteering in the Dominican

A group of strangers came together for a common goal. They put the needs of others ahead of their own. They sacrificed their own comfort, made personal and financial sacrifices in order to complete their goal. These individuals helped a family realize their dream of homeownership come true.

John Norris, the Manager of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's Video Department, recently completed another trip to the Dominican Republic with the Cambiando Vidas (Changing Lives), an organization very similar to Habitat for Humanity. This time, another Fire Rescue employee, Rebecca Clevenger, joined the team and contributed her time and labor to help a family realize their dream of home ownership. John, or Jack as everyone knows him, interviewed Rebecca and asked her some questions relevant to her Dominican experience:

What prompted you to go on the trip?: I thought it would be a unique experience. The initial email you sent prompted many questions I had about the culture. I know plenty of people who have seen the Dominican beaches but no one talks about the countryside or the people. I thought this would be a good opportunity to experience that.
How did you feel about our mission - 1 house, 1 week?: I thought it seemed impossible! However I figured that if that was the mission then you must have some plan in mind. I really walked in blindly having no idea what to expect, and of course I was constantly surprised. It was fantastic!
What was your first impression of the Dominican people?: Initially, it was wonderful. Then after a couple days it was even more wonderful. For the duration of the visit to Las Charcas and San Juan I was repeatedly impressed by the kindness, hospitality, hard work and playfulness of the Dominican people.
How did the Tropical Storm effect our efforts?: Oh, Tormenta Noel! It was horrible. We would huddle under the tiki hut next door as the bands passed overhead and as they turned to drizzle we would run out and work as much and as hard as we could until the next band came. The roads got damaged and there was a delay of receiving materials. Precipitation of one sort or the other was nonstop. I got very used to being damp and was thankful it wasn't any colder. Although the storm did have some good points, the best part was that it kept the mosquitoes away!
What was your impression of the food, lodging and transportation?: The food was impeccable! Everything was so fresh! There are some fruits, like papaya and mango, that I have eaten before and never really cared for. I tried them again in the Dominican Republic and they tasted so different! Everything there was delicious, I can't remember one thing I didn't like. The lodging was very nice. I didn't expect much, and was blown away. The lobby was in a beautiful, elevated, open air corner room surrounded by jalousies with a view of two mountain ranges. The rooms were simple but practical. The A/C and hot water worked before Noel came, so that was luxurious, although only for a short time. The transportation was one of the few things I didn't like about the trip. We all crammed into this little Dominican minivan that was not designed for a very tall person like me!
What was it like working, living and traveling with the team?: The team was great, we had a wide variety of ages and genders. It added up to a great mix of personalities. Everyone had a good temperament and we all blended and meshed well. There was always someone up for dominoes in our down time, always someone up for drinking or dancing, we always had people to do stuff with. Working together was great, everyone managed to find jobs that matched our capabilities and the team leaders set a great example. I learned so much I will have to go back and put my experience to good use.
What was it like working shoulder to shoulder with the Dominicans?: What a hardworking group of people! There were even little kids helping build the house. These little kids were so strong and eager to please, you would just work and whenever you needed something there would be a little nino waiting to fetch something for you, whether it was mortar or nails or whatever. One little boy didn't have shoes and he would still carry two heavy buckets of mortar around at a time. Amazing little kids.; The Dominican masons were very good at communicating with us, they would patiently teach us construction terms in Spanish and show us how to do the things we weren't familiar with. People from around the village came every day to help, rain or drizzle, and they were all amazing. I wish I had neighbors like them!
Describe the type of work you performed.: I placed block, put mortar in the joints, helped mix mortar and concrete, which was very hard with just a shovel on the ground! I helped make forms, and once we were ready to pour forms, I was a member or the concrete moving bucket brigade. I shoveled rocks into wheelbarrows to fill the floor before we poured the floor, which we did after the walls were up. I passed roofing material up to the two crazy guys up on the roof who were walking around on that spongy stuff, I helped run wire for the electricity, and pvc for the plumbing. I got to do a lot.
Did you get to use any of your medical skills on the trip?: Oh yeah! Charlie's wife is a nurse and she sent a medical kit along with him. The villagers sustained a few little scrapes and nail punctures on the job, but after a couple days people from the village began showing up with various little injuries not sustained on the job. At first it was a little frustrating because I was always busy doing something on the house, but after seeing the smiles and thankfulness on people's faces a couple times I started viewing it as a little occasional break time from the hard work. It was neat seeing how certain people see the severity of their injuries there vs. the US. Imagine trying to convince someone they need to go to the hospital for a dog bite that took off the tip of their finger and they say, "Oh it's ok, just clean it up for me, please." Wow, talk about culture shock.; There was a certain member of the PBCFR team who had cut open his hand the week before the trip and had to get his stitches removed while in the Dominican Republic. Rather than use a local medical facility, he wished to use a paramedic from our department, and I happened to be the only one handy. Even though we aren't trained to remove stitches, he insisted I was his best bet. After a certain amount of declining followed by a mass of disclaimers, I finally assisted my brother bombero. Facil!
What would you tell others who were thinking about going on a trip like this?: Do it! You won't regret it!
Would you do it again and why/why not?: Yes! I got to experience a beautiful culture and met amazing people. I saw amazing mountains, which are especially beautiful in the tropics, and I got the chance to eat, work and sleep there. I was able to repeatedly put smiles on people faces. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
What one word best describes your experience?: Fulfilling.

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Story by Jack Norris, photos by Jack Norris and others.
Posted on December 10th , 2007.

Burgundy H fire in Kings Point

On Sunday evening 11-25-07 C-shift, units E45, R45, R45b, E42, E52, Q47, EMS4 and DC4 responded to what was a reported kitchen fire at an apartment in Burgundy H Kings Point. On arrival E45 reported heavy smoke coming from a 1st floor apartment. E45 passed command and begun fire attack along with R45b. R45 was ready to go as RIC. The kitchen was fully involved and quickly extinguished by the 45 crew. With the help from our newly installed TIC on E45, the seat of the fire was quickly found and extinguished. Primary search was completed successfully even though there was zero visibility throughout the house and no victims were found. The only occupant at the time was the owner who was in the process of cleaning her oven in "clean" mode when the fire started. Thanks to our new addition of the TIC, fire ground operations were completed quickly, efficiently and successfully without any injuries to our own. The fire is under investigation.

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Story and photos by FF/PM A. Faso, Station 45 "C" Shift
Posted on December 3rd , 2007.

Extra Mile on Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day, Engine 17 responded with PBGFR, FHP, and PBSO to the Florida Turnpike for a vehicle accident involving a single vehicle rollover. On arrival, units found there were no injuries to the occupants of the vehicle, but a large Mastif had been ejected from the vehicle and fled the scene. After an exhaustive search along the embankments of the FL Turnpike for several miles in either direction, the dog was nowhere to be found. The family was heartbroken that their family dog had been lost on a day when family togetherness was to be celebrated. In contrast to normal procedure, the crews decided to exit the turnpike and search the neighboring areas and sub-developments as well. This initiative of "Going the Extra Mile" and not taking "no" for an answer became infectious and soon all three agencies were coordinating from different communities along the area in search for the lost family pet. Finally the dog was located and reunited with their family member, but not before biting one of the deputies. Words can't explain the appreciation that our fire rescue customers had for these crew members involved. The fact that we're always willing to exercise the boundaries of "doing the right thing" is what sets these folks aside from the rest. Rising above the element of efficient and satisfactory is what it means to "go the extra mile" for our fire-rescue customers. Special Thanks to Palm Beach Gardens FD, PBSO, FHP and our Frequent Fire Mile recipients: Lieutenant Bruce Thompson, DO Gordon Wilson and PM Douglas Taylor of E17.

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Posted on November 29th , 2007.

Housefire on Bluegrass Circle

Around 10:30 today, October 30, 2007, dispatch received a call from neighbors who stated there was smoke coming from the eaves of a home located at 6137 Bluegrass Circle. When units arrived they did in fact find smoke coming from all around the bottom edge of the roof of the residence.

The fire appeared to have originated in the attic and was partially extinguished when PVC pipe carrying water in the attic burned through, flooding part of the attic with water. Some of the roof trusses had burned through. Units on scene included E43, E46, R43, EMS3, DC9, BC9, R35, PI1, E32 and LA34.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 30th , 2007.

Turnpike Accident

Crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 42 responded to a crash involving a semi-trailer on the Florida's Turnpike just north of the Delray Beach exit in the construction zone. Two people suffered minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital. Miraculously, the two occupants of the car under the trailer were uninjured and able to crawl from the wreckage after the vehicles came to a rest. The accident is under investigation by Florida Highway Patrol.

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Story and photos by Lt. Craig Prusansky
Posted on October 25th , 2007.

Two Vehicle Accident

Ops 8 (Jim Collins) drove up on a traffic accident Tuesday afternoon, 10/23, at the intersection of Benoist Farms Rd and Belvedere Rd. The two vehicle crash resulted in one injury which required transport to the hospital. Luckily, no vehicles on the car carrier fell off, which could have made the accident considerably worse.
Units on scene included DC10, R34, E34, EMS3, PI1 and OPS 8.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 24th , 2007.

In Memory

We recently received a phone call from a 20-year resident of Palm Beach County who told a story that hits close to home for us all. Mr. Bill Herms had a 19-year-old nephew that was a volunteer member of the Sharon Hill Fire Department in the suburb of Philadelphia, Pa. The firefighter, Michael Reagan, was part of a crew that was fighting a garage fire at a residence and had just successfully extinguished the fire when the wall of the garage collapsed on top of him and two other crewmembers. The other two firefighters were injured but survived. Unfortunately and tragically, young Michael did not. At Mr. Herms' request, we are posting a link to a portion of the Sharon Hill F.D.'s website that has been set up as a memorial to their fallen firefighter. There is an area set aside for readers to leave their condolences. Our hearts go out to Michael Reagan's family and friends. We can all relate to this type of tragedy and it brings about another reminder about how dangerous our jobs can be and about how careful we must be at every emergence call, even at seemingly simple house fires.

For those that are interested, please go to this link:
www.station09.com/reagan.

Posted on October 17th , 2007.

Apartment Fire In Royal Palm Beach

On the morning of October 17th a fire broke out in an apartment in Royal Palm Beach. Around 7:15 am, calls were coming in to the dispatch center advising smoke was pouring out of apartment 108 in the Greenway apartment complex. Units found smoke and fire coming from the bedroom area of the apartment. The fire was quickly extinguished but the residence is totally uninhabitable. The Red Cross was called the assist the apartment's two residents. Among the units on scene were: E28, E21, R28, EMS2, DC2, PI1, Q29, E34, R21, EMS3, BC2, DC3, LA34, R29.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 17th , 2007.

Riviera Beach Water Main Break & Sinkhole

Command 81 assists City of Riviera Beach on October 11th, at the scene of a water main break and subsequent sinkhole, at Blue Heron Blvd. and Avenue F. The leak could not be isolated for over 24 hours, due to the lack of gate valves in the aging water line. Department of Public Safety (EOC staff) and Fire Rescue Water Officer provided technical assistance.

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Story and photos by Steve Collins, MPA
Posted on October 16th , 2007.

Turnpike Signal 4

October 12th, 2007-Osceola County FL, While returning from this year's Florida fallen Firefighter Memorial members of the PBCFR Pipes and Drums and Honor Guard rolled up on an accident on the turnpike involving two vehicles with heavy damage. The accident happened on a remote area of the turnpike in Osceola Co, resulting in a extended response from the area fire department. On scene with limited resources, members of the band and guard stayed with and comforted the injured until responding units arrived, and assisted with patient care with on scene units. Two patients were extricated from one vehicle and trauma-alerted to area trauma centers via two medevac helicopters.

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Story and photos by Scott Jurasz
Posted on October 15th , 2007.

Vehicle vs. House in West Palm Beach

The West Palm Beach Fire Department responded to a van vs. an occupied home at the location of Division Ave & 22 Street. On arrival, the residents were quickly accounted for; the driver of the van was transported to a local hospital. Due to the instability of the home, a "collapse rescue response" was special called for by the Captain of Ladder Co. 1.

The following companies operated at Division Avenue and 22 Street:
Ladder 1, Squad Co. 4, Engine 1, Rescue 1, USAR 4, Rescue 4, District 1, EMS 11, Collapse and Trench Trailer.

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Pictures and story by Lazaro R. Acosta
Posted on October 11th , 2007.

Veronica E. Juliano

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Pipes and Drums had the honor of being in attendance for the memorial of Veronica (Vee) Juliano. Veronica Juliano was afflicted with muscular dystrophy since the age of 2 and passed away this week at the age of 23. Veronica was a camper at the MDA summer camp held in Brandon, Fl where PBCFR and Local 2928 sent members as camp counselors for kids with muscular dystrophy. Veronica was definately one of the kindest and most warm hearted young ladies a person could ever meet.

PBCFR Pipes and Drums met Vee in the past, and had the oppurtunity to play for her, at the summer camp. It was our honor to be at her memorial to say goodbye to such a wonderful person. Despite her challenges with muscular dystrophy, Vee was also a truly talented artist. Please take a moment to visit her website at http://veronica-art.com.

On behalf of the Pipes and Drums and Honor Guard, we would like to express our condolences to the family of Veronica Juliano. She will be missed by many friends and family and it is all those who will miss her that are grateful to have been her friend and apart of Vee's life.

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Posted on October 4th , 2007.

Anthony Acosta Returns from Iraq

Our own Tony Acosta has returned from yet another tour of duty in Iraq. Tony and other returning Marine Reservists received a warm welcome from family, friends and co-workers. Two of the returning Marines were firefighters. One from PBCFR and the other was from the Town of Palm Beach. The local media was on hand to captue the event for the community.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on October 4th , 2007.

Fatal Crash Between a Train and a Tractor Near Palm Beach/Martin County Line

A collision between a New York bound Amtrak passenger train and a Bobcat forklift stopped rail traffic for several hours along the CSX tracks in northwestern Palm Beach County on August 27th. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Engine 14, Rescue 14 and District Chief 1 responded along with Engine 64 from Palm Beach Gardens Fire-Rescue.

None of the 192 passengers on the train were injured but the driver of the tractor died as a result of the crash. A heavy-duty wrecker from Sisters Towing was called in to remove the tractor from the swampy canal between the CSX tracks and State Road 710 near Indiantown Road.

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Story and Photos by Mark Carr
Posted on August 28th , 2007.

Fatal Accident in Belle Glade

In the early morning of Aug 19th, units from the 7th Battalion were dispatched to a traffic accident at Hooker Highway and Main street in Belle Glade. The initial dispatch information was that possibly 4 people were trapped. Due to this report 2 engines, 2 AMR Med units, DC7, Commander 4 and Trauma Hawk 1 responded.

AMR's Medical 41 was first to arrive and reported a one car MVA with heavy damage, 2 occupants, one being a fatality. The auto was west bound on SR80 when it crossed Main Street. Hooker Highway is the Western extension of SR 80 in the Glades. The car struck a very large concrete power pole at the front end towards the passengers side. The impact tore the engine out of the car. The driver was able to be removed without extrication and was transported to the Trauma Center by TH1.

Units on scene, AMR Med 41, Commander 4, PBCFR DC7, E73, TH1. PBSO and FHP were also on scene.

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Story and photos by DC Curtis Rice
Posted on August 20th , 2007.

Station 33 Thinks "Outside the Box"

The Customer Service Team would like to acknowledge the exemplary actions of Station 33 B-Shift. It is clear to us that these crew members displayed what it means of us when we intend on �going the extra mile� for one of our fire rescue customers. In addition, the engine and rescue company members worked together on developing a plan through improvising solutions that might be viewed as "outside the box."

Apparently R33 rolled up on a stranded invalid whose motorized wheelchair (Lark) had broken down in the hot South Florida sun one blazing afternoon a few weeks ago. By the time R33 crew made contact with the citizen, he had been in the heat for about 30 minutes already. Fortunately he was okay and there was no medical need; however, the crews needed some means of getting him home safely. Rescue Lt Pardo called for reinforcements from E33 back at the station where they utilized one of the FF's own personal vehicle (large pickup truck with open bed) in order to get the motorized lark home as well. The stranded man, who's weight was very heavy, was loaded on the rescue stretcher due to his unambulatory status without his transport. The crews took the man home and right into his apartment as well as delivered the Lark to the front office of the apt. complex as well. They decided to network with the property management officials so that a repair technician from the company could come out and make the necessary repairs right there.

Thanks go to all involved including our very own, Jim Hernandez who serves as one of our committee members as well as CSR (Customer Service Rep) for the Recruit Academy. For everyone else, Frequent Fire Miles will be awarded to the following members: RLT Dan Pardo, PM Mike Medley, PM Jason Ruffing, LT Dennis Peek, DO Jon Ferguson, and PM Scott Eddy!

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Posted on August 20th , 2007.

Seven Victim Roll-over Accident on US-27

On Sunday August 5th 2007, the pager went off at Station 74 for a traffic accident, roll over, on US Hwy 27 at the Broward County line. Initial information was that a single vehicle had rolled multiple times and that 3 people had been ejected. Due to the fact that the accident was reported to be 25 miles south of station 74 and the potential number of patients was high, both Trauma Hawk 1 and 2 were requested to fly. Districe Chief 7 contacted PBSO dispatch directly via TAC 13A for more information. The update was that 7 people were ejected, not 3, and that the SIG 4 was a few miles north of the county line. AMR's Commander 4, Mark Keating, was also monitoring the PBSO channel and called for an additional Med unit and requested mutual aid from Broward County Fire. DC7 Contacted Broward County Fire Battalion 55 via cell phone to update them and coordinate the response.

DC7, Chief Curtis Rice, was first to arrive and established 27 command. Due to the number of vehicles that had pulled over to help, the scene was not visible from the roadway. Upon exiting the vehicle, DC7 was confronted by multiple bystanders requesting more help and helicopters. DC7 made a rapid assessment of the scene. An SUV apparantly had rolled several times. Five victims were initially found lying near the SUV with an additional pediatric patient found 30' from the vehicle. Making matters worse, there were aproximently 30 people assisting the injured or just walking around the scene. PBSO began securing the scene. After the situation was updated to dispatch, an in-depth assessment was started. An additional patient was found (he had been moved from the area). There was a total of 7 patients, of which 3 were trauma alerts. E74 arrived and was directed to began packing the most critical Trauma Alert. Medical 41 arrived and took care of the pediatric trauma alert. Broward County Battalion 55 arrived and advised that they had an engine, 2 rescues and their air rescue responding. Battalion 55 assigned the first arriving engine to begin care of the third trauma alert. By this time Commander 4, Medical 42 and BCFR Rescue 67 had arrived and were assigned to assess and package the remaining patients. PBSO secured an area on northbound US27 south of the incident for the helicopters to land. Trauma Hawk 1 landed first with Trauma Hawk 2 next. Broward County 's Air Rescue 85 was eventually cancelled.

