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BOCA FIRE RESCUE NET - City of Boca Raton

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A publication by the staff <strong>of</strong> the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire-Rescue Services Department<br />

Nov-Dec 2011<br />

Fire Chief Report<br />

By:<br />

Thomas R. Wood<br />

CFO, MIFireE<br />

Welcome Aboard to<br />

10 New Firefighters<br />

It was a long hard process, but we finally<br />

hired our 10 new firefighters on<br />

October 17 th . They are completing our<br />

eight week orientation program. We<br />

have a “Badge & Award Ceremony”<br />

scheduled for Friday, December 9,<br />

2011, at 2:00PM in the 6500 Building<br />

Auditorium. All are welcome to attend<br />

and see the “rookies” get their badges.<br />

Please join me in welcoming: Casey<br />

Denhard, Jonathan Emmons, Justin<br />

Ghanem, Travis Miller, Justin<br />

Pierce, Octavio Quinones, Zane<br />

Smith, David Weaver, Adam Ziegenfuss<br />

and William Zimmerman. See<br />

page 11 for pictures.<br />

Citizens Courage Award<br />

Mr. Bruce Evans (a retired Ft. Lauderdale<br />

firefighter), who was himself present<br />

to receive medical treatment in the<br />

area <strong>of</strong> 3848 FAU Blvd., noticed a large<br />

column <strong>of</strong> thick black smoke issuing<br />

from the doorway area on October 7,<br />

2011. Mr. Evans crossed the street,<br />

found a dry chemical extinguisher in a<br />

nearby <strong>of</strong>fice and utilized it to extinguish<br />

a large garbage can fire which<br />

was exposing the foyer <strong>of</strong> the building<br />

in question. Mr. Evan’s quick action<br />

enabled our response to be downgraded<br />

and handled with one suppression unit<br />

and ensured that there was no disruption<br />

<strong>of</strong> the businesses in the building.<br />

We are thankful for his willingness<br />

to “get involved”. On December<br />

9, 2011, Mr. Evans will be awarded our<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong> <strong>NET</strong><br />

http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/fire/newsletters.shtm<br />

From Left to Right:<br />

Shea Miller, Robert Parks, Evan Gaub, and Jeff Lazzeri<br />

“Citizen Courage Award,” which is inscribed<br />

with the following C.S. Lewis<br />

quote: “Courage is not simply one <strong>of</strong><br />

the virtues, but the form <strong>of</strong> every virtue<br />

at the testing point”.<br />

Winning Streak Continues<br />

Our ALS “A Team” took 1st Place at<br />

the Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance<br />

Corp’s 2 nd Annual International EMS<br />

Competition on Saturday, September 24,<br />

2011. Congratulations to the “A Team”:<br />

Jeff Lazzeri, Robert Parks, Shea<br />

Miller and Evan Gaub. They ran four<br />

scenarios over an eight hour period.<br />

Flagler County (Florida) finished 2 nd<br />

and FDNY finished 3 rd .<br />

On Saturday, October 1, 2011, our<br />

teams competed in Flagler County. The<br />

“A Team” took second place and the “B<br />

Team” took third place. Congratulations<br />

to the “A Team”: Jeff Lazzeri, Shea<br />

Miller and James Haag & the “B<br />

Team”: Robert Parks, Evan Gaub<br />

and Mike Sember.<br />

Have a save, healthy and happy holiday<br />

season!<br />

Until next time...be safe.<br />

QR Code<br />

Times are a-changing! The QR (Quick<br />

Response) code on the back <strong>of</strong> our<br />

newsletter will take you to Homeland<br />

Security’s “If You See Something, Say<br />

Something.” This is a public awareness<br />

campaign to raise the public’s awareness<br />

<strong>of</strong> indicators <strong>of</strong> terrorism and violent<br />

crime, and to emphasize the importance<br />

<strong>of</strong> reporting suspicious activity to<br />

the proper state and local law enforcement<br />

authorities. You can capture the<br />

code on your computer camera, smart or<br />

android phone, or your IPod.