All the agencies worked very well together. The ability to get a large number of rescuers on scene in a relatively short period of time, even in a remote area made the situation much better for the patients involved.

Units on scene- PBCFR DC7, E74, Trauma Hawk 1 and 2, AMR Commander 4, Medical 41 and 42, BCFR Battalion 55, Air Rescue 85, Engine 67 and Rescue 67. Law Enforcement included units from FHP, PBSO and BSO.

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Story and photos by DC Curtis Rice
Posted on August 20th , 2007.

Fatal Plane Crash in Wellington

Sunday August 19, 2007 - A small plane crashed into a field after take-off from Wellington�s Aero Club early Sunday morning killing two people. A man and woman aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash.

Witnesses saw the plane crash into a field just southeast of the Aero Club runway just after take-off.

Units from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Palm Beach County Sheriff�s Office and Federal Aviation Administration were on the scene.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue units on the scene were CH5, BC2, DC2, DC8, EMS2, E20, R20, R27, B20, & T21

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Story by Artie Werkle, photos by Batt Chief Horowitz, Artie Werkle, and DC Robin Herring
Posted on August 20th , 2007.

ST73 Van fire US27

Woodchuck report from the 7th Battalion:

On July 28, 2007 Station 74 C-Shift was dispatched to a possible vehicle fire. The location given was 15 miles south of South Bay on US Hwy 27. Due to the long distance response, it took E74 17 minutes to arrive. The arrival report was "a fully involved van".

PBSO closed down both northbound lanes while DO James Harper positioned E74 for a fire attack. All occupants were out of the vehicle. Lt. Russ Frank and FF Jim Clark pulled an 1 3/4" attack line. The fire was extinguished utilizing a class A/B foam. The Ford Club Wagon was a total loss.

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Story and photos by D/C Curtis Rice
Posted on August 13th , 2007.

"Saving Our Own" Training

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue recently put on two days of "Saving Our Own" training at the Forest Hill Blvd training house. This was a multi agency drill that included firefighters from Greenacres Public Safety, Town of Palm Beach, Rivera Beach Fire, Miami-Dade Fire and of course PBCFR. On Thursday, John Bachman, a reporter with Channel 12, brought a cameraman and a second camera to cover the good visuals at the training session.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on August 2nd , 2007.

House Fire on Neptune Street

Units responded to a reported house fire today, July 27, around 2:45 PM. The home located on 730 Neptune St. in suburban West Palm Beach had smoke coming from the windows when they arrived. Apparantly, the homeowner was preparing something in the oven and left to go to the grocery store for some additional items. The food in the oven caught fire. The crews made a quick stop although the home did have extensive smoke damage and kitchen damage.. Units included E36, R33, DC9, BC3, BC9, E33, EMS9, DC3, IV2 and PI1.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 30th , 2007.

Fire Rescue Employees Assist Elementary School

Firefighters from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 30 plus volunteers from other stations constructed a butterfly garden on the campus of Equestrian Trails Elementary School in Wellington. Materials were donated to build the structure and fire rescue contributed the muscle and the know-how to put it together. Despite the fact the instruction manual for the building was pretty vague, they worked together as a team and did the typical firefighter thing��put it together with a little ingenuity and creativity. Principal Sandy Gerot was extremely grateful and emphasized how it will enhance their Earth Science curriculum. They have a landscaper who will donate flowering plants and vines which will draw the butterflies to the structure. Channel 12 and Channel 25 both covered the story.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 26th , 2007.

Motorcycle Crash Injures One in Pahokee

The driver of an off-road motorcycle was injured Sunday afternoon, July 22, when he crashed his cycle in front of 8764 Doveland Drive in Pahokee. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Engine 72-Bravo and an ambulance from American Medical Response found the victim laying in the roadway of his evelopment being tended to by a nurse from the area. Firefighter/Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians stabilized the patient before loading him onto a stretcher and into the ambulance for transport to Glades General Hospital in Belle Glade.

The crashed motorcycle seems to have faired better than its rider.
Apparently, as soon as the rider crashed, someone else jumped onto the motorcycle and rode off into the sunset. Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

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Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on July 23rd , 2007.

Vehicle Accident at Southern and Seminole Pratt Rd

Rescue 20, Engine 20, EMS2 and District Chief 2 responded to a dump truck vs. landscape truck accident on July 18, at the Southern Blvd./Seminole Pratt intersection. Engine 20 arrived to find a two truck collision with severe damage to the landscape truck. Engine 20 established command and R20 assessed both drivers. One driver was uninjured and the other had minor injuries and was transported to Palm West Hospital by Fire Rescue. The driver of the landscape vehicle was extremely fortunate. His vehicle was basically made into a convertible by the collision.

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Story and photos by John Vanek
Posted on July 19th , 2007.

Small Plane Accident

The crews from Station 72 and District 8 responded to an Alert 3 (aircraft incident) on Wednesday July 18. Upon arrival, they found a Cessna aircraft, with damage, that had run off the runway. Both the student pilot and instructor walked away without injury. The accident is under investigation by Flight Safety District Office out of Ft.Lauderdale.

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Story and photos by Captain John Boike
Posted on July 18th , 2007.

Stations 31 and 43 Sent to an Early Morning House Fire

July 16th 2007 - Engine 31 responded with Station 43 units to a single story home at 4361 Military Trail with smoke and fire showing from the front of the residence. Crews pulled hose lines and quickly knocked down the fire while searching for any victims that might have been trapped inside. After a quick search, it was learned that no one was home when the fire started.

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Story and photos by Drew Reyburn
Posted on July 17th , 2007.

Glades Area Firefighters Train in Tight Space Survival

During a fire, firefighters are sometimes faced with collapsing buildings or a growing fire that impedes their egress, causing them to have to seek or improvise an alternate exit pathway. In recent weeks, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue workers in Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay have practiced survival techniques in preparation that life-threatening scenario.

Under the direction of Glades area District Chief Curtis Rice, who developed the training, two fire engine crews from the Pahokee fire station and another district chief, went through the simulations on July 17th. Props were constructed out of wood by Pahokee Firefighter C.J. Whitmore. In the event of a collapse, firefighters might have to breech walls in order to escape. Each crew member faced the challenge of fitting between simulated wall studs set 16" apart. Another prop forced firefighters to crawl through a 24" L-shaped box tube about twelve feet long. Perhaps the most challenging was the "entanglement prop" which simulated a ceiling collapse. Firefighters were forced to crawl through the prop on their backs as they worked their way through wires and cables hanging down and snagging them as they worked their way through.

Adding to the challenge of the training is the fact that each member of the crew is dressed in full firefighting gear including pants, coats, boots, gloves, helmets and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus - heavy air tanks worn on their backs. In the final scenario of the session, non-toxic smoke was added to the already darkened room causing visibility to be near zero from just above the floor all the way up to the ceiling.

The training has been well received by the crews. Each firefighter realizes that his or her life may depend on the ability to perform in the most stringent of circumstances and in the most difficult of environments. A hasty escape is of the essence in a collapsed building or when one's air supply is running low. Hopefully, these skills will never be brought to the test but the families of the firefighters will rest more easily knowing that their loved ones have trained and maintain a proficiency that ensures that "Everyone Goes Home" at the end of the shift.

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Story by Lt. Mark Carr, photos by Lt. Mark Carr and District Chief Sam Eaton
Posted on July 17th , 2007.

Car Accident on Jog Road

July 12th 2007 - Special Operations 31 was called out to assist units onscene with heavy extrication of a pinned driver. Units from Station 43 and 46 had been called to a motor vehicle accident and ended up finding two accidents approximately 1500 yards apart. The driver of a BMW Z4 lost control of his car which ended up stopping at least 1500 years from the original accident scene. The vehicle was upside down and the driver was pinned by the foot pedals. The BMW lost the entire front portion of the car The engine and transmission came out as one unit and was found lying near the scene. The only injury resulting from this accident was to the driver of the BMW. He was flown by Trauma Hawk to Delray Community Hospital.

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Story and Photos by Drew Reyburn
Posted on July 17th , 2007.

Vehicla Accident in Station 23's Area

A multi-vehicle accident occurred on Wednesday, July 10th at the intersection of Haverhill and Elmhurst Rd. The initial call indicated a much more serious accident with a possible fatality. In actuality, all patients that went to the hospital suffered minor injuries. Units on scene included E23, R23, R23B. DC3, E24 EMS3 and PI1.
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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on July 13th , 2007.

Multi-Vehicle Accident

Units from Station 28 were dispatched to a multi-vehicle accident on the morning of July 3rd. Initial dispatch information reported several cars with entrapment. Additional units were dispatched including DC2, EMS2, and E21. Upon arrival, 3 cars were found at the entrance to a shopping plaza. One of the vehicles was struck with such force that it was pushed upward and onto the car behind it, while both were leaving the parking lot.
Miraculously, there were no serious injuries.

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Story and photos by District Chief Matthew Gaffney
Posted on July 5th , 2007.

Fire at the Fountains Country Club

A fire broke out inside the golf cart facility at the Fountain's Country Club late Monday evening around 11 pm, June 25. The call came in as flames coming from one of the golf carts. By the time fire units arrived, the entire building was fully engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. Units protected the exposure (the country club itself) and basically went into a defensive attack mode, pouring large amounts of water on the fire. When the ladder (Quint 29) was used, the bulk of the fire was extinguished. Units on scene included: E32, R32, Q29, E31, E43, DC9, EMS9, PI1, R36, EMS3, BC9, LA34 and IV5.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on June 29th , 2007.

Townhome Fire on Dyson Circle

A fire broke out in a two-story townhouse today at 10:30 AM. Neighbors called 911 when they saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the unit. E33, "the Fire Factory", B-shift was on the road and saw the smoke column before the dispatch, and was the first arriving fire unit. Arriving in under 3 minutes, Lt. Peek, FF Hernandez and FF Medley stretched a line to the 2nd floor rear bedroom. D/O Ferguson made the hydrant.

R33 (Lt. Pardo, FF Eddy and FF Ramirez) arrived, laddered the C side of the bldg., and forced entry into the C side and did a primary search. DC10 , Chief Phillips arrived and took command. E23, E34 came in and did overhaul. Q29 laddered the roof and checked for extension.

Their efforts and the resulting very quick knockdown saved the attached townhouse that had a family of 12 living in it. The fire displaced a family of 7. Red Cross and the CAT team were used to assist the affected family. No one was injured and the cause is still under investigation. Units that responded included: E33, R33, E23, EMS3, DC10, PI1, Q29, LA34, E34, R36, EMS9, BC2, DC2 and BC9.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO and D/O Jon Ferguson
Posted on June 18th , 2007.

June 10 House Fire

An afternnon fire at Sandsbury and Southern Blvd, that was spotted by Battalion Chief Mark Anderson, was called in at approximately 1:30 PM. on June 10 . Units from stations 29 and 31 that were on a detail at the South Florida Storm Expo saw a visible column of black smoke in the distance. By this time dispatch had sent a first alarm assignment, Chief Anderson advised it was an abandoned house that was fully involved. Q29 arrived first onscene and Lt. Bucek was assigned to set up the ladder to overhaul the structure once the fire was out. Tender 21 driver, Stacey, supplied water to D/O Turner on the Quint. Crews from E34 utilized B34 to extinguish spotovers from the floating embers. District Chief 3 assumed command from Chief Anderson and the fire was quickly extinguished. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Thanks to Battalion Chief 9 (Anderson) for stopping by off-duty!
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Story and photos by Lt. Cameron Bucek
Posted on June 18th , 2007.

Car Fire

On June 9th, at approx. 8PM, E74 was dispatched to a car fire on Rogers Rd., outside of the city of South Bay. A column of smoke could be seen miles away. Upon arrival (13 minutes from dispatch), E74 found a fully involved vehicle in the roadway. Fire attack was initiated by Lt. J. Brown and FF M. Poulin. Hendry Co. EMS, sheriff, and fire department photographer arrived as fire was being extinguished.
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Posted on June 18th , 2007.

Traffic Accident in the Glades Area

On June 13, station 72 C-shift, was dispatched to a traffic accident (rollover) with a possible ejection. E72 arrived and established command at the Bascom Point Rd location. No rollover was found however a dump truck and a County Parks vehicle had collided with moderate damage to each. A quick assessment of the scene found no hazards and 3 victims requiring care and transport. Units on scene included: E72, E72B, DC7, M43, M41 and Commander 4.
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Story and photos by Wesley (Bud) McCarroll
Posted on June 18th , 2007.

Airplane Engine Blows Over Pahokee

On the morning of June 16th, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Engine 72 in Pahokee was dispatched to a report of a "sick person" with someone supposedly laying on the ground beside an airplane at the Pahokee Airport. Engine 72 responded along with AMR Ambulance's Med-42 and found a very different situation. Upon Engine 72's arrival, a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182, a small single-engine airplane, was found situated in the grass just off the end of the runway. Firefighters made contact with the plane's pilot and passengers who reported that the engine had experienced a critical engine failure during flight. The aircraft had blown its engine and parts and oil were spewed from the plane forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing. Without power, the pilot was able to coast the small plane into Pahokee Airport with a rough landing on Runway 17. The impact of the landing blew the right tire and the plane skidded off the runway. Fortunately, there were no injuries. When the young, shaken up passengers were asked how they were going to get back home, they replied, "We don't know, but we are not flying!"
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Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on June 18th , 2007.

Truck Collides with Tree and Injures One in Royal Palm Beach

A tree in the median of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. north of Indian Trails Drive in Royal Palm Beach proved to be a tough match for a refrigerated box truck June 13th. One person was seriously injured in the afternoon crash that caused the truck to flip in the air from the northbound lanes into the southbound lanes facing east. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue dispatchers sent Engine 28 and Rescue 28 as well as an EMS supervisor and a district chief. Once on scene, units, under the command of Engine 28's Lt. Kevin Shaw, evaluated the lone patient and decided that he was injured badly enough to require air transport to a trauma center. TraumaHawk responded and landed at nearby H.L. Johnson Elementary School where Engine 21 had been summoned to secure the landing zone. The crews of Engine 28 and Rescue 28 treated the driver on the scene with the assistance of an off-duty firefighter and then loaded and transported him to the TraumaHawk. He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital's Trauma Center for treatment.
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Story and photos by Mark Carr
Posted on June 18th , 2007.

Late Night Fire in Belle Glade Leaves Ten Homeless

A late night fire in Belle Glade ripped through a single-wide mobile home June 10th. The Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Alarm Office received the call from 553 SW 7th Street at approximately 10:19 p.m. Engines 73 and 73-Bravo from Belle Glade were the initial response units. As first-due Lt. Geraldine Jaramillo of Engine 73-Bravo left the station with her crew, fire and smoke were visible from the fire station. Lt. Jaramillo immediately requested additional resources and Engine 74 from South Bay was dispatched. With 3/4 of the mobile home involved with fire, Engine 73 laid 500' of 5" supply hose from Engine 73-Bravo to a fire hydrant a block away. Firefighters used three attack hoses to bring the fire under control.

Crews were able to quickly knock down the fire but not before the entire home was destroyed. The Red Cross was requested by the Incident Commander, District Chief Curtis Rice in order to provide temporary shelter for the displaced family. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Story and photos by Lt Mark Carr
Posted on June 11th , 2007.

Trauma Call in Canal Point

A tragic accident in the small town of Canal Point claimed the life of a six year old girl on Sunday, June 10th. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 72 was dispatched to a report of a fall and a traumatic injury. Engine 72-Bravo's Lt. Todd Fote and crew arrived along with a crew from American Medical Response Ambulance and found the situation to be dire. Reportedly, a large television had fallen from above onto the small child causing severe injuries. The child was loaded and transported to nearby Canal Point Elementary School where Engine 72 and District Chief 7 had established a landing zone for the Health Care District's TraumaHawk air rescue helicopter. The patient was turned over to the crew of the TraumaHawk and she was transported to St. Mary's Hospital's Trauma Center where she could not be saved.

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Story and photos by Lt Mark Carr
Posted on June 11th , 2007.

Sugar Mill Fire in Pahokee Doused by Firefighters

The Glades area of rural Palm Beach County is well known for its huge sugar mills dotting the horizon and usually seen only in the distance as one traverses the sprawling cane fields. Fire brought Palm Beach County Firefighters up close and personal early June 8th. At approximately 8:30 a.m. communicators at the Fire-Rescue Alarm Office alerted Station 72 in Pahokee of a commercial structure fire at U.S. Sugar's recently closed Bryant sugar mill at 36501 Mill Road. Initial response was for Engine 72-Bravo, Engine 72, Tender 72 and District Chief 7. Battalion Chief 7 also responded from nearby. Quint 73 from nearby Belle Glade was requested and responded along with Engine 73.

Engine 72-Bravo was first on scene and was faced with an ominous site - large clouds of steam and smoke emitting from two sides of one corner of the massive structure. Gushing water flowed freely from the structure as a plant worker attempted to cool the structure from an adjacent roof using a fire hose from a hose cabinet nearby. Sugar mill employees verified that there was fire in two huge chutes leading up to a large silo. The area of the fire was approximately 75' to 100' above the ground. It appeared that there was no easily accessible way to reach the seat of the fire.

Incident Command, initially established by Engine 72-Bravo, was turned over to Battalion Chief 7, Mike Arena. Engine 72's Firefighter Ken Druggan and Lt. Mark Carr were tasked with proceeding to the area of the fire and assessing the situation. After ascending approximately seven floors of stairs with full fire protection gear and equipment, the crew determined, along with Battalion 7, that Quint 73 would be needed to flow massive quantities of water onto the silo and chutes in order to cool them enough to be opened and ventilated.

Once the area was cooled, plant workers in a high-lift rig were elevated to the top of the chutes. Welders used a cutting torch to cut a large hole in the tops of the chutes. These holes allowed the heat of the fire to further vent and gave firefighters on Quint 73 the ability to direct 1,000 gallons of water per minute into the structures thereby bringing the situation under control.

It was determined that welders using torches to dismantle the chutes accidentally ignited the sugar and its byproducts in one of the chutes and that smoke carried heat and product into the second chute and the silo causing them to ignite as well.

There were no injuries and no significant property loss as the facility was being dismantled after the company's relocation to a newer facility. Plant workers provided invaluable information and assistance in the safe and efficient mitigation of a most challenging and unusual incident.

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Story and photos by Lt Mark Carr
Posted on June 11th , 2007.

Morning Mobile Home Fire

At approximately 07:44 am, neighbors reported a mobile home on fire at 5024 Haverhill Court in suburban West Palm Beach. The first arriving engine, E23, found a fully involved single-wide mobile home. The fire had extended to two vehicles parked outside and was beginning to affect another mobile home next door. The crews protected the neighboring home and eventually extinguished the main fire. No one was injured but three dogs perished in the blaze. Units on scene included E23, E24, R23, EMS3, DC10, DC3, R23b, E33, RQ29, LA34, IV3 and R24
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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on June 4th , 2007.

Mobile Home Fire in Belle Glade

On May 28th at approximately 11:59 AM, Engine 74, E73, E73B, DC7 and T72 responded to a mobile home fire at the 715 Trailer Park. Engine 74, under the direction of Lt Burgos, arrived and found flames coming from the rear of a mobile home. With the fire attack being handled by Lt Burgos and his crew, D/C Haubert established command and directed Engine 73 to pull a line to protect exposures and ventilate the windows on the side of the burning home. E74 completed a quick search to make sure no one was inside the mobile home and completed a fast knockdown and confinement of the fire. Fire investigators determined a child playing with a burning candle accidently started the fire.
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Story by Tim McCabe, photos by Scott Berkowitz
Posted on June 1st , 2007.

Mobile Home Fire in Linda's Mobile Home Park

A fully involved trailer fire was fought by E24, E23, E33, R24, R23, LA34, DC10, BC3 around 1:30 PM on May 25. This was the 2nd working fire of the shift for E33 and E24 (B Shift). The small mobile home was located in the Linda's Mobile Home Park across from the Dog Track.
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Posted on May 29th , 2007.

Fatality Accident on SR80

Friday morning, May 25, an accident was reported on State Rd 80 West of Seminole Pratt. When units arrived they found a car vs. dump truck accident with one ejection from the auto. For some unknown reason the sedan, with two people in it, crossed the median while heading East and collided with a dump truck which was West bound. The passenger of the car was ejected through the windshield and eventually died. The driver and passenger were airlifted to St. Mary's Trauma center. Units on scene included E21, R27, EMS2, DC2, E20, PI1 and Th2.
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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on May 29th , 2007.

South Congress Ave Fire

Around 18:30 on Friday, May 25. Batt. 3 and 9 companies responded to a building fire at 366 S. Congress Ave. E33, R33 arrived to find fire showing from an abandoned building. A quick knock down was done, searches conducted. No injuries. Units on scene: E33, R33, E31, E36, E31,E24, LA34, DC9, DC3, BC3.

This was the 2nd working fire of the shift for E33 and E24. The first was a trailer fire off N. Congress Ave by the dog track.

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Story and Photos by Jon Ferguson
Posted on May 29th , 2007.

Glades Area Firefighters Make Unusual Rescue

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue firefighters in Pahokee and Belle Glade handled an unusual rescue on May 21st. The call came in for Engine 72-Bravo in Pahokee to respond to a dog stuck in a canal. Engine 72-Bravo arrived and found the dog, indeed trapped, in a weed-infested canal about 100' wide. He was half way between sides and tangled in weeds, unable to swim to either side and struggling to stay afloat.

Sheriff's deputies were trying unsuccessfully to rescue the dog with ropes. Engine 72-Bravo's Lt. Mark Carr requested the assistance of the fire-rescue airboat from Station 73 in Belle Glade, a short distance away. Engine 73, under the command of Lt. Frank Cote, and Operations 7 responded with the airboat and launched it in the canal nearby. Palm Beach County Animal Control personnel were on scene and went out on the airboat and, using a snare, with the assistance of Engine 73's crew, rescued the exhausted dog. Bystanders applauded the fire-rescue crews as the dog was rescued from the canal. He was brought to shore and turned over to animal control.

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Story and Photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on May 22nd , 2007.

May 10th Vehicle Fire

May 10 - E33 and R23B responded for a vehicle fire on 2nd St. off Southern Blvd.....E33 upon arrival found a 1994 Lincoln Towncar fully involved...FF Hernandez pulled the trash line and knocked down the fire. Lt. used the K12 to open the hood of the car to put out the fire in there. R23B arrived and they assisted with overhaul...
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Posted on May 17th , 2007.

Gas Leak and Fire

On Tuesday morning at 9:32 am, dispatch received a call for a gas leak at Blue Water Circle and SW 18th St in suburban Boca Raton. Apparantly a Cypress Communications worker was drilling under SW 18 Street for a cable installation and drilled right into a 2" gas line. The leak ignited about 30 minutes into the incident. No one was injured. Eventually, Florida Public Utilities shut the line down. Units on scene included: E55, DC5, BC5, R55, E31, R31, SO31, EMS4, PI1 DC9
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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO, photos by Capt. Jeff Teems
Posted on May 10th , 2007.

Attic Fire in Fitness Center

Dispatch received a smoke investigation call around 6:39 am on Monday May 7. There indeed was smoke in the area of Hypoluxo Rd and Lyons Rd. As it turned out, the smoke was coming from an attic fire in the Fitness Center of the Villagio Subdivision. First arriving units immediately called for a commercial structure fire response and asked for additional units to assist. The aerial (Quint) found active fire in an area of the roof and began roof operations to get to the source of the fire. Interior crews were not able to immediately access the fire due to the 22' (and higher) ceilings. Investigators estimated a loss of around $500,000 due to roof truss damage and considerable interior water damage. The cause of the fire is undetermined. Units on scene included E47, E43, Q29, Q51, R47, E32, PI1, DC4, EMS4, E41, R46, BC4, BC2, EMS5, DC5, LA34, IV2 and IV6.
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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on May 7th , 2007.

Motor Vehicle Accident - Truck vs Tree

On May 5, 2007 Engine and Rescue 28 were dispatched to a Motor Vehicle Accident in the area of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and Crestwood Blvd.. While units were responding, they noted from a distance, a yellow cloud ahead of them. Shortly after that, they were on scene well before the reported location with a single vehicle vs. tree. As units approached, they noted the single occupant stumbling away from the truck that was on fire. The yellow cloud was found to be bystanders and PBSO attempting to extinguish the fire. Crews assessed the scene, confirmed all occupants were out of the truck, extinguished the fire with a hose line and prepared the patient for trauma transport via trauma hawk to SMH. C shift units on the call included E28, R28, EMS2, DC2 , E21 and Trauma Hawk.

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Story and photos by Lt. Kevin Shaw
Posted on May 7th , 2007.

ST26 Pub-ed Pierce Hammock

Students from the Pierce Hammock Elementary School were treated to a visit, from the Firefighters of Station 26, A-shift. Lt. Talpesh brought E26 and B26 to Career Day. DO Randy Freeman led the presentation and answered the students many questions while firefighter Jason Haythorn showed them what we look like when we go to work. The Students, Teachers and Parents all said they were very happy to have their firefighters from the neighborhood station come by.

The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) from the school also donated money to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation through the FOOLS upcoming fishing tournament. The Donation is part of their drive to win the prestigious "Five Star Award" for the school.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on April 30th , 2007.

SFWMD Pump House Threatened

Now that we are in well into the dry season even the Large Pump Houses of the SFWMD are at risk. ST74, C-shift received a call from the Pump Operator at the Pump House, 13 miles west of US27, and 4 miles north of the Broward/Palm Beach County line in SW Palm Beach County. There was a major brush fire in the Holey Lands that was heading directly towards the pump house and the personnel working there needed our assistance.

This is one of the network of pump houses that helps to maintain the water levels in the canals for the South Florida region. They are extremely large buildings with a built up roof system. The roof is 80' high and only accessible by a ladder with a protective cage around it.

Lt. Frank had his FF's Jim Clark and Brian Millar pull a 3" line up the side of the building to establish a portable Standpipe. The High-rise pack was attached and the entire roof was wet down in anticipation of the arrival of flying embers from the approaching fire. DO Brandon Anderson kept them supplied with water from a draft set up on the main canal. DOF was cutting plow lines and there was a large cut off canal between the pump house and the fire. Fortunately the fire made it to the canal and held at that point.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on April 30th , 2007.

Vehicle Accident

On Monday, April 23, 2007 @12:44 hrs, E42, R42, R45, BC4, DC4 and EMS4 responded to a car into a building call at Lake Ida and Jog Rd.
Upon arrival, crews found a small SUV had struck a vehicle in front of the Publix continuing through a Royal Palm tree, off another vehicle and into 2 building columns.
Fortunately, no other pedestrians were struck.
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Story and photos by Battalion Chief Mike Wells
Posted on April 26th , 2007.

Structure Fire in Del Ray

Structure fire this morning, 4/26/07, at Kings Point, 773 Saxony O, Delray Beach 0753 hrs. Smoke and flames were showing upon arrival. It was confined to fire apt only with no extension. The apartment is a total loss.
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Story and photos by Jeff Teens
Posted on April 26th , 2007.

Fire in Loxahatchee

This morning, April 18, at approximately 9 AM, Fire Rescue received a call for a structure on fire on Marcella Rd in Loxahatchee. On arrival, E25 found heavy smoke coming from a small detached structure on the property. At one point, after the initial fire attach, crews had to be withdrawn when it was determined that live wires were resting on the structure's metal roof. The fire was later deemed accidental, probably from a cigarette. Additionally, the owner advised the building that burned was used to store some 600 Barbie Dolls, part of a long term collection. Most of the collection was in unopened boxes. Nearly all were lost in the blaze. Units on scene included E25, DC10, EMS2, R21, PI1, DC3, E20, IV5, Q29, DC2, LA34, EMS3, R20, BC3, T14, E22, R27.
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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on April 18th , 2007.

Dinner at the Firehouse

A recent fund raising raffle in Lantana gave the winners a full course meal and a "taste" of firehouse life.

The Lantana Historical Society had been looking for a unique fundraising project to assist them with some restoration projects in the City. The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station that serves Lantana on Greynolds Circle helped them with a "Dinner at the Fire Station" raffle. Tickets were sold in the community for a chance on an Italian dinner cooked by the firefighters and served in the station.

The lucky winners were Cathy Padilla, her son Kevin Mahoney and Cathy's mother, Michele Phillips. Dinner included fresh salad, homemade Italian Bruschetta on Italian bread, tortellini with homemade sauce, homemade rice pudding and refreshments. Lieutenant Doug McGlynn was the lead Chef and crewmembers provided support. Dinner was served in the apparatus bay. Guests included Mayor Dave Stewart, Historical Society members Rosemary Mourning and Jack Carpenter, representatives from Fire Rescue Administration and the on-duty crew.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on March 29th , 2007.

Palm Beach Int'l Airport Shows Massive Display of Protection

Most airline passengers and even most airport employees have no idea that highly specialized equipment and highly trained professional firefighters and paramedics are constantly standing by ready to serve them, our customers, at a second's notice. Such is the case at Palm Beach International Airport. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue provides Airport Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) services as well as typical Fire-Rescue services to the airport and is based out of Station 81, strategically situated right smack-dab in the center of the airfield. Just under 50 personnel, divided into three 24 hour shifts, work under the leadership of Battalion Chief David Horowitz. A fleet of four specialized ARFF trucks, one Advanced Life Support rescue-pumper, and several other specialized units as well as support and supervisory units operate out of Station 81. This photo shows the massive array of new and soon to be replaced specialized equipment standing ready to respond.
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Story and Photos by Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 29th , 2007.

Out With the Old, In With the New at Palm Beach Int'l Airport

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Station 81, located in the center of the airfield at Palm Beach Int'l Airport, is in the process of placing two new rigs in service. A brand new Airport Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle and a new Advanced Life Support (ALS) combination pumper/rescue rig were delivered recently and will significantly upgrade the station's fleet.

Dragon 1's aging 1991 E-One Titan rig is being replaced by a 2006 E-One Titan HPR rig. The former Dragon 1 is one of only two similar rigs ever built by E-One; the only other one is in reserve status at the Atlanta-Hartsfield Int'l Airport in Georgia. The new Dragon 1 is a large 4-axle machine capable of pumping 2050 gallons per minute, carries 3000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of firefighting foam, 450 pounds of dry chemical fire extinguishing agent and has a 50' articulating and elevating "Snozzle". The Snozzle is capable of piercing the side of a large aircraft and applying firefighting agent through the piercing nozzle directly into the burning aircraft.

Rescue 81 and Rescue-Engine 81, two cross-staffed ALS units are being replaced by the new Rescue-Pumper 81. The old Rescue 81 is a 1995 Freightliner FL60 built by Aero-Products. The old Rescue-Engine 81 is a 1997 Freightliner FL80 built by Ferrara. The new rig, in addition to being fully equipped ALS rig, combines the cabilities of transporting the sick and injured as well as providing limited firefighting protection. It has a 500 gallon per minute pump, a 300 gallon water tank and a small firefighting foam tank.

Pictured are the old and the new Dragon 1's and the old and new rescue units as well as the old Rescue-Engine 81.

The customers of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and Palm Beach Int'l Airport can look forward to many years of advanced technology in fire protection and medical services with the new rigs.
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Story and Photos by Mark V. Carr
Posted on March 28th , 2007.

Jet Leaving PBIA Experiences Trouble on Takeoff

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 81's crews at Palm Beach Int'l Airport were awakened early Sunday morning March 18 when an alert was called for a jet arriving with a lost engine cowling. Just as Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) crews responded, the aircraft, a Jet Blue Airbus A320 with 150 passengers and a crew of 6, landed safely on Runway 27R, the largest of 2 east/west runways. Upon landing, the pilot reported that everything was alright onboard and that he would proceed to the gate. Acting Captain Carr along with Dragon 1, a full-size ARFF rig driven by Firefighter Danny Manness, responded to the aircraft and followed it to the gate. Visualization of the aircraft found that an entire section of the left engine cowling had come off. Slight damage was noted along the leading edge of the wing behind the engine as well as paint scratches to the left landing gear door. Airport Operations Agents found several large pieces of the cowling on the runway. The pilot reported that he felt a strong shuddering just as he was lifting off and that he felt it until he reached 1-to-2,000 ft. after leaving the airport. He made a quick turn around and landed safely with no report of injuries to anyone on the aircraft or on the ground.
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Story and photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on March 19th , 2007.

New Apparatus Arrivals

The Department of Airports recently purchased a new Rescue Pumper for Airport Fire Station 81. The details on it are as follows: 2007 Freightliner M2/American LaFrance Medic-Master. It has a 500 gpm pump, 300 gallon water tank and about 15 gallons of foam. It will be replacing R81 and RE81, will be staffed by a crew of two and will respond to incidents in and around the airport.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has purchased (6) new custom engines, 2007 E-1 Typhoons. They carry a 750 gallons watersupply, have a separate foam tank and utilize a Cummins 330 HP engine.
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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on March 16th , 2007.

Southside Irish Parade

March 11th, 2007 - Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Pipes and Drums joined up with multiple fire department pipe bands from around the country and the world for a massed band performance in this year's Chicago Southside Irish Parade. This was the largest event PBCFR Pipes and Drums has attended since forming a few years back and it was the most memorable event to date. The Band of Brothers, a Chicago and Indiana-based fire department pipe band, hosted and planned the gathering for this year's parade and could not have done a better job taking care of everyone that participated.

Most bands arrived on Friday and spent the day checking in and getting out to the city to do some sightseeing and later on Friday night a few attended the Dropkick Murphys concert at the House of Blues. The first day was a travel day and by the end of the night most of us were ready for bed. Saturday came quick but we got the chance to watch the Dublin Ireland Fire Brigade Pipes and Drums practice in the morning. Later on the night all the bands gathered at a local establishment called Bourbon street 115 where we played in front of a packed house just before Irish rock band Flatfoot 56 performed. Once we arrived back at the hotel we were asked to play a few tunes in the lobby at 0100 hrs for a highschool that was in town on a trip we gladly accepted to play in exchange for some "WHITE CASTLES"--you have to love the sliders!

Parade day arrived and we packed onto the bus and headed to the staging area. No-one had any idea what to expect; all we knew was that we where going to have a blast. As we arrived in the neighborhood on the Southside, all the houses and businesses were covered in green with all the St. Patrick's Day decorations. It was looking like a green Christmas for the Irish! The morning started off a little cold, but what do you expect from Floridians: everything under 60 degrees is cold. The day could not have turned out any better. People were starting to pile along the parade route, the sun was out, the temperature was rising, and we formed up ready to step off to a crowd estimated at about 500,000 people. Once we stepped off and started playing all of us were greeted by the citizens of the Windy City as if we were dignataries from our home towns. The parade route was lined by an endless sea of green and a crowd that never stopped cheering. At times the crowd was louder than the 40 plus pipers, 10 bass drums, 8 tenors and 20 or so snares playing tunes like Scotland the Brave, Balmoral, and Green Hills. Along the parade route we stopped and faced an empty lot and played Amazing Grace, this was the site where some of Chicago's bravest lost their lives in the line of duty a few years ago. Once Amazing Grace was done, an honoring speech was read to the crowd including the names of those who lost their lives on the very ground on which they stood. This was the only time there was silence in the crowds on the street that day. We continued along the parade route now starting to get a little fatigued, but that didn't stop us from playing to the end of the 3 mile parade route.

The parade had finally come to an end for us, but we continued on to a lunch hosted by a Chicago Firefighter and his family with all the holiday fixings of corned beef and Irish stew. We finished off the day by stopping and playing at a few house parties being thrown by other Chicago firefighters but headed home once the temp dropped below 40 degrees...again, we are from Florida and we were in kilts!

On behalf of the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Pipes and Drums we would like to thank the Band of Brothers especially Ryan Hornback for putting this event together, it was truly a memorable experience and we all will be back to play again on the southside of Chicago!

HAPPY ST.PATRICKS DAY from the PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PIPES AND DRUMS
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Story by Scott Jurasz
Posted on March 16th , 2007.