Page 2<br />

OPERATIONS<br />

By: Glenn Joseph<br />

Deputy Chief<br />

There were 72 firefighter line-<strong>of</strong>-duty<br />

deaths (LODD) in the NFPA’s 2010<br />

Report. In 2010, eleven (11) firefighters<br />

died as a result <strong>of</strong> vehicle crashes,<br />

nine (9) involved road vehicles. Four<br />

(4) <strong>of</strong> the nine (9) firefighters were not<br />

wearing seatbelts and were ejected during<br />

a road vehicle crash that caused<br />

their death, while only one (1) firefighter<br />

wearing a seatbelt was ejected<br />

and died as a result <strong>of</strong> the crash. Alcohol<br />

was a factor in one (1) <strong>of</strong> the<br />

crashes, excessive speed a factor in at<br />

least two (2) incidents; other factors in<br />

the rest <strong>of</strong> the incidents include inexperience,<br />

driver inattention and weather<br />

conditions.<br />

The numbers seem to indicate that the<br />

most significant behavior to reduce the<br />

risk <strong>of</strong> injury and death from motor<br />

vehicular crashes is a sensible operator,<br />

a responsible supervisor and the mandatory<br />

use <strong>of</strong> seatbelts. The operator<br />

must use due care when operating an<br />

emergency vehicle, especially in adverse<br />

weather conditions, and the supervisor<br />

must not allow dangerous behaviors<br />

to become the norm. Seatbelt<br />

use must be mandatory when the vehicle<br />

is moving.<br />

Let’s do the numbers:<br />

Sept Oct<br />

Total EMS Incidents 874 893<br />

Average Resp. Time 5.56 5.49<br />

EMS Unit (most alarms) M2-208 M5–219<br />

Total Fire Alarms 160 178<br />

Average Resp. Time 6.13 6.20<br />

Fire Co. (most alarms) TK1-188 TK1-213<br />

Sta. 5 (most alarms) 430 417<br />

Other 263 347<br />

Total Alarms 1,297 1,418<br />

Be Safe, Be Competent,<br />

Be Pr<strong>of</strong>essional.<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Administrative<br />

Services<br />

By: Raul Travieso<br />

Assistant Chief<br />

Bike Medic Team<br />

The Bike Medic Team has been expanded<br />

to 16 members, who attended a<br />

32-hour certification course through the<br />

International Police Mountain Bike Association<br />

(IPMBA). The course included<br />

classroom and day/night cycling.<br />

Bike Medics are being used more <strong>of</strong>ten<br />

at: the FAU Football games, “Meet me<br />

at the Promenade”, Holiday Parade,<br />

FAU July 4 th Fireworks, and other similar<br />

events. Firefighter David Weyer has<br />

been named the coordinator for the Bike<br />

Medic Team, and he will be responsible<br />

for the maintenance <strong>of</strong> the bikes, supplies,<br />

and inventory. See Photo <strong>of</strong> Bike<br />

Medic Team on page 3.<br />

CISM Team<br />

We have now provided and completed<br />

the education and preparation training<br />

for our 12-member Critical Incident<br />

Stress Management (CISM) Team. This<br />

is the first step in restoring our Department’s<br />

CISM Program. The purpose <strong>of</strong><br />

the CISM program is to provide a means<br />

<strong>of</strong> support to all employees during times<br />

<strong>of</strong> crisis through peer intervention in the<br />

form <strong>of</strong> debriefing with appropriate<br />

clinical follow-up if necessary. <strong>Boca</strong><br />

<strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue employees are encouraged<br />

to participate in the debriefing<br />

process in order to minimize the effects<br />

<strong>of</strong> the critical incident. Our ultimate goal<br />

is to be recognized and to serve as a key<br />

group <strong>of</strong> the Palm Beach County Critical<br />

Incident Stress Management Team.<br />

Fire Expo 2012<br />

We will keep reminding everyone that<br />

<strong>FIRE</strong> EXPO 2012 will be held at FAU<br />

on February 25, 2012. Please mark your<br />

calendars as we want to improve the<br />

event for the children and parents who<br />

attend the event. This year we are going<br />

to need everyone’s help to make Fire<br />

Expo a huge success. The word is out<br />

that this year’s expanded Fire family<br />

oriented Expo will be the “BIGGEST<br />

and GREATEST” in <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> history.<br />