A Very Welcomed Guest

On February 17, 2007 crews from RE58, R54, R51 and EMS 5 responded to a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Glades Road and Ponderosa Drive. Upon arrival extensive damage was noted to vehicles involved. One patient was found still trapped in a compact car that was struck by a full size SUV. Assessment revealed a 15-year-old female who was unresponsive, suffering from severe head and facial trauma. A trauma alert was declared; the patient was extricated and rapid transport with aggressive treatment administered by R54. Upon arrival at the ED, there was no improvement in the patient's condition and the situation was looking very grave. Family was told to expect the worse due to the significance of her injuries. After 2 short weeks in the trauma center and a miraculous recovery, she had walked out of the hospital and a full recovery is expected. Her mother, who is an RN, states, "The hospital trauma team feels this is an example at EMS working at its best. Due to the quick and aggressive actions of all Fire Rescue personnel involved, they have made a difference in this girls life and contributed to her survival." On Sunday March 4, 2007, the young teenager walked into Station 54 with her mom and dad and was able to have lunch with the crew. The visit was an AWESOME experience for all that afternoon and example of a situation that we rarely witness. A job well done by all involved, especially Rescue LT Tony Hernandez and PM James Levine.
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Story and photos by Lt. Craig Spiegelhalter
Posted on March 15th , 2007.

Fire-Rescue Responds to Fatal Traffic Accident

Around 12:30 PM on Monday February 26, a serious two car accident killed one person and sent two others to the hospital. A Chrysler PT Cruiser hit a Mercedes sedan at the intersection of Woolbright Road and Wingfoot Rd (the Gate 1 entrance to the Indian Spring development). The Mercedes ended up on it's roof. One of the occupants of the Mercedes survived the accident and was listed in critical condition, as of this writing, at the Delray Trauma Center. The driver of the Chrysler did not have life-threatening injuries. The Sheriff's Office determined that the two victims in the full-sized sedan were not using their seatbelts at the time of the accident. Units on scene included R41, RE41, BC4, EMS4, R42, RE47, DC4, Boynton Beach Rescue and PI1.
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Story by Captain Don Delucia, PIO
Posted on February 27th , 2007.

Reservoir Familiarization

On February 19th, 20th, and 21st, multiple agencies participated in a training session at the EAA Reservoir construction site on US Hwy 27 south of South Bay. PBCFR's E74, DC7, BC7, DC9, BC9, members of Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue's Technical Rescue Team and AMR's Commander 4 were present.

One of the many things viewed and a point of concern for rescuers is the de-watering trench. The trench is 3' wide and 22' deep. It can vary from 1-2 miles in length. Although well marked and on private property there is always a concern of a trespasser falling into this trench. The Special Op's teams were invited to utilize their expertise to pre-plan and provide guidance in the event this should ever happen.

As one part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) this reservoir will help improve south Florida's ecosystem by restoring water flows that have change tremendously over the past century. It is the largest environmental restoration effort in the world. Congress authorized the plan and the US Army Corps of Engineers along with the South Florida Water Management District over see the project. The main offices are located 13.5 miles south of ST74 on US hwy 27. The project is being built by Barnard/Parson's joint venture and will take 3-4 years to complete.

Story by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on February 27th , 2007.

Double Header in the Glades

On February 1st, C-shift caught residential structure fires back to back. E73 and E73B were dispatched to a duplex on fire in the south end of Belle Glade. With smoke showing and an 1 3/4" line pulled to the front door, the door was opened to find a couch in the living room heavily involved in fire. Smoke had charged the entire home. As the crews were completing their Secondary search, and beginning overhaul, Dispatch advised that they had received multiple calls for a house on fire in South Bay.

E74 along with E72 were initially dispatched. PBSO arrived on scene and advised fire blowing out the windows. Because E72 had an estimated ETA of 18 minutes, E72 & DC7 left the first fire to assist E74. Enroute smoke was visible from the station and a fill was requested. E74 arrived to find a single family residential 25% involved with fire blowing out all the windows on the D side and the A side at the D corner. Due to the extended ETA of the second in, they secured their own water supply. Fortunately that day E74 had 4 personnel. They were able to simultaneously hit the hydrant, do a 360, pull the crosslay and set up for fire attack. The LT and one FF were able to begin an aggressive fire attack. Their second firefighter backed them up after connecting to the hydrant. Besides pumping, setting up the lights the DO had saws on the ground for the security bars. E73 arrived and was assigned to do a primary search and assist with pulling ceiling. E73B was able to leave the first fire and arrived shortly before E72. All units assisted with the search, extinguishment and overhaul.

An outstanding job was done by all.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on February 20th , 2007.

Single Vehicle Accident in 31's Zone with 5 Trauma Alerts

Crews from the 31 House responded to a motor vehicle accident with possible ejections on Congress Ave just south of 6th Ave in Lake Worth. When units arrived, they found a single vehicle that had flipped several times, landing upright with the roof torn completely off with heavy damage to the car, multiple patients either laying on the ground or sitting upright near the accident, all complaining of being ejected from the vehicle with numerous injuries. While the car was flipping around, the back of the vehicle hit a telephone pole leaving the poles imprint near the trunk of the vehicle. A total of 5 patients were transported to the local trauma centers (two by air, and three by ground) and one occupant was dead on arrival.

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Story and photos by Drew Reyburn
Posted on January 16th , 2007.

New ARFF Truck Training - 2nd Phase

Here are a few pictures of the second phase of training on the new ARFF vehicle. This phase included the use of the piercing nozzle, presented by Rick Haywood representing E-ONE. The crews learned proper placement and technique for safe operation of the snozzle and piercing nozzle. This type of training will continue until the crews become proficient in the operation of this vehicle.

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Story and photos by Capt. John Boike, PBIA
Posted on January 16th , 2007.

4th Annual Marathon of the Palm Beaches

The Marathon of the Palm Beaches held its 4th Annual Marathon on December 3rd in downtown West Palm Beach. The marathon was run on Flagler drive along the intercoastal waterway on a beautiful Sunday morning. This year's marathon was the largest attended to date. The Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans reached out to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue for some help with their veterans, and in the spirit of our willingness to always help others, we responded. This is an organization that works with disabled American Veterans back from Iraq and Afghanistan. Most people think of running in a marathon, well not these heroes. These wounded vets are missing a single or multiple limbs, they may have sustained major trauma, or had a severe accident while serving in our military. But with all these hurdles facing them and their future, it doesn't stop them; they get on, or strapped into a specially designed bicycle and peddle the marathon with their arms. It was an honor to not only meet these heroes, but it was my pleasure to help them move around Palm Beach County, in addition, it gave us an opportunity to show off our great county. The fire department not only responded with personnel, we also responded with a passenger van to facilitate the veteran's transportation to events, but also with a large panel van to move the veterans bicycles. The marathon may have been on Sunday, but there were numerous events held in honor of the veterans and their sacrifice to our country and their participation in the marathon. It started Friday night with Pete McGrane driving the team members over to Palm Beach to attend a large cocktail party at a private residence on the ocean. I also attended this party and it was a great event, and well worth attending. Then Saturday, Chris Vaughn, Roy Griffith, Ken Fisher, Tim Gardner and myself drove everyone down to City Place for registration; afterwards we drove over the bridge to Mar A Largo for a lunch sponsored by Donald Trump. We spent about five hours there with the team swimming and having lunch at the beach club. On Sunday, Chris Vaughn, Roy Griffith, Tim Gardner, Don Nowacki, Lee Bronco and myself helped the team get to the race, transport their bikes, bring them their wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and the most rewarding thing: meet them as they rolled over the finish line. These are some amazing individuals! They peddled their bikes with their arms 13.1 or 26.2 miles of the marathon. I was inspired by their drive and love of life. We look forward to these heroes returning next year for the race again, and I can bet you, everyone who volunteered this year will be back.

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Story and picture by Matt Willhite
Posted on January 10th , 2007.

Early Morning Fire Destroys Two Story Home

Early Saturday morning on January 6, a fire forced a family to evacuate their home on 521 Cresta Circle, WPB. The fill-the-alarm fire resulted in a fire loss of close to a million dollars. Initial investigation indicates an accidental cause. Units on scene included R23, R23-B, RE34, RE23, DC10, EMS2, R34, BC3, EMS3, RE33, RQ29 and IV2. A neighbor supplied photos.

Click here to view a small movie (AVI) file of the fire.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, Photos supplied by a neighbor at the scene
Posted on January 6th , 2007.

Christmas with Children from the Jack Nicklaus Children's Hospital

A group of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel along with some civilian volunteers (including a Santa Clause look-alike) brought dozens of Christmas gifts to the Jack Nicklaus Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach on Friday December 22. Many of the children, ranging in age from 3 months to 17 years, were bedridden with serious medical conditionss including cancer. Fire Rescue was able to bring Christmas to them and brighten up their lives with donated toys that covered all age groups. It was a touching moment to see adult parents crying when Santa began handing out presents. This project celebrated it's third consecutive year in conjunction with the FOOLS organization (Fraternal Order of Leatherheads) an organization of firefighters dedicated to charitable projects.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on December 29th , 2006.

ST73 Cutter Training

Due to the extensive use of guardrails and the amount of large transport type vehicles in Battalion 7, Station 73, C-shift took the opportunity to test out the new Tornado Blade on the K-12 saw. E73 and E73B's crews were able to use the DOT yard in Belle Glade to practice with and test the different circular saw blades that are available to us.

The composite Combo blade does a good job on both guardrails and concrete. The Tornado Blade performed equally well. As we all know the Composite blade gets smaller each time you use it. The Tornado Blade with it's diamond cutting tip does not. After only a few cuts the composite blade, required much more work to cut the guardrail. Because the Tornado doesn't loose any of its size it made short work of the rails. The same problem came when cutting concrete. Based on these observations, it was decided that the Tornado Blade would be kept on the K-12 as the primary blade.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 27th , 2006.

Firefighters Provide Memorable Christmas

The crews from Station 35 ran on a family who lost their father last month before Christmas. The family depended on the fathers income. To ensure a memorable Christmas the crews came together and solicited monies from station members to present the family with gifts and gift certificates from Publix. Since the mother now assumed a full time job working seven days a week (including Christmas) their Holiday was delayed. On 12/26/2006 the family was presented with two brand new Huffy bicycles, a Sony PlayStation 2, and one hundred eighty five dollars in gift cards. Attached is a picture of the gift presentation. Pictured is the family along with , FF Patterson, FF Poalillo, FF Reid, DO Clough, Lt. Bucek, and Capt. Cinilia.

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By Lt. Cameron Bucek
Posted on December 27th , 2006.

Traffic Accident on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve day, Station 74 C-Shift, responded to an traffic accident on US HWY 27, 3 miles north of the Broward County Line. The car went head-on into the guardrail that separates US27 from the canal on the east side after crossing the median. Multiple airbags deployed. Upon arrival (22 mile response) bystanders had both occupants out of the car. Initially PBCFR secured the scene while AMR personnel accessed the patients. The occupants were treated and transported via Trauma Hawk to the trauma center.

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By District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 26th , 2006.

Going the Extra Mile: A Kid's Sanctuary for Christmas

The Customer Service Team would like to take the time to recognize crews from Station 28 for their support given to the Kid Sanctuary, a local foster home in their zone. Personnel from station 28 including members of the customer service commitee have really taken it upon themselves to give unconditionally, time and time again. If you have not read the previous postings, the Kid Sanctuary is a place that takes in children, no questions asked. They emotionally and physically support these children until they can locate another home for them. The ages of the children range from newborns to young teenagers, some with special needs. Batallion Chief Nigel Baker, District Chief Howes, Rescue Captain John Vanek, Lt. Springthorpe, Driver Operator Karl Largen, P/M Bertleson, and a member of the Customer Service Team brought gifts to the children to be open Christmas morning. They also spent time there visiting with the children and giving them some well needed attention. The volunteers there take very good care of the children and lessen the impact of there individual situations. The volunteers are very grateful for Station 28's support and can not thank them enough. Keep up the good work!

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Posted on December 22nd , 2006.

Bus Accident

Bus accident today. Bus almost went into canal with 40 middle school kids. Driver was cut off by a van. Front of the bus was touching the water. All kid exited bus safety, 1 ALS, 1 BLS both minor. Lucky Lucky Lucky

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Story by Battalion Chief Jim St. Pierre
Posted on December 21st , 2006.

New ARFF Truck

The crews at Station 81 would like to welcome the newest addition to our fleet. The vehicle is an E-One 8x8, with a snozzle. The vehicle carries 3000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of foam and 500 lbs of purple-k extinguishing agent. The vehicle is equipped with 200' of 1 3/4 hand line on each side, and a dual agent line on the right side of the vehicle, and a piercing nozzle on the snozzle. This piercing nozzle flows agent at a rate of 250 gpm of water/foam. The snozzle also has a Williams hydro-chem nozzle that discharges purple-k agent, water/foam discharge at 1000 gpm in high flow and 500 gpm on low flow from the. The unit is equipped with a bumper turret that flows 300 gpm. The vehicle also has a FLIR camera attached to the boom for viewing hot spots on aircraft, and a back-up camera as well as a color camera to record what is encountered on an incident when the emergency lights are turned on. The vehicle has many other features and will be placed into service after training that is provided by the E-One corporation as well as in house training. This vehicle was part of a long process put together by the Station 81 Spec Committee members and facilitated by Chief Michael Arena and Chief David Horowitz. The end product speaks for itself.

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Story by Airport Battalion Chief David Horowitz
Posted on December 21st , 2006.

Water Supply Evolution Training

C-Shift: Sta 33 and 81 training in a water supply evolution utilizing Dragon 1 at the airport.

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Story by Airport Battalion Chief David Horowitz
Posted on December 19th , 2006.

Going the Extra Mile: Sean Fine and Paul Slonaker

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize and reward the efforts of FF/PM Sean Fine and FF/PM Paul Slonaker for their outstanding performance that clearly went above and beyond the normal scope of their duties. Apparently the two were paired up on a special duty detail at the Sound Advice Ampitheatre when a distressed concert attendee was brought to their attention. No medical need was warranted however, the female had been left stranded at the event after a quarrel with her boyfriend. She had moved to Gainesville from out of state against her mother's wishes and had no way of getting home nor was she familiar with the area. The two assisted her in getting in touch with the child's mother back home in Vermont and they were instrumental in getting her to the airport safely so that Mom could fly her back home. Paul and Sean introduced themselves as PBCFR Firefighter/Paramedics over the phone to the parents which represented a sense of reassurance and safety for them as you can only imagine a mother's fear of what could have happened had they not been there for the family. Because of the late hour of the night the flights scheduled were for the next morning so instead of dropping her off their they checked her into The Airport Hilton accross the street and paid for the room out of their own pocket. Before calling it a night, one final phone call was placed to Mom from the lobby assuring her that the hotel manager was informed about the situation and that her daughter was resting safely in room number such and such. Now of course we're not in the hospitality business by any means, but take a moment and recognize the lengths that these two had undertaken and how the spirit of a FF's heart will never be forgotten for one Vermont family who will be together for the holidays thanks to the generousity of PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE's Sean Fine and Paul Slonaker.

Thanks guys for empowering yourselves to get the job done no matter who's job it is!

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Story by Lt. Douglas McGlynn
Posted on December 19th , 2006.

Fire Investigators Earn International Certification

Four members of the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Investigations Division earned the prestigious International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) honor. The four members consisted of Captain Rob Rush, Investigator David Toohey, Investigator John Farill and Investigator Tom Fucci. Currently, there are less than 900 CFI's worldwide and about 20 in the State of Florida. The process for obtaining this designation took over a year. The IAAI requires that CFI candidates spend more than 4 years in a full time capacity investigating fire scenes. In addition, the candidate must document training, experience, knowledge in the subject matter of fire investigation. Also, the candidate must either testify in 3 trials as an expert witness or attend an Expert Witness Courtroom Testimony course. After submission of the application, candidates are evaluated on their training, experience and knowledge by a panel of experts. The candidate is then allowed to sit for a timed, closed-book 105-question exam, where study materials come from at least 9 different sources.

"This honor justifies the hard work, dedication, and professionalism the unit strives for with each fire scene," says Captain Rob Rush.

Investigator John Farill summed it up "the search for truth does not end with the fire scene, we are truth seekers and not case makers."

Through the ashes.comes the truth.

By Tom Fucci
Posted on December 12th , 2006.

ST73 RO 827 & 827A 12 06

Shortly after change of shift, Station 73A was dispatched on a sig4 rollover involving a large truck with PBSO advising possible entrapment at the intersection of 827 and 827A. DC7 & E73 arrived to find a Dump truck on its side. The truck had too much speed while trying to make a sharp turn. The driver was outside the vehicle, fortunately with only minor injuries.

One week prior at the same location an SUV had also missed the turn, crashing into the guard rail. That event required extrication of the front seat passenger.

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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 12th , 2006.

Okeelanta Sig 4

With the Sugar Cane Harvest in full gear, units from the 7th Battalion were dispatched to a traffic accident involving two semi trucks. Initial reports put the accident on US27. E74 located the accident on the main road into the Okeelanta Sugar Mill. The two trucks collided on a narrow roadway causing both to go into an empty drainage ditch. The driver of the 2nd truck was not injured. The driver of the first truck was still in his vehicle upon arrival. On site medical Staff was treating the patient. Due to the nature of the injury and the lack of exit points from the sleeper cab, E74 had to cut the supports to the roof and use the rams to lift the roof high enough to remove the patient on a back board out the front windshield area. AMR transported the patient to Glades General Hospital for further evaluation.
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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 11th , 2006.

Station 74 Dispatched to Traffic Accident

Station 74 was dispatched to a traffic accident/rollover with possible entrapment at the Okeelanta Sugar Mill in Western Palm Beach County. E74 arrived and began its assessment of the situation. Fortunately the driver was not trapped and received only minor injuries. The truck was exiting the Power Plant when it apparently misjudged its speed on a sharp turn.
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Story and photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on December 11th , 2006.

Tender 72 Completes ISO Time Trials

Tender 72 recently completed ISO Time Trials, for incorporation in our Water Supply records for the ISO. Tender 72 is pictured during a drafting scenario, with Station 72 engine and tender personnel, DC Gary Burroughs, and WO Staff.

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By Steve Collins
Posted on December 7th , 2006.

Rescue Lieutenant Officer Candidate School Class 1

November 17, 2006 was the last day of a two-week officer candidate school for our first group of Rescue Lieutenants. It has been said by the department and union management that never in the history of our agency or any other fire department has so many lieutenants been promoted at the same time. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has stepped up to an enormous task by promoting 139 Rescue Lieutenants as of January 2007.

The Officer Candidate School covered many topics to include; strategy and tactics, incident safety officer, diversity-sexual harassment training, ALERTS Training, officer responsibilities, O.R. rotation, exposure control policies and other training related to this position. The new officer candidates met the requirements of the NFPA as outlined in the NFPA 1021 chapter.

Congratulations to the first class, we look foreword to the next five to six OCS classes scheduled over the next few months.

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By Capt. Houston Park
Posted on November 29th , 2006.