Our plans for this year’s Expo<br />

will include more exciting “ACTION<br />

FILLED” exhibits for children and<br />

adults to enjoy, coupled with great<br />

“FUN-FILLED” activities for the kids.<br />

You dare not miss this year’s expanded<br />

Fire FAMILY Expo.<br />

Seminar<br />

We have scheduled Gary Ludwig to<br />

speak to us regarding EMS Operations.<br />

Gary will conduct the 8-hour<br />

seminar on Wednesday, March 28,<br />

2012, and repeat the lecture on the following<br />

day. This is a lecture you don’t<br />

want to miss.<br />

Gary Ludwig currently serves as a Deputy<br />

Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire<br />

Department. He has over 34 years <strong>of</strong><br />

fire, rescue, and EMS experience, starting<br />

his career with the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> St. Louis<br />

two months after graduating from high<br />

school and rising through the ranks,<br />

retiring as the Chief Paramedic <strong>of</strong> the<br />

St. Louis Fire Department. Chief<br />

Ludwig currently serves as Chair <strong>of</strong> the<br />

EMS Section for the International Association<br />

<strong>of</strong> Fire Chiefs, and was appointed<br />

by the Secretary <strong>of</strong> Transportation<br />

to the National EMS Advisory<br />

Council in 2010. A noted speaker and<br />

writer, Chief Ludwig has written over<br />

500 articles for pr<strong>of</strong>essional publications<br />

and has spoken at over 250 conferences<br />

or seminars. He writes a<br />

monthly column in Firehouse Magazine<br />

and the monthly leadership column<br />

in the Journal <strong>of</strong> Emergency Medical<br />

Services. He has a masters degree in<br />

Management and Business, and has<br />

been a licensed paramedic for over 30<br />

years.<br />

REMEMBER<br />

Please mark your<br />

calendars to attend on<br />

March 28 or 29, 2012.


Page 3<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Medic Bike Unit<br />

Left to Right: Assistant Chief Raul Travieso, Firefighter/Paramedic David Weyer,<br />

Fire Inspector/Paramedic Scott Stinecipher, and Firefighter/Paramedic Val Polestina<br />

Operations<br />

By: Daryl Scott<br />

Assistant Chief<br />

The Battalion/Division Chief and<br />

Driver Engineer promotional exams<br />

have been completed. We would like<br />

to thank and congratulate all personnel<br />

that recently participated in the promotional<br />

process. The Department appreciates<br />

the time and commitment that is<br />

necessary when competing in any promotional<br />

process. The next exam will<br />

be posted sometime in January for the<br />

position <strong>of</strong> Lieutenant with the examination<br />

to be held in the Spring <strong>of</strong> 2012.<br />

Those <strong>of</strong> you eligible for this exam<br />

need to ensure that you meet all the<br />

requirements for the position.<br />

As the New Year approaches, there are<br />

several additional projects that the Op-<br />

erations Division has, and will be, working<br />

on. The first will be the balancing <strong>of</strong><br />

each shift’s personnel with all the different<br />

step-up classifications. All the<br />

moves will be completed by mid-<br />

January 2012. Next, vacation picks will<br />

be conducted and completed by mid-<br />

December. Following the personnel<br />

moves and vacation picks, the station<br />

bidding process will be conducted sometime<br />

in January.<br />

The Operations Division would like to<br />

wish everyone a happy and joyous Holiday<br />

Season along with a healthy and<br />

prosperous New Year!<br />

Until next time be safe.<br />

Recycle Your Holiday Lights<br />

Send them to:<br />

HolidayLEDs.com Recycling Program<br />

C/O Classic Turning, Inc.<br />

4905 James McDivitt Street<br />

Jackson, MI 49201-8958<br />

Logistics &<br />

Support<br />

By:<br />

Michael A. Gergora<br />

Assistant Fire Chief<br />

The new fiscal year brings a number <strong>of</strong><br />

exciting events for our Department.<br />

New fire apparatus, medic units, newly<br />

hired firefighters, winter jackets, safety<br />

vests, and side cutters just to name a<br />

few. Please join me in welcoming our<br />

10 new firefighters.<br />

Ladder Trucks/Medic Units<br />

We are scheduled to receive our new<br />

Sutphen SPH 100’ ladder truck on November<br />

2, 2011. This will be replacing<br />

our current 1996 100’ Platform that has<br />

served us well over the past 15 years<br />

and 160,000 plus miles. The new Platform<br />

is a state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art firefighting<br />

machine. Here are some <strong>of</strong> the highlights<br />

<strong>of</strong> this apparatus. It is more compact<br />

than our current truck resulting in<br />

more maneuverability. The hydraulic<br />

ladder is a 5 section configuration as<br />

compared to our 3 section ladder. The<br />

ladder has full length illumination with<br />

LED lighting to aid in visibility while<br />

climbing and any low flying aircraft.<br />

The “bucket” has multiple entry points<br />

and a driver’s side access toward the<br />

rear <strong>of</strong> the truck. Please see the pictures<br />

below <strong>of</strong> the new flagship <strong>of</strong> our<br />

fleet.<br />

A Sutphen representative will be here<br />

on November 17 th & 18 th to provide a<br />

train-the-trainer session for our personnel.<br />

The entire Department will then<br />

receive training once the Ladder Truck<br />

is fully outfitted and prior to being<br />

placed in service. This should occur<br />

during the week <strong>of</strong> November 29 th<br />

through December 2 nd . After the training<br />

has been completed, it will be<br />

headed to Fire Station 1 and ready for<br />

its first call.<br />

Our new Horton Medic Units will also<br />

begin to arrive on November 2 nd . They


Page 4<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

too have some new features from our current Medic Units. The patient compartment<br />

has a roll-over protection system (air-bags) for occupants. This added<br />

safety feature caused the removal <strong>of</strong> the report writing shelf, but it was definitely<br />

a good trade-<strong>of</strong>f.<br />

Jackets<br />

Speaking <strong>of</strong> good trade-<strong>of</strong>fs; how about those new winter jackets! I know you<br />

thought that we would never get them, but a year and a few months later and<br />

they are here just in time for the cooler weather. Please note the cleaning and<br />

care instruction on the attached tags. These jackets are waterpro<strong>of</strong> and bloodborne<br />

pathogen resistant.<br />

Safety Vests/Cutting Pliers<br />

The two additional safety features mentioned above will be augmented by a<br />

couple <strong>of</strong> other new safety items. We will be replacing the safety vests on all<br />

the apparatus in order to provide you with better protection. The new vests have<br />

added visibility and a five point attachment system that will enable the garment<br />

to be removed easily. It is also shorter in length to allow you to have better access<br />

to equipment that you may be carrying. The final new items that will be<br />

provided to you are the Klein J2000 high leverage side cutting pliers. The decision<br />

to purchase these pliers was a result <strong>of</strong> the recent strategic decision making<br />

training that was conducted at our Department. These cutters will enable you to<br />

cut through wires and cables easily in the event you get entangled during a fire.<br />

As you can see, there are a lot <strong>of</strong> things that are happening behind the scenes in<br />

order to accomplish these improvements.<br />

Miscellaneous<br />

I thought that I would share some other information with you about activities<br />

that are occurring behind the scenes. The Logistics and Support Division continues<br />

to do an outstanding job in meeting the demands <strong>of</strong> the Department. Last<br />

fiscal year we received 3755 Work Orders with a 96% completion record. We<br />

have 86 open and 78 pending Work Orders. Some require the actions <strong>of</strong> another<br />

department and others are waiting for back ordered items. Please thank our staff<br />

for a job well done. How much fuel do you think our Department used last<br />

year? Well it is probably a lot more than you could have imagined. Collectively<br />