Single Vehicle Accident

Units from Station 54 along w/DC5 and EMS 5 Responded to State Road 7 and Kimberly Blvd in Boca Raton on Monday, November 20 for a traffic accident. On arrival units found a single car(Jaguar) rolloved over on an embankment with it's driver trapped inside. RE54's crew extricated the driver and turned the patient over to R54's crew for treatment.

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Story by Lt. Cameron Bucek, Photos by J. E. Gautier, Jr.
Posted on November 21st , 2006.

Bus Accident Sends Many to the Hospital

A small shuttle bus operated by the Jewish Community Center was struck by a septic tank cleaning tank truck at the intersection of Okeechobee Bl and Golden Lakes Bl in suburban West Palm Beach Thursday, November 16, around 9:30 AM. The bus was taking some elderly residents of Golden Lakes Village on a shopping trip. Five patients were sent to the Trauma Center, two of them by Trauma Hawk helicopter. An additional seven patients went to Palms West Hospital with lesser injuries. One of the trauma patients died later in the day at the St. Marys Trauma Center. The accident is under investigation by the West Palm Beach Police Department. The first responding Fire Rescue unit arrived on scene in less than two minutes. Units on scene included: R23, R34, R23B, R24, R28, RE23, RE34, EMS 4, RE24, DC10, BC3 and PI 1.

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Story by Capt. Don DeLucia, Photos by Capt. Don DeLucia and Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on November 20th , 2006.

Pilot Survives Lantana Plane Crash in Yard of Home

Residents of a small suburban Lantana neighborhood just southeast of Lantana Airpark were jostled by the sudden impact of a small aircraft crash landing in their yards Monday morning, November 13th. The aircraft, a 1967 Bellanca, with only the pilot on board, was attempting to land at the nearby airport when the crash occurred. The aircraft struck powerlines, poles and a car before coming to rest in the yard of a home at 6253 Pine Drive. Parts of the downed plane were found on the roof of an adjacent home and powerlines, trees and airplane parts littered the lawn and Pine Drive to the east. Fire-Rescue crews from Palm Beach County's stations 35, 37 and 43 responded to the incident.

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Story and photos by Mark V. Carr
Posted on November 14th , 2006.

Structure Fire at Westwood Circle East

On November 2, 2006 units from Battalions two and three were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 265 Westwood Circle East. Dispatch received multiple calls and filled the alarm early. Responding units could see heavy smoke and flames from a distance. Units arrived on scene to find a heavily involved large single family home that had vented through the roof. Command was established and it was determined that the initial attack would be accomplished defensively by Quint 29. Quint 29 backed into the property and placed an elevated master stream in service. Quint 29 operated for approximately 30 minutes to bring the fire under control. A relay pumping operation was set up to the supply Quint 29 by Engines 34 and 28. There was an additional concern of a large supply of gasoline being stored in the garage. Tender 21 was placed in position to support an attack on the garage. Crews also utilized K-12 saws to gain access to the three-car garage and a heavy steel security gate to the rear. Fortunately the gasoline did not ignite. Units then transitioned into an overhaul mode and advanced hand lines into the structure. The Community Assistance Team was on scene to provide support to the homeowners and additional units were called in later to assist with stabilizing the structure during the investigation mode. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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Story and photos by Lt. Kevin Shaw
Posted on November 8th , 2006.

Customer Service Team Award Ceremony

The Community Assistance Team gathered at Bucca di Beppos, roughly translated to Uncle Joes basement, to celebrate their second year in service and honor those volunteers who have given unconditionally. Many awards were given out, including: Call of the Year, Member with Most Seniority, Rookie of the Year, and Most Number of Hours by One Member (it was 440 by the way). The team members donated over 3,000 hours of their time to the CAT program resulting in over1400 hours of in service time and over 600 calls run. Their service and dedication is truly appreciated.

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Story by Alicia Kula, Photos by Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on November 1st , 2006.

RE17 Goes the Extra Mile

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize RE17 and R14 for delivering the exact type of "going the extra mile" service that the program has been boasting about since our inception late last year. Our thoughts are that good deeds occur every day throughout our department but they seem to "fly beneath the radar" sort of speak. This is not one of those cases.

Apparently RE17 and R14 were dispatched to a cardiac related emergency on the Beeline Highway. Upon RE17's arrival they found a mother and her 3 month old baby son, who had an extensive cardiac history, on their way for a CT Scan at St. Mary's Pediatric. Evidently the vehicle experienced a blowout on one of the tires and the mother, a struggling single parent, didn't know who else to call for help since they only had another 15 minutes till their appointment. Due to the severity of the patient's age and history, R14 transported both the mom and child to St.Mary's. RE17 however, empowered themselves to take the service the "extra mile" when they decided to take the flat tire off the vehicle and drive it over to Dolphin Tire on Military Trail. After speaking to the manager of the store and informing him what had happened, the manager decided to donate a newly used tire to the crew in efforts of assisting the young deserving mother who was obviously having a bad day. RE17 drove back to the vehicle, replaced the tire, and left a note on the windshield for her since she planned on returning to the vehicle later that day. The crews left a message for her at St. Mary's that the vehicle was fixed and ready for her whenever she was complete from the hospital.

This type of Customer Service is exemplary of the message we are trying to share with others in the way that they stepped to the plate when they saw the opportunity, risen to the task of taking on initiative, and coordinating with local resources as good community neighbors often do when they are trying to "do the right thing". Thanks go out to all crew members involved who also will receive Frequent Fire Miles as a token of our recognition: Lt. Nick Gerry, DO Brandon Andersen, FM Charlie Head, FM Dennis McKessey, and FM Ed Bauries.

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Story by Lt Doug McGlynn
Posted on October 27th , 2006.

"New" Station 41 is Dedicated

The newly rebuild station 41 was dedicated with a formal ceremony on Wednesday, October 25. Commissioner Burt Aaronson gave a very supportive speech on behalf of all firefighters and told everyone how much he appreciated all that we do. Guests from the surrounding communities and other departments were given tours of the new building and enjoyed refreshments after the ceremony. The Fire Rescue Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums did their usual professional opening for the crowd.

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Story by Don Delucia, photos by Sergio Ornelas
Posted on October 26th , 2006.

New Pahokee Engine Place in Service, w/ Tradition

Crews at Pahokee Station 72 were happy to recieve their newest member of the fleet,.... a brand new 2006 E-One Typhoon Custom Cab Fire Engine. Keeping true with fire service traditions of placing a new piece of equipment into service, District Chief Burroughs joined his firefighters in the welcoming the apparatus to it's new home. Crews can be seen pushing the new truck into the bay with grace & honor before officially placing it into service on October 5th, 2006 (A-Shift) at approx. 1900hrs. The unit replaces the older 1986 Pierce Dash Engine which will serve as reserve status for battalion seven.

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Story and photos by Lt. Doug McGlynn
Posted on October 26th , 2006.

Car Accident in Wellington, October 24, 5:00PM

The vehicle was occupied by two young teenagers who were traveling Southbound on 441 approaching Forest Hill Blvd. They appeared to have lost control of the vehicle, hit the curb and then the vehicle rolled over multiple times, ejecting both occupants and finally landing on its roof and catching fire.
RP30, E25, R27, RQ29, EMS 2, DC 2 , DC 10, B2, TH1, and TH1 were units assigned to patient treatment, LZ, extinguishing the car fire, incident command, or scene mitigation.

The two ejected victims were flown via TH1 & TH2 to Delray Community Trauma Center in critical condition.

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Story and photos by Battalion Chief Nigel Baker
Posted on October 26th , 2006.

Witnessed Car Into Canal

Witnesses, including a Sheriffs Deputy, saw a vehicle splash into the Palm Beach Canal, which runs along Southern Blvd. The incident occurred around 11 am near Haverhill and Southern Blvd on Monday, October 23. The vehicle turned out to unoccupied and stolen. The car thief was not found. Units on scene included RE33, DC10, EMS3, SO31, RE31, DC4, R33, EMS9 and SO19.

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Story by Don Delucia and Photos by Artie Werkle
Posted on October 25th , 2006.

Airport Firefighters Train in Aircraft Extrication Procedures

Firefighters of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Station 81 at Palm Beach Int'l Airport got a chance participate in some rare hands-on training in aircraft extrication procedures this week. An old executive jet was made available to firefighters who used a wide array of tools to gain access to or penetrate the aircraft. A SPAAT tool - a pneumatic tool that bores a hole in the aircrafts inner and outer walls and then allows application of a water fog through its tip was used as well as air chisels, reciprocating saws, sledge hammers, pick-headed axes and other hand tools. The training was well received by the crews and offered valuable insight into some of the potential challenges involved in an aircraft accident.

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Photos and story by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on October 23rd , 2006.

Mobile Home Fire in Station 23's Area

A fire call came into dispatch at approximately 20 minutes after 5 PM on Tuesday, October 17, with a reported mobile home on fire at 5815 Buccaneer Tr in suburban West Palm Beach. When units arrived they found smoke and flames coming from a single- wide trailer. There were cars in the driveway but no one appeared to be at home. The crew from station 23 made a quick interior attack and knocked down the fire in a short period of time, despite one tense moment when a propane tank inside the home vented after being exposed to the fire. The Red Cross was contacted to assist the family of five that had resided there. Units on scene included RE23, RE24, R23b, EMS3, DC10, PI1, IV4 and Vol unit 900.

NOTE:
Pete Murphy and the crew from E-24 were inadvertently left out of the story. It was Pete's quick thinking and courage that made a quick knock down of the fire and it was he who discovered the propane tank that had vented. Pete worked his way to the venting propane tank and was able to extinguish the fire and remove the tank from the trailer. If it wasn't for Pete, the venting tank could have done some real harm to those that

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Story and Photos by Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on October 18th , 2006.

Ant Infestation Bugs Fire-Rescue at Palm Beach Int'l Airport

A large ant infestation almost grounded fire-rescue services at Palm Beach Int'l Airport recently. Airport Lieutenant 1 and his vehicle were almost devoured by a family of red ants of the copper variety. It seems as though the lieutenant might have strayed a bit close to an overly protective hill of ant larvae. It was no picnic but fortunately, thanks to the skillful evasive driving techniques of the quick-witted lieutenant, he was able to escape unharmed.

Airport Lt. Mark Carr reported, "It was just plane scary and almost landed me in a hill of trouble. It really taxied my nerves for a while. I'm just glad I was able to wing it and take-off out of danger."

In reality, the ants are part of an "art" display alongside the main entrance to the airport.

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Photos and story by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on October 10th , 2006.

Salute to Retiring United Airlines Pilot

Palm Beach County units from the Airport Battalion recently assisted with a water cannon salute to an unnamed United Airlines pilot just before he flew his last flight before retirement.

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Photos and story by Battalion Chief Horowitz
Posted on October 2nd , 2006.

Read For The Record

The Community Education Department wishes to thank all those who volunteered on "Read For The Record" day. Over 2000 adults read to more than 25,000 children that day. Thanks to those who went the "extra mile".

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Story and Photos by DC Curtis Rice
Posted on September 22nd , 2006.

Caravan In Canal

On August 24th @ 0712 hrs; RE42, R42, EMS4 and DC4 were dispatched to a van in the canal on Atlantic Avenue, just east of the Florida Turnpike. A construction worker had noticed the vehicle after sun rise. Upon arrival, units found a Dodge Caravan upside in the canal with two men trapped between the front and rear seats. There was approximately 12 inches of air between the water and the floor of the van. They had been in the van for over five hours. BC4 and R45 responded. Special OPS were dispatched. After working on the seats release, the rear seats were removed and the two men were freed. Special OPS was canceled prior to their arrival.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on September 6th , 2006.

Water Main Break - Wellington

On Friday, August 25th, a 12" water main broke under Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington, compronmising water pressures for a 12 hour period. As the water main break was immediately adjacent to the Wellington Mall and Wellington Hospital, Fire Rescue Water Offfice personnel assisted the FOO in performing a fire protection risk assessment. While the mall and hospital were unaffected, water pressure was compromised to 340 homes, and 42 hydrants. As a result of these findings , dispatch protocols were modified during this 12 hour period, to increase resources available for any potential fire incident. Among other duties, Water Office personnel are charged with enforcing fire code compliance among 19 public and private water utilities, countywide.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on August 25th , 2006.

Bumper Crash

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize E19 as well as SPLOPS 19 for their exemplary efforts at a signal 4 last week that left a gaping hole in a resident's living room after a pick up truck was driven into the structure. The home was unoccupied at the time and nobody was seriously injured however, due to the fact that the resident was not home and could not be contacted,... the crews on scene empowered themselves to taking on the task of securing the home from the outside elements. Since it was a 9 foot intrusion on the corner of the structure that was left behind after having the vehicle removed by a tow truck, additional resources and expertise were requested by E19 to have SPLOPS 19 respond for some potential shoring and bracing considerations. The scene was quickly assessed and secured utilizing all on scene building materials that just happen to be in the resident's backyard. After that, 2X6's were put in place for the corner bracing and support columns while sheets of plywood were laid on top. Finally a blue tarp was erected in order to dry it in and protect the home from moisture and the rainy season's damage potential. Crews on scene demonstrated the necessary initiative that it took to identify and act upon the need to "go the extra mile" for the resident despite no homeowner or neighbor present at the time.

PBCFR crew members exercised the type of teamwork and craftsmanship that could only be expected from members of the local fire department in their pursuit to rise above and beyond for their community. It is through stories like these that focus on the need for empowering our people with the necessary means of delivering the level of customer service that clearly stretches beyond all expectations. The following on scene crew members will all receive Frequent Fire Miles as part of our new Employee Rewards and Recognition Program which can be found on our Customer Service Link under the "Divisions" tab of our department intranet homepage - Cpt Bob Grosbeck, DO David Buck, PM Dave Fulmer (who is also the Local2928 CSR), FF Tyson Ward, Don Kirkpatrick and Thomas Owens. We are currently working on a program that would allow crews to gain the necessary materials through a relationship partnered with the local home improvements centers throughout our response areas. Details are being worked on and we commend the crews of Station 19 for thinking outside the box and for not being afraid to remain out of service for the extra time it took to simply,.... "do the right thing"!

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on August 4th , 2006.

MDA Camp Story

From July 16th thru the 21st Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and IAFF Local 2928 sent three of it members to the annual MDA summer camp located in Brandon FL. Once again it was a great week for everyone that attended, the heat was high a few times but that meant more pool time for everyone. On Wednesday PBCFR and Local 2928 came up to the camp for V.I.P. day to cook lunch and hang out with the kids for the day.

This was a special year for camper Brian Bellows who had been attending camp since he was a child and now turning 21 years old this was his last year being able to attend camp. To honor brian PBCFR honor guard and pipes and drums came up to include brian in a presentation of colors ceremony. Brian is a student at the U of M and also a JROTC for the united states air force. During the colors ceremony honor guard memeber Jim Hernandez gave a great speech about brian and then presented him with the retired American flag from the camp.

This camp is something all of these kids look forward to each year, for one week it enables them to live normal lives and be their own person and be as independant as evindependent is. Muscular Dystrophy affects millions of children and adults worldwide,each year fire departments across the nation hit the streets on labor day weekend to fill the boot and raise money to help researchers find a cure. So when ya see your local fire department on the street corners this year that dollar you give goes towards sending kids to camp, paying for medical supplies and office visits. So remember on labor weekend drive slow when you see your firefighters in the streets help keep them safe and help fill the boot.

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Story and Photos by Scott Jurasz
Posted on August 1st , 2006.

American Red Cross Award

Station 31 B shift members were recognized and received the 5th annual American Red Cross Real Hero's Award for Animal Rescue during a recent breakfast ceremony at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The award was given to the crews that helped Cy-Boy, the 32 year golden palomino, out of the mud on March 28th 2006.

(Original story)

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Story and photos by Drew Rayburn
Posted on July 24th , 2006.

Landing Strip Lounge Burns Again

Air Traffic Controllers at Palm Beach Int'l Airport had their interest piqued on the 4th of July when they noticed smoke and flames billowing from what used to be the Landing Strip Adult Entertainment Lounge at 383 N. Military Trail. Approaching aircraft conversed with the tower about the "landmark's" destruction as the flew through the smoke to land nearby. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue responded with 4 engines, 2 rescues, a light & air unit, and several other units. Water was shuttled back and forth from a nearby hydrant allowing Military Trail to remain open to traffic during the fire.

Investigators with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Bomb and Arson Squad were on scene immediately to determine the fire's cause and origin.

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Story and Photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on July 12th , 2006.

Truck Crash on Turnpike

Units from the 3rd Battalion were dispatched to a reported Jack-knifed tractor-trailer with a rollover on the southbound Turnpike on July 6th. RE34 & R34 arrived to find a truck and trailer that were hauling guardrails off the roadway. It had jack-knifed and was tilted up on the drivers side. Three occupants were found outside the vehicle. All three were assessed and transported BLS to the hospital for further evaluation.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on July 12th , 2006.

Early Morning Fire in the City of Lake Worth

June 30th 2006 - Station 31 crews responded to a commercial structure fire in the City of Lake Worth response zone. Station 31 units were the first on scene to find a single story abandoned quad-plex with heavy fire and smoke coming from the front of the structure and from the roof. The boys from 31 quickly knocked down the fire while checking for extension in the other unoccupied residences. A special congratulation goes out to probationary firefighter Ken Johnson for his first fire with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

Units on scene RE31, R31, SO31, RE35, R35, RE36, DC9, EMS9

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Story and Photos by Drew Rayburn
Posted on July 11th , 2006.

Palm Beach Int'l Airport Firefighters Adapt Structural Equipment to Aircraft Use

Often taken for granted are the firefighters at our airports who constantly stand ready to respond in the event of an aircraft accident , fire or other emergency. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Station 81 at Palm Beach Int'l Airport provides this service unnoticed by the many residents and visitors who pass through the airport on a daily basis. Station 81 staffs 4 Airport Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) trucks, an Advanced Life Support rescue truck, a large Tactical Command Unit, and several other vehicles from one station located in the center of the airport.

Recently, the airport firefighters received training aimed at adapting typical structural firefighting equipment to airport firefighting use. Staff Captain John Boike delivered the training which allowed the firefighters to use ground ladders to access and enter the main cabin door and a over-the-wing emergency exit from the outside of a Boeing 727 jetliner. Once inside the aircraft, crews searched in the dark for "victims" through heavy smoke using a thermal imaging camera (TIC). A TIC is a small hand-held camera that enables rescue crews to search for hot spots or victims in conditions with otherwise zero visibility. The drills were conducted at night to add to the challenge and to further test the firefighters' abilities.