Fire Rescue Services used 65,314 gallons <strong>of</strong> fuel at a cost <strong>of</strong> $215,569.63<br />

($3.30/gal). Now that’s a lot <strong>of</strong> dinosaurs.<br />

Other outstanding Fire Rescue issues:<br />

Apparatus:<br />

New Apparatus: 2 new Ladder Trucks and 3<br />

Medic units arrive this month.<br />

Facilities:<br />

Miscellaneous: Still working with Facilities<br />

Maintenance to address the A/C ductwork problem<br />

at Station 2.<br />

Station 7 will have repairs to the flooring and<br />

kitchen on the second floor.<br />

Ro<strong>of</strong> leaks are being addressed as they arise<br />

Equipment:<br />

New Side Cutters: The new Klein J2000 pliers<br />

should be arriving before the end <strong>of</strong> December.<br />

I would like to wish all <strong>of</strong> you a healthy and safe<br />

Holiday Season!<br />

Please stop in my <strong>of</strong>fice anytime that you are at<br />

Fire Administration.<br />

Until Then - Stay Safe and Pr<strong>of</strong>essional!


Page 5<br />

EMS<br />

By: Mike O’Neil<br />

Division Chief<br />

ALS Competition<br />

Our Advanced Life Support Competition<br />

Teams placed First in a competition<br />

in New York, and placed Second<br />

and Third at the Flagler County ALS<br />

Competition last month. The <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>’s web site (http://<br />

www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/fire/pdf/<br />

CompetitionResults.pdf) lists competition<br />

results from 1981 to the present.<br />

The next competition is at Fire Rescue<br />

East this January.<br />

Medical Protocol Revision<br />

The EMS Division will be releasing<br />

new medical protocols in November.<br />

We are adding several new medications<br />

and the new American Heart Association<br />

recommendations have been added<br />

to the protocols. Along with the revision,<br />

we have completely revised the<br />

format <strong>of</strong> all EMS related forms, vehicle<br />

inventories, created reference guides<br />

and operating instructions for major<br />

equipment. All <strong>of</strong> these will be available<br />

on our network and on the laptop<br />

computers.<br />

Patient Follow Up Program<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Regional Hospital has been<br />

updating the EMS Division on our most<br />

critical patients that are transported to<br />

BRRH. Delray Medical Center is also<br />

providing data outcome for patients.<br />

This process is accomplished using a<br />

secure electronic file exchange. We<br />

have received requests from other agencies<br />

around the State who are interested<br />

about our methods. This program was<br />

implemented as part <strong>of</strong> our Quality Assurance<br />

Program.<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Training & Safety<br />

By: Joe Majhess<br />

Division Chief<br />

As we put Halloween behind us, we are<br />

all eagerly anticipating the holiday season<br />

over the next few months. Whether<br />

it be to share a meal, the exchange <strong>of</strong><br />

gifts or any other special occasion, coming<br />

together to celebrate with family and<br />

friends is a blessing we can all enjoy.<br />

In the last month, I attended training at<br />

the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg,<br />

Maryland. Course discussion focused<br />

on how we, as a Fire Rescue service,<br />

can reduce risks in our community.<br />

In conducting research to prepare for<br />

attending this training, I discovered<br />

some interesting facts and statistics that<br />

are worth sharing.<br />

In the United States, the leading cause<br />

<strong>of</strong> death for persons ages 1 – 44 is unintentional<br />

injuries. Injuries stemming<br />

from Motor Vehicle Crashes is the number<br />

one cause <strong>of</strong> death in approximately<br />

98% <strong>of</strong> these cases. In fact, the industry<br />

has gone as far as reclassifying these<br />

events as “crashes” rather than<br />

“accidents.” Why? Because in a majority<br />

<strong>of</strong> cases, these incidents are not accidents<br />

at all, they are “PREVENTABLE”<br />

incidents. Other leading causes include<br />

drowning, fire/burns, suffocation, poisoning<br />

and falls. In these incidents as<br />

well, a majority <strong>of</strong> cases are preventable.<br />

I cannot tell you how many times in my<br />

20 years <strong>of</strong> responding to people’s<br />

tragedies that I have heard the victim’s<br />

family members express, through the<br />

hysteria, tears and sadness, a desire to<br />

have done things differently in the<br />

events leading up to their devastating<br />

loss. Folks, something as simple as putting<br />

a seatbelt or bike helmet on can<br />

mean the difference between life and<br />

death. Not allowing ourselves to be<br />

distracted when performing tasks such<br />

as driving or supervising children<br />

greatly improves our chances <strong>of</strong> avoiding<br />

“preventable” incidents.<br />

Sadly, in most cases, humans must experience<br />

a “significant emotional event”<br />

in order to change a negative behavior<br />

or habit. I share this information with<br />

you to raise your awareness <strong>of</strong> just<br />

some <strong>of</strong> the many hazards present in<br />

your everyday travels and educate you<br />

on the risks they pose to your health<br />

and safety and that <strong>of</strong> your family<br />

members. Will this be sufficient to<br />

motivate you to make the positive<br />

changes necessary to reduce your exposure<br />

to these hazards and risks or will<br />

you, like many, wait to experience your<br />

own personal “significant emotional<br />

event?”<br />

With these thoughts in mind, I ask you<br />

to observe your actions in the course <strong>of</strong><br />

just one day and count the number <strong>of</strong><br />

times you have the power to make a<br />

choice that could decrease the exposure<br />

<strong>of</strong> hazards and risks to you and/or those<br />

around you (family, friends, coworkers,<br />

the public). I believe the results will<br />

surprise you.<br />

In closing, I learned a lot in my recent<br />

training about reducing risk in our community.<br />

While the Fire Rescue Service<br />

can play a major role in educating the<br />

public on hazard awareness and ways to<br />

reduce their risks, only the public’s<br />

willingness to act on the information<br />

provided can lead to a reduction in the<br />

number <strong>of</strong> deaths due to unintentional<br />

injuries. Together, we can all play a<br />

part in reducing the risks in our community.<br />

We can all make choices that<br />

not only increase our safety, but also<br />

foster good habits in the youth that look<br />

to us for examples.<br />

I would like to take this opportunity to<br />

recognize and thank Ms. Cindy Cevallos<br />

for all her assistance with the research<br />

conducted on emergency reporting<br />

data in the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> for<br />

this project.


Page 6<br />

Communications<br />

By: Pat Kelly<br />

Division Chief<br />

Hello once again,<br />

On October 1, 2011, Deerfield Beach<br />

Fire Rescue was absorbed into the Broward<br />

County Sheriff’s Office (BSO).<br />

We have a long history <strong>of</strong> mutually<br />

beneficial assistance to each other both<br />

within our respective cities and on I-95.<br />

Communications on these mutual aid<br />

calls was as simple as switching to<br />

Tactical Channel 5 as they also had this<br />

channel on their radios. Unfortunately,<br />

they no longer have this channel on the<br />

BSO radios. The procedure will now<br />

involve our personnel accessing the<br />

Broward County Mutual Aid channels<br />

which are located on Zone G on our<br />

radios. If either receiving or giving<br />

mutual aid to Deerfield Beach units,<br />

expect to be instructed to switch to one<br />

<strong>of</strong> these channels for direct communications.<br />

We have already tested the<br />

system and it works well.<br />

We have long expected the arrival <strong>of</strong><br />

Next Generation 911. This is a technologically<br />

enhanced version <strong>of</strong> the 911<br />

system, which gives the address and<br />

phone number <strong>of</strong> a caller. The system<br />

is being installed throughout Palm<br />

Beach County and unfortunately has<br />

run into some difficulty. We were expecting<br />

to go on-line in October, but<br />

our installation has been postponed till<br />

early next year. We will keep you advised.<br />

Each month I investigate all calls that<br />

do not meet our response criteria. Recently<br />

we have had several calls with<br />

extended response times. Most <strong>of</strong> these<br />

were due to units arriving in the area<br />

and not being able to locate the incident<br />

either because the parties had left<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