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Story and Photos by Lt Mark Carr
Posted on July 6th , 2006.

Kickoff Day for the Construction Blitz

Today, Monday June 26 marked the beginning of the firefighter construction project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The family that will be occupying the home on Wabasso Avenue in Westgate worked side-by-side with firefighters from throughout the County. All three television stations and the Palm Beach Post visited the site and focused on how firefighters were putting back into the community with this huge volunteer effort. They also enjoyed showing the two young children who were helping by hammering nails and shoveling dirt. Commissioner Koons was on hand to endorse the project and stated other lots would be made available from the County for home construction through Habitat for Humanity in the Westgate community.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on June 27th , 2006.

Royal Palm Beach Brush Fire Challenges Firefighters

In the middle of the afternoon on June 22nd, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue firefighters were alerted to a brush fire in a wooded area southwest of SR7 and Okeechobee Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. The fire, adjacent to the developments of The Willows and Counterpoint Estates, drew large crowds of spectators due to the large columns of smoke which could be seen for miles. Firefighters from Station 28 in Royal Palm Beach, Stations 21 and 22 in Loxahatchee, Station 25 in Wellington and Station 34 east of Wellington, as well as several plow rigs from the Florida Division of Forestry fought the fire for several hours amidst sometimes gusting and changing winds. Fire-Rescue units staged in The Willows development to the west in order to protect nearby homes. No homes were damaged and the fire was contained to the wooded area.

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Story and Photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on June 23rd , 2006.

Truck Fire on the Turnpike

Units from the 4th Battalion responded to a reported truck fire on the Turnpike in western Delray Beach on the 12th of June. A trash hauling truck was found to have heavy fire in the undercarriage. RE47, B47, RE42 & R41 put 2 handlines in service to limit the damage to the undercarriage. The contents were soaked to eliminate the chance of extension into the container.

The owner was very happy that an aggressive attack was able to keep the fire away from the cab and crane equipment used to load the container.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on June 19th , 2006.

Off-Duty Firefighter Helps Save Home

On June 9th, units from Station 36 (The House of Pain) and Station 33 (The Fire Factory) were dispatched to a reported structure fire on Bonky Ct. Dispatch information indicated that an off duty Firefighter was on scene. Light smoke was showing on arrival.

FF Jorge Garcia of the 9th Battalion, B-shift said he was told by his Aunt that the neighbors house was on fire. He was able to get a garden hose in service. His quick action extinguished most of the fire limiting the damage to the room of origin. Station 36 units completed the extinguishment and overhaul.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on June 16th , 2006.

Governor's Hurricane Conference

Recently, Chief Steve Jerauld, Joel Brier and Matt Willhite were asked to present an overview of the Relief and Recovery Team at the Governor's Hurricane Conference in Fort Lauderdale. Chief Jerauld provided an overview of the department and our hurricane deployment strategies. Joel shared the mission of the Relief and Recovery Team and the how the system works in our county. Matt gave specific information regarding the acquisition of supplies and how the crews were deployed after a storm has hit the area. The presentation was very well received and we received extremely positive feedback from the attendees.

Over the last three years, the Relief and Recovery Team provided assistance to over 300 members and their families. After last years Hurricane Season, it is apparent that this system works and is a valuable asset to both the members and the department. As part of the departments Hurricane Annex, good/welfare checks are performed by the operational crews of the homes and family of the members of the fire department. The Family Relief and Recovery Team makes temporary repairs to critical areas of your home (roof, window, doors) in order to secure the structure and prevent further damage to your possessions. This team is made up of volunteers and is a cooperative effort between the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2928 and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

After a storm has passed, an evaluation of the damage that occurred is done and the Team is advised of the homes of personnel that have sustained damage. Our crews are then sent to these homes based on the damage assessments that we receive and repairs are done to keep the family safe and the contents of their homes from sustaining any further damage. Now is the time for you to prepare for the upcoming season. Make sure you have supplies for your family for at least one week, have a couple large tarps and fasteners at your home for quick repairs, and make sure your contact information in the computer is up to date. Additionally, the Team is always excepting donations to replenish the supplies that we have used in the past. We have a storage area where we can keep supplies when they are needed.

Congratulations to the Relief and Recovery Team for their recognition at the conference.

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Posted on November 9th , 2006.

Turnpike Rollover in Delray

On June 6th at 1436hrs, units from Station 42 & 45 were dispatched to a reported single vehicle rollover on the Turnpike in western Delray Beach. Units arrived to find a vehicle on its side. Witnesses said they had never in their life seen an auto fly through the air like that. The Driver had been pulled out of the vehicle through the sun roof by bystanders. The driver was evaluated and transported to the hospital.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on June 16th , 2006.

Channel 5 Interviews Chief Brice

News Channel 5s Kelly Dunn visited Fire Rescue headquarters recently to interview Chief Brice. The TV station was made aware of the Chiefs numerous accomplishments and awards and they decided to interview him and view the many memorabilia that fills his office. The interview session consumed nearly an hour and a half and covered nearly all of Chief Brices 53-year fire history. The TV Station plans on airing the story in multiple segments between now and July.

An All-Fire notice will be sent out as soon as they provide us with airdates.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on June 12th , 2006.

An alligator visits the crews at Station 31

June 6th 2006 - On a not so slow day at the 31 house, the boys where hanging out between calls when some locals came up to the station and advised the crew of a gator next to one of the local TACO buses. After investigation they found a 7 ft. gator hanging out in the bushes and doing what any good public servant would do they called a local trapper to help with our little friend and no one lost any fingers or toes in the process.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photo by PBCFR Video Dept
Posted on June 9th , 2006.

Traffic Accident

A traffic accident at the intersection of Lake Worth Road and Military Trail sounded a lot more serious than it turned out to be. The Thursday June 8 accident involved three vehicles. Luckily no injuries resulted. The driver of the pickup truck involved reportedly fled from the scene.

Units on scene included E43, R43, R36 and DC9

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photos by PBCFR Video Dept
Posted on June 8th , 2006.

Station 30 Grand Opening

It was a full house today, June 7, in the Community Room of our new Station 30 in Wellington. The grand opening ceremony took place at 9:30 am. In attendance were dignitaries from Palm Beach County, the Wellington Village Council and the Palm Beach County School District. The Palm Beach Post, Sun Sentinel, Wellington Town Crier, Wellington Forum and Channel 12 covered the event. Commissioner Masilotti addressed the group along with Chief Brice. One popular question from members of the community was related to the scheduling of the Community Room. This indicates the station will rapidly become a very popular place for people to meet.

The area that Station 30 serves generated approximately 2000 calls last year.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on June 8th , 2006.

Early Morning Fire in the Acreage

At 1:55 AM on Friday morning, dispatch received a number of calls that a vehicle had crashed into a home and both were on fire. When Fire Rescue units arrived, 1/3 of the house was involved in flames. A quick attack from both the front of the house and the rear contained the fire to this 1/3 of the structure. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured and no one was at home when the incident occured. Two PBSO deputies had done a quick search of the inside of the house prior to our arrival.

Units on scene included R26, E26, RE22, DC2, DC3, BC2, PI1, RE28, R28, Q29 T21, B26, LA34, EMS2, EMS3 and IV4.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on June 5th , 2006.

Vehicle Fire Prevented from Becoming Structure Fire

Units from Station 42 & 45 responded to a reported vehicle fire. Due to subsequent callers reporting explosions, the alarm was increased to a residential response. Arriving units found a Pickup truck heavily involved in fire. An aggressive extinguishment kept the house under construction from receiving any damage. The vehicle belonged to the plumber who was installing the interior pipe. The generator was on the tailgate running with the exhaust directed into the rear of the pickup, with a fiberglass topper on it. It is believed that the exhaust heated up the cans of high expansion foam causing them to fail resulting in the fire. The workers immediately pulled off the generator, the container of gas they were using and fortunately for all, moved the vehicle out from under the roof and away from the house.

A good job done by E42 & R45B's crews to keep a vehicle fire from becoming a structure fire.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on May 31st , 2006.

Cell Phone Starts Structural Fire

Units from the 4th Battalion were dispatched to a residential structure fire. The owner was watching TV, heard a loud pop which was followed by smoke in the house. RE54 arrived to find nothing showing but with a smell of smoke present. The subsequent investigation found that the owners dog had been chewing on her cell phone, causing the battery to fail. The battery appears to have shorted out and scorched the carpet. The battery then melted into the carpet. There was no extension.

RE54's crew did a great job locating the source as it was well under the bed in the master bedroom. The dog was examined and found to be uninjured.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on May 31st , 2006.

District Chief Rice and Lieutenant Clark Chosen to be Instructors at FDIC

Two members of our department, District Chief Curtis Rice and Lieutenant Bruce Clark were chosen to be instructors at FDIC in Indianapolis this past April. Their HOT class taught participates different ways to acquire structures to train in and some different options of what can be done once you have a structure. The class was based on the experience of the training done at the Days Inn on Singer Island. FDIC "The Fire Department Instructors Conference is the premier firefighter training conference and fire equipment exhibition in the world. FDIC has issued its "call for papers".

Anyone interested in teaching can go to fireengineering.com or contact DC Rice or Lt. Clark.

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Story and Photos by District Chief Curtis Rice
Posted on May 31st , 2006.

64 Hour Quint Class

About 20 people attended the 64 Hour Quint Class during May. The 8 module class consists of Truck Company based functions to include ventilation, forcible entry, T.I.C., building construction, positioning, aerial limitations and loads, just to name a few. It is the goal of PBCFR to ensure everyone assigned to a Quint Company has at least a 64 Hour Quint Class. In June, the people assigned to quints who are not already certified, will attend a Rope Rescue Operations Class.

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Story and Photos by Training Capt. Doug Watson
Posted on May 30th , 2006.

Recent Passing of a Local MDA Child

We all offer our sympathy for the passing of one of our local MDA kids. Drew Selogy died in his sleep this past Thursday after heroically battling muscular dystrophy. Drew accompanied Jeremy Hurd to appear before the Palm Beach County Commissioners to receive the proclamation for MDA/Firefighter week. His mother thanked the council for allowing Local 2928 to collect every year during Labor Day weekend. He became the hit of the presentation when he raised his chair electronically so that he could see over the podium. He was a shy kid who finally went to camp for the first time this past summer because Jeff Smith convinced him and his mother that he would have the time of his life. Jeff even offered to be his counselor. Due to Jeffs willingness to take care of two campers, Drew went to camp and, as promised, had the time of his life. After that time, camp was one of the first things he talked about whenever he saw one of the MDA family.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 23rd , 2006.

Airport Fire Crews Work Bus Fire

On May 16, fire crews from station 81 at the airport worked a small bus fire that totally destroyed an airport Park & Ride vehicle. AL1, ES1, RE81 and IV6 were on scene although additional units were originally dispatched when the call came in as a bus on fire. They were cancelled after on-scene units determined they could handle it.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photos by Captain John Broike
Posted on May 19th , 2006.

Chief Herman Brice Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award

The Metropolitan Metro Fire Chiefs Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) held its 2006 annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from May 7-10. Approximately 150 fire chiefs from Canada, China, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States attended the conference.

The Metro Chiefs bestowed Herman Brice of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue their Lifetime Achievement Award. Chief Brice is only the sixth Fire Chief to receive this distinguished commendation. Other prominent recipients have been notables such as R. David Paulison, nominated for Under Secretary of FEMA, Chief Alan Brunicini of the Phoenix Fire Department and the Fire Chief of the City of New Orleans.

The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs (Metro) Section brings together fire chiefs from large metropolitan fire departments to share information and focus on major issues effecting policy changes in the U.S. and abroad. Its members belong to the IAFC and NFPA and are the fire chiefs of jurisdictions with minimum staffing of 400 fully paid career fire fighters.

We are all very proud of Chief Brice and his 53 years of dedication to the fire service here in Florida. We are especially proud to have him as the Chief of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

Congratulations Chief Brice!!!

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 16th , 2006.

Structure Fire in Belle Glade

On May 5 at 6:08 PM, Belle glade units responded to a reported structure fire in a light industrial area at 408 SE 1st Street. On arrival they found a lumber warehouse on fire with other exposures being affected. E73, E73B, CP73, Lt 73, Chief 73 plus volunteers made a quick attack on the structure and had it out within an hour. Approximately three structures were damaged.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshall's Office.

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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, photos by Don Manger, Mike Arena
Posted on May 15th , 2006.

Glades Area Extrication Training

All the members of Belle Glade and Pahokee Fire Departments have completed the 4 hour in service training being conducted by the extrication team and the Training and Safety Division. This is additional training provided by PBCFR in preparation for their Oct. 1 inclusion into our Department along with South Bay.

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Story and Photos by Capt. Brad Havrilla
Posted on May 15th , 2006.

Extrication Team Received Airtime

On Wednesday May 12, John Bachman with Channel 12 along with two photographers, covered a training session with the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue extrication team, The Extrigators. The reporter was given bunker gear and placed inside a wrecked vehicle. The team then proceeded to cut the car apart and removed the victim in a timely manner. The news piece included comments about hybrid vehicles, the donation of cars by the salvage yard and a mention of EMS week (that begins May 14).

The actual airing of the story will be announced via groupwise e-mail as soon as Channel 12 advises us of the date.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 12th , 2006.

PIA of the Hypoluxo Farms Road Fire

Chief Anderson conducted a PIA of the Hypoluxo farms Road fire. On April 18th units responding to an explosion from fireworks. Fireworks and more explosions continued to jepordize firefighter safety. The fire was declared under control one hour and 4 minutes into the incident.

The incident is a crime scene and the investigation remains an open case.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 12th , 2006.

HAM Radio Class

On May 2-4, 2006, Communications Specialist - Dave Messinger (N4QPM), from PBC EOC provided a HAM radio class for 28 Fire-Rescue employees. The class addressed HAM radios and the need for Emergency Communications, not only during Hurricane season or times of disasters, but throughout the year.

The three day class was held at the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center and the Supervisor of Elections office. The participants had typically been assigned as Battalion Command Team members, Station Managers, or Company Officers.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 10th , 2006.

"31" Crews Lead by Example

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize station 31 crews for "Leading by Example". Apparently a young boy had been struck by a motor vehicle while riding his bicycle to school one morning last week. RE31 B shift responded with Cpt. Wooldridgte, DO Mack Hobbs, and FM Reyburn on board. Fortunately the boy was not hurt, however, his bicycle was out of service and unable to ride. The child was a little emotional since he was going to be late for school and his bike was all banged up.

PBSO gave the boy a ride to school, but it was RE31 that empowered themselves to toss the broken bike atop the hosebed of the engine for a little firehouse repair. After making some quick adjustments and realigning the wheels, the crew delivered the boy's bicycle to the school where they met with the child's principal to inform him what had occurred. A bystander witnessed Mac Hobbs, Wooldridge, and Reyburn initially on the street and was quite impressed at the length that our crews were committed to in order to make sure that this boy's day did not end on a sour note. The bystander notified a member of our Customer Service Team to inform us that these guys were exemplary of what our department is all about,.... good people doing good things. It's an important message to share that members should view every potential interaction with the public as an opportunity to enhance our professional public image.

Thank you RE31 for "Leading by Example".

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 10th , 2006.

Structure Fire in Station 23's Zone

A fire, later to be determined suspicious, was fought by crews at the end of Hibiscus Street in suburban West Palm Beach on Wednesday May 3. When crews arrived, the abandoned house was heavily involved in fire and a defensive attack was initiated.

Units on scene: RE23, RE24, R23, DC10, PI1, EMS2, LA34, RE33, R23b, BC3 and IV3.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 10th , 2006.

Traffic Accident in Suburban Royal Palm Beach

Around mid-afternoon on Friday May 5, dispatch received a call for a severe traffic accident on Royal Palm Beach Blvd in unincorporated Palm Beach County. On arrival, units found multiple vehicles involved. A pickup truck had heavy damage with extrication necessary to free the driver. One person was trauma alerted and transported by air to the trauma center. Three other people had lesser injuries.

Units on scene included: R28, RE28, DC2, EMS2, R21, R27, RE22, PI1, DC9.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on May 9th , 2006.

Fast Eddie Serves It Up!

Ed Ehrke (aka - Fast Eddie) has been nominated by the Customer Service Team for his exemplary performances out in the field and his stance on customer service concepts through the job that he provides. Eddie has worked hard at building his reputation for fast, courteous and efficient service amongst his customers throughout PBCFR. Ed's customer's, the fire personnel that make up the department, gave him the name "Fast Eddie" because he was the one that crews would often turn to in order to get the job done right, and get it done fast! Ed has been a Fire Apparatus Technician for 18 years with PBCFR and is known for his friendly approach and his expert opinion when it comes down to firefighters and their trucks.

You might know Ed to stop into just about any firehouse in the county for a quick hello or a corny joke, but make no mistake about it, Ed focuses on his people and his relationships just as hard as the vehicles he maintains. By supporting and serving his fire fighters Ed has been successful in building positive customer relationships where he has earned the trust of fire fighters by demonstrating that the people come first! He really cares about keeping the trucks in good service so that the crews may do their jobs safely. Ed is known to give his Nextel numbers to crew members so that they may call him at any time whether on duty or off. Many times Ed was able to walk crews through a temporary situation while on the phone so that emergency vehicles would remain in service till the repair could be made the next morning.

Fast Eddie has also expedited to emergency scenes in order to facilitate a mechanical evaluation or repair with the sense of urgency that only superior customer service demands. Of course this meant that Eddie relied on his experience, skills, and best judgement in order to make those decisions possible,...... but then again that's what makes Edwin Ehkre our top pick for this year's very first Customer Service Award.

Congratulations Fast Eddie and thanks for "Leading by Example! "

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on May 9th , 2006.

May Day Drills

Fire Rescue crews practice Mayday drills to stay proficient for rescuing Firefighters. Drills include calling Mayday, activation of PASS, untangling the trapped Firefighter, and packaging the Firefighter for removal.

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on May 9th , 2006.

A 406 tanker Truck Rolls Over in Jupiter

Friday morning a 406 gasoline tanker truck rolled over on Indiantown road and the exit from the Florida turnpike. Traffic came to a stop east and west on Indiantown and the turnpike entrance/exit at Jupiter was shut down for nine and half hours. Rescue Engine 19, Special Operation 19, rescue 19, Rescue 16, Battalion 1, Tender 14 , Battalion 9, D/C 9 and safety 2 responded to the scene. PBSO, FHP, DOT, and Jupiter Police were also on scene for the entirety.

Jupiter Police and Chief St. Pierre established a unified command with the other agencies. Kauffs towing had two heavy duty trucks, one capable of lifting 50 tons and the other capable of lifting 70 tons. Kauffs played a critical role in the stabilization and over turning of the 406 tanker. A third party contractor was brought in to drill holes into the tanker and pump out the fuel to another tanker.

A lesson learned from this incident: The tanker had 1203 placards but carried diesel fuel. This is allowed by DOT.

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on May 9th , 2006.

USPS Biological Detection Exercise

Sunday morning an alarm was sounded at the post office on Summit. The alarm sounded just like a fire alarm and a message was sent to dispatch advising of a Bio alarm. Special Operations 31, Rescue Engine 31, R31, RE33, R33, RE19, D/C 9, EMS 9, EMS 2, DRU 1, 6 United States Postal Inspectors, USPS management, Safety 2, B/C 9, Division Chief OBannon, and PBSO participated in the exercise. The objectives were to evaluate the USPS and their new capabilities of collecting evidence involving a bio agent. Other objectives were to deploy the DRU and the necessary crews to assist in setting up the DECON tent and the Shelter carried in the DRU.

Palm Beach County Emergency Management and the Health Department were also on scene and they joined in with a unified command aboard the Tactical Command Unit.

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on May 9th , 2006.

House Fire on Success Street

Around 8:51 AM April 27th, dispatch received multiple calls for a house fire on the 4100 block of Success Street in suburban West Palm Beach. Units dispatched from Station 33 could see a heavy column of smoke as they were leaving the station. On arrival, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the residence. The fire was quickly knocked down but required additional work to be completely out. No injuries were reported.

Units on scene included RE33, RE31, R36, DC9, PI1, EMS3, RE36, DC3, BC3, LA34 and EMS9.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on April 27th , 2006.

Training at Station 28

During the week of April 24, 2006 units from Battalion 2 participated in department fire training on the new Draeger BA Comm devices, SCBA familiarization, Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC), and rescueing a downed Firefighter.

Thanks go to Instructor Krissy Phillips, James Schaffner, and the Training Division for providing the framework and scenarios for this excellent training.

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Story and Photos by Battalion Chief Nigel Baker
Posted on April 26th , 2006.

Appreciation Dinner

Dottie & Mike Esposito of Royal Palm Beach provided dinner for all 3 shifts on April 5,6,7, 2006 @ 1800hrs at Station 28. The Esposito's son (FF Frankie Esposito) and nephew (Captain Michael Esposito) worked for FDNY and died at the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001. This was their way of showing their appreciation to the firefighters who cover the area in which they live.

A plaque in honor of their son and nephew is on the wall, in the day room, at Station 28. We thank them for their generosity and understand their supreme sacrifice.

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Story and Photos by: Battalion Chief Nigel Baker
Posted on April 26th , 2006.

Fire Rescue Hosts Childrens Party

On Thursday April 20, Station 34 hosted a party for approximately 15 children who were patients at St. Marys Hospital P ediatric Oncology Department. These youngsters ranged in age from 5 to mid-teens and all are currently being treated for various forms of cancer. The hospital sponsored the party and requested our assistance so that these children could take a break from their sometimes-difficult treatments and visit a fire station, talk to firemen and actually hold a fire hose and squirt water. The representative from St. Marys Hospital who accompanied the group told the media who attended that these were brave kids that wanted to visit with brave adults.

Chief Brice addressed the visitors and their parents and they all enjoyed cake, soda and a tour of the stations apparatus. A good time was had by all who attended, including the Fire Rescue crews who were there to assist.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on April 26th , 2006.

Elderly Man Drives into Canal

On April 21; R42, RE 42, DC4 and BC4 arrived to find an elderly man standing on the canal bank in Delray Villas after driving his car backward into the neighborhood canal. The canal had been deepen to 12 feet last week.

Fortunately for the gentleman, the car's momentum caused the car to drift to the opposite side of the canal prior to sinking.

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Story and Photos by Battalion Chief Wells
Posted on April 26th , 2006.

Western Communities Become Part of PBCFR

October 1st, 2006 the Western communities will become one and part of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Training has already begun, as they have just completed the 24- hours of "First Responder Operations" (HAZMAT Operations) training and basic water rescue training.

Pictured below firefighters from South Bay, Pahokee and Belle Glades participate in water rescue training. The training will continue over the next few months as October will be here soon.

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on April 25th , 2006.

Explosion

April 18th 2006- Approximately 8:15pm, crews, homeowners and bystanders heard a loud explosion up to 5 miles away from a house that had exploded due to the possibility of the homeowner building fireworks for the upcoming 4th of July. Crews from P.B.C.F.R Stations 46, 32, 35, 31, 43 and 36 responded to several 911 calls of a loud explosion to find a large shed fully involved and approx 50' radius of fire around the shed where debris landed and caught two vehicles, a boat and the yard on fire. RE31 was second due and assisted RE46 crews with extinguishment and once the fire was out, RE31 crew paired back up with the rest of Station 31's crews and went from firefighting to an E.O.D. assist with the P.B.S.O. Bomb Squad.

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Story and Photos by Drew Reyburn
Posted on April 24th , 2006.

Mobile Home Fire on Avendia Barcelona

On April 3, around 3:30 am, units responded to a mobile home fire at 2466 Avendia Barcelona. When they arrived they found a single- wide trailer involved in heavy fire. RE36 made an aggressive interior attack and were able to save half of the home.

Units on scene consisted of RE36, RE33, R33, DC9, EMS3, T43 and IV4.

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Story by Bill Capel
Posted on April 25th , 2006.

Jupiter Brush Fire

Friday April 7th Jupiters parched land became involved in a large brush fire. The fire started in the Cypress Cove area and burned in a north to North West direction. The fire was fed with plenty of fuel and strong winds out of the South East. The fire threatened many homes in the Cypress Cove and Moorings neighborhoods but was controlled as a result of the aggressive fire attack of the crews and the Command of Battalion Chief St.Pierre.

Three divisions were established during the fire and they were supported by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Martin County Fire Rescue, Department of Forestry, and Jonathan Dickinson State Park wildland firefighters. DOF sent one airplane from Miami that provided aerial support with invaluable information on spotovers and fire spread.

The fire at one point covered approximately 200 acres. No structures were damaged, nor were any injuries reported. All of the personnel that responded are to be commended for their actions on this large brush fire.

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Story and Photos by Captain Houston Park
Posted on April 13th , 2006.

School Bus Incident

Around 9 AM on Monday April 10, dispatch received a call stating that a school bus with 68 students aboard had a pepper spray incident. Apparently a pepper spray canister discharged on the bus causing considerable irritation to a number of students. The bus driver immediately pulled over and evacuated the bus. In all, 8 patients were sent to area hospitals. The school district police were investigating.

Units on scene included R32, RE27, DC9, R25, EMS2, PI1 and BC2.

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Story and Photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on April 11th , 2006.

Multiple Semi-Truck Accident on US-27

March 7th 2006 - Crews from Station 31 traveled approx. 1 hour west to assist Belle Glade and South Bay Fire Departments in a 13 vehicle accident mostly involving semi trucks which possibly was caused by heavy dense fog to free a semi truck driver that was pinned in his truck by the guard rail. Due to the drivers arm being pinned by the guard rail and his extensive injuries, a trauma surgeon and nurse were flown from Delray Hospital for a possible arm amputation to free him from the wreckage.

After several hours of extrication, the driver was flown to Delray Medical Center to be treated for his injuries and then later released several days later with all his extremities.

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Story and Photos by Moss Towing via Drew Rayburn
Posted on April 10th , 2006.

Special Operations Team Practices Tower Rescue

Special Operations 31 B-shift recently did a training session on the radio tower at Station 21 on March 22nd, 2006. Crews were there for 6 hours practicing different rescue techniques for a victim on the radio tower.

Photos give only a hint as to what it was like training on the tower.

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Story and Photos by Drew Reyburn
Posted on April 5th , 2006.

Propane Leak

Friday evening, March 17 (St Patrick's Day) units responded to a propane tank leaking at Okeeheelee Park at the BMX Track. The tank was leaking from a hole in the bottom that could not be safely patched so Special Operations 31 Crews along with Station 32 and Brush 34 performed a burn-off operation that took about two hours to complete. BMX participants waited outside the park during the procedure and were very happy to be let in for their first night competition with a new track.

Sorry, no hot dogs that night.

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Story and Photos by Joe Nelson
Posted on April 4th , 2006.

Large Animal (Horse) Rescue

March 28th 2006 - The boys from Station 31 responded to assist Station 46 crew's with a horse rescue when Cy-Boy became stuck in a dried up pond. Special Operations crews used Brush 46 as a anchor point and a 9:1 hauling system which allowed for the sedated horse to be pulled out of the mud with little effort with no harm done to the horse.

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Story and Photos by Drew Ray Reyburn
Posted on April 3rd , 2006.

Kid Sanctuary Clean Up

The customer service team would like to recognize crews from station 28 and other fire rescue employees for the outstanding service to the community. Lt. Springthorpe (Sta. 28-A), F.F./Paramedic Mike Delrossi (Sta. attatched 28-A), and Jim Bass coordinated the yard pick up and clearing for the Kid Sanctuary on March 10th. The Kid Sanctuary is a group home that assists in placing foster children. Members of the Customer Service Team paired up with crews from station 28 and other Fire Rescue personnel to give back to the Employees of the Kid Sanctuary who give so much of their time and effort in making sure the children are well taken care of. Along the fence line of the children's play area there were overgrown bushes and trees. We worked together to make the area safer for the children because of fears of tree limbs falling into the area or snakes or other critters possibly coming out of the brush.

We would like to thank those of you who consistently show up and rise to the occasion when it comes to "going the extra mile" Special thanks to Jim Bass, Kevin Shaw, Richard Kingston, Kenny Church, and Greg Thomas for their exemplary efforts on this project.

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Story and Photos by DC Curtis Rice
Posted on April 3rd , 2006.

ATV Accident in St. 46's Area

On Saturday March 11th, station 46C was dispatched to a rollover traffic accident. the Trauma Hawk was put on standby. Upon arrival units found an ATV upside down with one occupant lying motionless next to the vehicle. A rapid assessment of the scene and the two patients by the crews found only minor injuries. Apparently, while turning the vehicle, it had rolled over.

Both occupants were assessed, treated and remained on scene.

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Story and Photos by DC Curtis Rice
Posted on March 16th , 2006.

Rush Hour Wreck Injures Four

Rush hour traffic was snarled Wednesday morning, March 8th, as a Nissan SUV carrying four people rolled over near 7550 Okeechobee Blvd. in central Palm Beach County. As crews from Rescue-Engine 23 and Rescue 23 arrived, they found the four occupants laying on the grass adjacent to the wrecked vehicle with a large crowd of bystanders comforting them. Rescue-Engine 23's Lt. Andy Morzella established command and requested additional resources including Rescue 23-Bravo, Rescue 34, District Chief 3 and EMS Capt. 2 as well as a private ambulance. One victim was reportedly unrestrained in the vehicle and wasejected from the car during the wreck. That person was transported as a traumaalert to a trauma center while the other three victims, having worn their seatbelts, were transported by ambulance to closer hospitals.

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Story and Photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on March 9th , 2006.

PBCFR Personnel Attend Orlando Fire Conference

Members of PBCFR attended the Orlando Fire Conference on Feb 23-25, 2006. Hands-on training was given on engine company operations, truck company operations, flashover/TIC training, mayday and extrication procedures. Over 200 firefighters from around Florida attended. On Sat 2/25, the pipes and drums from Tampa Area Firefighters, Orlando Firefighters and PBCFR played together for the first time ever in Downtown Orlando at the " Fire Up the Night" block party.

A great time was had by all.

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Story and Photos by Driver/Operator Jon Ferguson
Posted on March 8th , 2006.

40 hour Leadership Class

Retired Battalion Chief Mike Kemp and District Chief James Schaffner served as role models and instructors in the 40 hour Leadership class that ended on March 3. The future leaders and officers of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue discussed many pertinent topics as well as presenting their required typed research papers.

The next class is scheduled for May 2006.

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Story by Staff Captain Houston Park, photo by Captain Lenny Collins
Posted on March 6th , 2006.

Students Attend Toxmedic Class

HAZMAT team and Rescue Captains finish up their 4th module on TOXMEDIC. Four, four -hour classes were delivered over the past few months on Special Operations Paramedical procedures. Students participated in lecture, and hands on application of the use and administration of antidotes for the contaminated patient. Joe Nelson developed and delivered the training. We intend on delivering additional classes with some frequency. Joe has also developed additional modules that we will also deliver over the coming year.

The students were required to assess the patients and then select the appropriate treatment to include working in PPE that would be comparable to the environment.

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Story and Photos by Staff Captain Houston Park
Posted on February 28th , 2006.

Extrication Training - February 2006

The Training and Safety Division is currently providing extrication training for all personnel and will be a continuing class until most, if not all, employees complete it. The class is being conducted at a salvage yard off Benoist Farms Rd and is the same location where our extrication teams have practiced. Channel 12 shot video footage of one of the classes and ran it multiple times for us. The important thing is for the public to know our training is on going and that we do our best to stay proficient in the art of disassembling vehicles. A statement was also made to put people at ease about how we will handle accidents involving hybrid cars.

The instructors currently teaching the class include: Azzaro, Vince, Cinilia, Dominic, Ellis, Mike, Ferguson, Jon, Manriquez, Federico, Sauicki, Kevin, Tugby, Robert, Turner,Aron and Williams, Charles P.

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Story by Staff Captain Houston Park, photo by Captain Lenny Collins
Posted on February 22nd , 2006.

Simply "InVinceable" Vince Merriweather

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize Carol Lentz and Judy Gonzales of our dispatch center for their vision and development of a new charity based product designed to raise money for local spinal cord research. It's amazing that this simple idea transformed a product that supports our brother firefighter Vince Merriweather in a way that is nothing less than inspirational! Thanks to Chief Keily, our fire rescue family has been kept up to speed on the status of Vince's remarkable road to recovery and how the power of Vince's strong personality has helped others adapt to recovery within his unit. Carol Lentz, of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Dispatch has been a huge "behind the scenes" shoulder to lean and a constant supporter of Vince.

It's not unusual for Carol to make anonymous contributions out of her own pocket and she doesn't hesitate to step up to the plate when there is work to be done for a fellow fire rescue member that needs a helping hand. That's why it's not surprising that Carol approached Judy Gonzales about creating a new product that would inspire Vince to "fight strong" through his rehabilitation since the auto accident that left him without the use of his arms and legs. Carol came up with the red fire bracelet inspired by Lance Armstrong's yellow "LiveStrong" bracelet. If you think about the obstacles and odds that Vince has overcome when faced with this seriousness of his spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed, many have simply said, "it's just unbelievable,... but of course we're talking about Vince." Judy loved the idea and immediately coined the phrase, "InVinceable" and thought it would be great to have that displayed on the bracelet. The two began contacting people and making phone calls to place the idea into action, but they did not intend on selling any bracelets or deploying any marketing ideas. They simply wanted Vince to know how much support he had from his close friends, family members and nursing staff who were the original targeted recipients of the bracelets. The bracelets were to be given out for free to those that were close to him and the girls would absorb the costs out of pocket.

Many people were interested in donating money in Vince's name to get one of the highly anticipated "InVinceable" bracelets so a decision was made to sell them at $5.00 each and the funds would be donated to a local charity that supported spinal cord injury research and development. Vince would be able to select the charity of his choosing but he wasn't too crazy about all of the attention at first. After hearing all of the details, he was very pleased to hear that he would be contributing to the aid of helping others with the money that is raised and Vince has embraced the idea of the bracelet and the support that Dispatch represented for us all. Vince may be proud to be a part of The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Family because of people like Chief Keily, Jen J., Carol, Tracy and Judy alike,......but not nearly as proud as we are to have Vince put our own lives into perspective and teach us all what it means to be a part of this great brother and sisterhood we call The Fire Service! The first 500 bracelets sold out almost immediately and the next 1000 bracelets should be here any day now. Please contact any of the above mentioned names to secure your name on the waiting list to get your "InVinceable" bracelet today!

jjohnson@co.palm-beach.fl.us
jgonzales@co.palm-beach.fl.us
clentz@co.palm-beach.fl.us
moore@co.palm-beach.fl.us

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Story and photos by Lt. Douglas McGlynn
Posted on February 28th , 2006.

Steve Driscoll and Blaze

The Customer Service Team would like to recognize Firefighter/PM Steve Driscoll for his contributions as a Canine Specialist and trainer of a unique and noble profession. Steve serves on the Florida Task Force USAR Team along with his 4 legged life saving partner, "BLAZE". Steve, who is assigned to RE22/B shift has been with our department since 1991 and has been certified as a Canine Specialist MDFR on Florida Task Force 1 since 1998. Steve has an amazing ability with animals and a proven track record to show for it. Steve's partner and companion is a 4 year old Border Collie and is rated as an Advanced Level 1 Search Dog leaving Blaze in a group of canines that make up fewer than 100 canines in the country! Steve trains Blaze on his own which takes over two solid years to accomplish with additional time and training to bring the dog to the level of Advanced Level I qualifications. Most dogs never reach that level of performance. A dog's drive, focus, intelligence, and agility all come in to play and most dogs fall short.

Blaze has been trained to work the rubble piles searching for live victims since he was only 8 weeks old. Steve and Blaze hold an impressive resume with deployments all over the world including the G8 Summit Meetings, the Turkey Earthquake and Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Dennis, Rita, Jeane, Katrina, and Wilma but has also traveled to many other states in the country as well. It helps build a stronger dog if he works different rubble sites and the stresses involved with that travel and topography. FLTF1 has 6 level 1 handlers/8 level 1 dogs which makes it one of the strongest teams in the country! FLTF II has 3 teams with the next closest Level 1 dog located in Tennessee.

Recently Steve and Blaze were part of an elite team of only 30 personnel who were activated as a Type III Search Team on one of the longest recorded deployments for a canine specialist and handler. Steve and Blaze were assigned to New Orleans for 11 days where their unit performed over 1,137 person rescues as well as located 34 deceased.

Thank you Steve for taking the initiative of "going the extra mile" and in turn,.... bringing pride and notoriety to the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Brand!

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photos by Jon Ferguson
Posted on February 21st , 2006.

Headstone for Jackson

Jackson Nomex, the Dalmation that entertained many youngsters during his lifetime at station 33, was honored with a headstone at his burial site next to the station. The dog, who died a few years ago, helped teach kids about dialing 911 and rode to numerous calls in Engine 33 for almost 10 years. It was not uncommon to see the dog sitting up in the engine compartment to the delight of young and old.

Captain Dan Teems and D/O Buddy Yarbrough were instrumental in setting up the memorial.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photo by Jon Ferguson
Posted on February 21st , 2006.

New Additions to Fire-Rescue's Fleet

In keeping with their plan to maintain a safe, efficient and modern fleet of fire apparatus, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue has again updated its fleet with the purchase of four brand new fire engines. The engines, a variation from previous units, were built by Ferrara on Freightliner's new M-2 chassis. Roll-up doors on the apparatus body make it easier for firefighters to gather equipment without be obscured from traffic by the old style hinged doors. Each pumper is equipped with a 1250 gallon per minute pump, 750 gallon water tank and 15 gallon foam tank.

The rig shown is assigned to Rescue-Engine 16 near the Abacoa community in Jupiter. The remaining three rigs have been assigned to Rescue-Engines 33, 41 and 47. All four are staffed by paramedics and carry a full compliment of Advanced Life Support equipment in addition to typical firefighting tools. New graphics dress up the rigs up nicely.

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Story and Pictures by Mark V. Carr
Posted on February 21st , 2006.

Volunteers Install Smoke Detectors at Century Village

On January 28 2006, the Volunteer Battalion visited over 120 units at Century Village in West Palm Beach as part of a continuing project to check and install new smoke detectors throughout the development. This program has been carried out for several years and on average, the Volunteers are able to visit some 400 homes per year. Volunteers check the detectors, replace the batteries and the smoke detectors as required. The most common problems found are that the batteries are expired, not installed properly or are taken out of the smoke detector by the owner.

Jack Norris accompanied the Volunteers and is in the process of doing a story on this valuable program. Also on that day, news crews from channle 5, 12 and 25 shot footage that was latered aired on both the 6 and 11PM news.

The smoke detector program is a free service to the residents of Palm Beach County and definitely plays a major part in fire safety. The Volunteer Battalion is proud to be a part of this program. For more information on the program please contact the Community Education Department.

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Story and Pictures by Batt Chief Kevin Rattey
Posted on February 17th , 2006.

Abandoned Mobile Home Fire

A singlewide mobile home caught fire early this morning, February 14, in suburban Lake Worth. When units arrived, the rear of the home was on fire. Initial searches indicated no one was in the residence and no one was injured by the fire. This particular trailer appeared to be vacant and without power. The fire investigator indicated that vagrants using the home for shelter from the cold weather might have started fire.

Units on scene included RE36, RE33, R35, DC3, EMS3, T34, IV2 and PI1.

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Story by Captain Don Delucia, photos by Captain Don Delucia and Jon Ferguson
Posted on February 16th , 2006.

USAR Team Completes Collapse Awareness Training

Collapse awareness was the last class of five that our USAR team members just completed. In total the USAR team participated in well over 200 hours of specialized training since November 2005. Pictured below the USAR team members can be seen building various shoring systems to stabilize a light construction collapse incident. Rescue Training Associates provided instructors from across the country for this class.

We look foreword to expanding the response capabilities of the department and improving overall firefighting safety.

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Story and photos by Staff Captain Houston Park
Posted on February 15th , 2006.

Forestry S130/S190 Course

During the first week of February, 2006Chief Schaffner, Chief Howes and Lt. Michael Amelung delivered the Forestry S130/S190 course out at station 28. Attendees included personnel from fire rescue and the Environmental Resource Management otherwise known as ERM. This class was given over three days with the third day spent out in the Corbett area on multiple controlled burns. The class was merged with a forestry Burn Boss course, this increased the personnel involved.

Three teams were created and sent out to burn areas of the Corbett area. Swamp buggies and all terrain vehicles were used to move around the wildland as well as many hours on foot. The hands on section of

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Story and photos by Staff Captain Houston Park
Posted on February 9th , 2006.

Mobile Home Fire In Lake Worth

A stubborn fire above the ceiling in a manufactured home gave crews plenty of work to do on Thursday January 26. The call came in to us as a fire above a ceiling fan. By the time units arrived, the fire had made its way into the small attic space above the ceiling. This was a manufactured home in Lake Worth Mobile Home Park, not the usual mobile home, so there were trusses above the ceiling as well as flammable foam used for insulation and weather seal. Firefighters had to make numerous holes in the ceiling to gain access. No one was seriously injured.

Units on scene included RE31, RE32, R31, DC9, DC10, PI1, EMS9, CAT4, T34, IV4 and R32.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on February 2nd , 2006.

PBCFR's Pipes and Drums Lead the Parade

Members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescues Pipes And Drums led a parade of people for the 2nd annual MDA Stride and Ride fundraiser held at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. Over 100 participants joined in the event to help raise money to assist children and adults affected with muscular dystrophy in Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue strongly supports the MDA year round with other events like the MDA summer camp and the annual boot drive.

The MDA Stride and Ride is just another event we plan on attending for years to come.

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Story by Scott Jurasz, photos by John Ferguson
Posted on February 2nd , 2006.

USAR team 756 Trains in Extrication Procedures

Earlier this month USAR team 756 was training in extrication procedures at the recycle facility of off Pike road. The team members participated in a forty-hour class involving various techniques for gaining patient access, scene safety, and technical operations. While training they went through 1.2 cars per person. Rescue Training Associates delivered the training as they have also delivered the other three disciplines, Trench Rescue, Rope Rescue and Confined Space Operations. RTA will deliver the final class next month to the team, which is Collapse Rescue Operations. Upon completion of this training our USAR team will have met the standards for the state as a fully trained USAR Light Technical Rescue Team, Type II response team.

We are one of three teams in the County, Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach are the others.

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Story by Staff Captain Houston Park, photo by Captain Lenny Collins
Posted on January 30th , 2006.

Aircraft Flips on Landing at Lantana Airport

On January 24, 2006 just before 11 AM, a 2-seater Cessna aircraft attempted to land at the Lantana airport and ended up upside down in the grass. The pilot was uninjured but shaken up. Luckily there was neither a fuel leak nor any type of fire involved. Four people were able to flip the plane upright so that it could be towed to a hanger for inspection. Runway 15 was closed for a short period of time until the aircraft could be moved.

Units on scene included: RE35, R35, DC9, BC9, and DC8.

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Story and Photo by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on January 24th , 2006.

Luncheon Hosted for the Division of Forestry

Lieutenant Dan Legge's crew at station 21 hosted a luncheon for the Division of Forestry firefighters. For those who are not familiar with wildland fire, the DOF guys are the ones plowing lines up close and personal with the fire. In Battalion 2 we still have our share of brush fires, and a tractor plow putting in control lines makes our job a lot easier and a whole lot safer. For the past several years we have hosted them for lunch to promote an exchange of information and ideas and to show our appreciation for their work.

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Story by District Chief Howes, photos by District Chief Enos
Posted on January 24th , 2006.

Company Officer Leadership Class

Retired Battalion Chief Mike Kemp and District Chief Daryl Newport were back with PBCFR to teach a one-week Leadership class. A total of 39 personnel gained valuable insight into the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be an effective Company Officer. These two instructors have over 48 years of experience between them.

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Story and Photo by Training Division
Posted on January 24th , 2006.

Duplex Fire in Newton Woods

A kitchen fire at 6132 Newton Woods Drive in suburban West Palm Beach spread rapidly through the unit destroying much of one half of the duplex. Some smoke and water damage affected the adjoining apartment. After the initial fire was knocked down, crews had the labor intensive task of digging into the blown insulation in the attic which was smoldering and continuing to affect the building.

Units on scene included E34, E24, R23, DC10, PI1, EMS3, RE33, R34, EMS2, BC3, LA34, RQ29 and IV3.

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Story and photos by Capt Don Delucia
Posted on January 24th , 2006.

Wellington Fire in Polo Club Subdivision

At approximately 1145 AM a fire was reported at 13400 Polo Rd W in Wellington. The resident came home to find smoke and flames coming from her detached garage. An employee at the nearby Players Club ran over and partially extinguished the fire with an extinguisher as our units were arriving. The damage to the garage was minimal. Due to the quick action of the individual with the extinguisher and the 5 minute response time of units from Station 27, the wood frame garage (which was within 15-20 feet of the resuidence) was kept from becoming a good sized bonfire.

Units on scene included: RE27, R27, RE20, EMS2, DC2, and PIO 1.

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Story and photos by Capt Don Delucia
Posted on January 24th , 2006.

Two Story House Fire in Royal Palm Beach

On January 14, Fire Rescue units responded to a reported house fire near the Black Diamond development on the West side of 441 in Royal Palm Beach.Before the crews even arrived, they could see a large column of black smoke coming from the vicinity of the call. RQ29 arrived first and reported one side of a 2-story structure was fully involved in fire. Luckily, strong winds at the time were from the South which helped keep the fire on one end of the wood frame home. The fire was quickly extinguished without incident. This fire was later determined to be caused by some faulty stereo equipment in a wood cabinet.

Units on scene included RQ29, E34, R34, DC3, EMS2, PI1, E25, R25, EMS3, IC4 and LA34.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on January 20th , 2006.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue by Air

Most of us are quite familiar with the view of a fire station from the street. Often, there's a blinking traffic light on the road in front of the station, sometimes, the chariots of fire are sitting out in the sun shining for all the world to see, and occasionally, we encounter the fire engine screaming from the confines of the station on a mission to save the world. But, it's not often that we notice these homes of the heroes from the air. I was able to do just that recently on a helicopter trip throughout the northern sections of Palm Beach County.

Pictured are several stations from Battalion 8 at Palm Beach Int'l Airport, to Battalions 1 through 3 in the north-central county.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on January 19th , 2006.

Mutual Aid Fire With City of Lake Worth

On Sunday January 15, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue units responded to a mutual aid fire with the City of Lake Worth. Lake Worth Fire had most of their units committed to a multi-car traffic accident on I-95 and only had one Engine with two personnel available. Heavy smoke was reported coming from an apartment located at 302 Lake Osborne Drive. When PBCFR units arrive about a minute after the Lake Worth Engine, all apartments were evacuated. The occupant of the fire apartment had already exited safely.

The fire was quickly knocked down but it took awhile for smoke to be ventilated from a number of other apartments. The cause of the fire was attributed to smoking in bed. The Red Cross was contacted for the displaced victim. Units on scene included LW E92, RE31, R31, DC9, EMS9, R35, BC3, RE36, PI1

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Story by Capt. Don Delucia, photos by Drew Reyburn and Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on January 19th , 2006.

Fire-Rescue Lieutenants Get Aircraft Rescue Training

Aircraft rescue firefighting is a specialized field that most passengers of the nation's airlines rarely think about. Unfortunately, however, calls for assistance by airport firefighters do occur and the crews of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Station 81 at Palm Beach Int'l Airport stand ready to serve at a moment's notice.

Recently, two Fire-Rescue lieutenants attended Aircraft Rescue Fire-Fighting (ARFF) training at Texas A&M University's Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Fire Academy in College Station, Texas. Although the weather was much colder than Florida firefighters are accustomed to working in, Lieutenants Jose Gonzalez and Mark Carr, were able to experience the unique situations involved with fuel fires, aircraft crashes and rescues. Live fire scenarios, as well as classroom sessions prepared the students for operations in and around airports as well as dealing with the complexities of an incident of such magnitudes.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark Carr
Posted on January 18th , 2006.

Firefighters Bring Christmas to St. Marys Hospital

The Customer Service Team joined forces with members of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and The PBC FOOLS in delivering Santa Claus to The Nicklaus Children's Center at St. Mary's Hospital. This is the 2nd Annual Toy Drive for the Hospital since it's Grand Opening early last year.

We have Santa ride into the Children's Center atop Buddy Yarbrough's open cab fire truck with over two dozen of Santa's favorite helpers consisting of both on and off duty firefighters from all over the department in addition to Santa's elves. A combined collection of 200 gifts and toys were collected from the McGlynn Annual Benefit and The FOOLS Annual Christmas party in order to put smiles on nearly 50 unfortunate boys and girls that spent their holidays in hospital beds this Christmas Eve.

Afterwards, firefighters went over to Trauma ICU to visit injured, brother firefighter Vince Merriweather who was showing signs of improvement with sensation and movement in his legs. It is events like these that allow us to put our own lives back into perspective and remind us what truly is important!

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Story by Lt. Douglas McGlynn, Photos by Lt. Douglas McGlynn & Captain Don Delucia
Posted on January 18th , 2006.

Station 28 Brings Christmas to the Kids Sanctuary

Many of us witnessed the spirit of giving this holiday season and for members of the Customer Service Team, this next story was no different! Crews from station 28 adopted the Kids Sanctuary in Royal Palm Beach for Christmas this year. All three shifts made donations as well as members of the general public. Donated items included toys, blankets, back packs, clothes and shoes for the children. Station 28 A-Shift made the delivery on Christmas Eve. Shift members playing Santa Claus included Kit Howes, Mike Del Rossi, Juan Batista, Chuck Stamm, Dawn Donaldson, Jim Bass and George Springthorpe.

Kids Sanctuary provides temporary housing for children from birth to age 12 who are in the custody of DCF. They have a dedicated staff that tries to provide a warm, loving home life for children awaiting placement in foster homes or permanent adoption.

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Story by Lt. George Springthorp and Lt. Doug McGlynn, Photos by Lt. Doug McGlynn
Posted on January 18th , 2006.

Support for One of Our Own

The nurses in the TICU at St. Mary's are pretty strict regarding visiting hours (even for those of us in uniform). Again, visiting hours are from 1:00 - 5:00 PM. They asked if you would call before you come by. The phone number is 881-2702. Ask for his nurse. If he is asleep the probably will not let you back to his room.
Vince is doing about the same today. He is going to be evaluated for PT/OT this afternoon. They are still up in the air with the surgery option as of today. Thanks to all..........

Chief Brice, Jerauld, Sierra, Honor Guard, Pipe and Drum Band, and the rest of the gang tried to visit Vince at the hospital and were turned away. Vince was having a procedure done and couldn't be disturbed. We all wished him the best and a fast recovery.

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Story and photos by Capt. Brad Havrilla
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

Adopted Family Receives Christmas Presents

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue annually adopts many needy families around the holidays each year so that they may have a merry Christmas. Many of these families are adopted by the fire stations that serve them. Fire Rescue Administration also adopts a family at Christmas and highlighted here is one such family, the Reynosos.

Hurricane Wilma impacted this familys finances in a big way. The father is an employee that works on commission. He was unemployed for weeks due to the storm. Prior to getting the familys name from one of our local County agencies, the announcement was made by the father to his four children (ranging in age from 5 months to 12 years) that they couldnt celebrate Christmas this year. They were unable to afford it. Our contributions of a gift certificate for the parents and a variety of gifts for the children helped to turn this around. This type of situation was repeated numerous times throughout the County this holiday season thanks to many kind members of our Department.

We do make a difference.

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Story and photos by Capt. Don Delucia
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

The President Comes To Town

It's not often that common folk get to set their eyes on the aircraft and limousines used by the President of the United States of America, much less catch a glimpse of the President himself. But, the firefighters at Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's Station 81, located at Palm Beach Int'l Airport, got to do just that on January 12th.

President, George W. Bush, flew in on the majestic Air Force 1 to present an award and to attend a fund-raising dinner in Palm Beach. Crews at Station 81 were responsible for protecting the President in the event of a mishap at the airport but reaped the benefit of seeing first-hand, the special processes and equipment that accompany the President. Marine 1, one of the President's Sikorsky VH-3D helicopters; Air Force 1, one of the President's Boeing 747 jets, a pair of shiny limousines, and an Air Force C-17 cargo jet were on hand in support of our country's leader.

Thankfully, the event went off without mishap and the visit came and went without incident. Shown are some of the photos taken during the President's brief visit to the Palm Beaches.

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Story and photos by Lt. Mark V. Carr
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

Tractor Trailer Fire in Station 47's Area

On January 4, RE47 responded to a tractor trailer on fire on 441. On arrival we found a trailer completely full of bales of small wood chips used as bedding for horses. This was basically a mulch fire on wheels. If you think it's impossible to get to the seat of a mulch fire you should try it in a confined space like a tractor trailer some time.

RE-47 and RE-54 with 1,500 gallons of water couldn't do it. Tanker 43 used 9,000 gallons of water and a master stream and couldn't do it. Quint 57 couldn't do it with an elevated steam. It was a beautiful site when a front end loader from parks and recreation showed up and opened up the sides of the trailer . After 2 hours on scene that loader looked absolutely beautiful. And in the end, like all grade b movies, it was beauty that killed the beast.

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Story and photos by Lt. Pete McGrane
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

The Master of Community Involvement

When Chief Herman Brice was asked if he would like to be a celebrity volunteer for a fund drive for The Lords Place, he never hesitated to accept the challenge. He would have to spend 3 hours, in the sun, in a dumpster, next to Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. With bullhorn in hand and his ever-present smile, donations were aggressively solicited and cheerily collected from passing motorists. Again, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue rose to the occasion. Community service, community assistance and customer service, all vital parts of our job. We follow the Master.

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Story and photos by Captain Don Delucia
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

Confined Space Training

Just days before Christmas and all through the confined spaces not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, but Special Operations and the Quints were training with Chief Bouse.

The quint and Special Operations personnel participated in some confined space rescue training at the South County Regional Wate Treatment facility. Emphasis was placed on sharing resources and working together in a confined space atmosphere. Crews rigged equipment and PPE to make entry into a real confined space. The training was a success and we look forward to future training with the teams. District Chiefs Bouse and Anderson and Staff Captain Park delivered the training over three days. A special thanks to the WaterTreatment Department for their assistance and allowing us to use their facility.

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Story and photos by Staff Capt Houston Park
Posted on January 17th , 2006.

Tractor Trailer Fire in Station 47's Area

RE47 and RE54 with 1,500 gallons of water couldn't do it. Tanker 43 used 9,000 gallons of water and a master stream and couldn't do it. Quint 57 couldn't do it with an elevated steam. It was a beautiful site when a front end loader from Parks and Recreation showed up and opened up the sides of the trailer . After 2 hours on scene that loader looked absolutely beautiful. And in the end, like all grade B movies, it was beauty that killed the beast.

Story and photos by Lt. Pete McGrane
Posted on January 11th , 2006.

Confined Space Training

Just days before Christmas and all through the confined spaces not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, but Special Operations and the Quints were training with Chief Bouse.

Story and photos by Staff Capt Houston Park
Posted on January 9th , 2006.