the scene or the call was unfounded. Please remember that as soon as your unit arrives<br />

in the area, you must advise Dispatch <strong>of</strong> your arrival, with nothing found, and<br />

you are investigating.<br />

Till next time, be safe.<br />

Frank Correggio, Public Information Officer<br />

Tractor Trailer Accident Ties Up Traffic On I-95<br />

In October, <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> firefighters responded to a report <strong>of</strong> a vehicle accident involving<br />

a tractor trailer that happened on on I-95 northbound between Palmetto Park<br />

Road and Glades Road. When fire crews arrived, they found a tractor trailer and a<br />

vehicle had collided causing a fuel leak from the truck’s saddle tank. Firefighters<br />

closed down two lanes <strong>of</strong> the interstate as they began to handle the haz mat incident.<br />

Crew used a special pump to help <strong>of</strong>f-load the fuel from the tank and absorbant to<br />

pick up fuel that was on the ground. Approximately 100 gallons <strong>of</strong> diesel fuel was<br />

transferred into a waiting container and removed. It took crews approximately two<br />

hours to clean up the spill. Members <strong>of</strong> Florida DEP and the DOT were on-scene to<br />

assist. There were no injuries reported. The accident is under investigation by<br />

Florida Highway Patrol.<br />

Photo by Jay Bell


Page 7<br />

VISITORS!<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Above is Colton Liebl, son <strong>of</strong> Amanda Liebl who is the Youth<br />

Program Director at the <strong>City</strong>’s Community Center. Colton visited<br />

Fire Station 2 with his grandfather, and one <strong>of</strong> the things he learned<br />

was that all firefighters love cookies. With the help <strong>of</strong> his mom, he<br />

baked up a batch <strong>of</strong> cookies and colored a thank you card for the<br />

firefighters.<br />

The Cloran Family<br />

We also had a surprise visit from<br />

retired Platoon Captain Dave<br />

Cloran and his daughter, former<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> firefighter, Laura Cloran<br />

Haase. Laura brought in her<br />

daughter, 10 month old,<br />

Hadley, to visit also.<br />

This was quite a surprise as Laura<br />

and her family now live in Alaska.


Page 8<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Left to Right: Firefighters Scott Hauss, Captain John Luca, Dan Rush and Paula Ursini<br />

Photo by PIO Correggio<br />

Vehicle Fire On West Yamato<br />

On October 24, 2011, fire crews responded to a report <strong>of</strong> vehicle fire at 1000 West Yamato Road. Emergency crews arrived to<br />

find a blue, late model Acura Legend on fire in the eastbound lane. Crews quickly extinguished the fire and used a special saw<br />

to cut open the hood and truck. The driver <strong>of</strong> the vehicle was not injured. The cause <strong>of</strong> the fire is undetermined at this time.<br />

Friends Forever<br />

Firefighter James Haag and his new friend, 4 y/o Madalyn, meet for the first time up close. Fire Captain Randy Hunsinger,<br />

Driver Neil Duffy and Firefighter James Haag from Truck 1 in <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> visited MECE PreSchool for Fire Prevention Week.<br />

Students were taught fire safety including Stop – Drop – and – Roll, Know 2 Ways Out, Stay Low (under smoke) and Go, and<br />

Firefighters are our Friends! After the safety talk, students and teachers went outside with their new friends and were treated<br />

to a tour <strong>of</strong> the 100 ft. aerial platform that protects their school.


Page 9<br />

Years <strong>of</strong> Service<br />

November<br />

Joe Ramsey 34<br />

Joe Hauck 30<br />

Pat Kelly 24<br />

Tom Carroll 21<br />

Mike Francis 14<br />

Brian Ward 14<br />

Mike Young 13<br />

Mario Eaton 7<br />

Dave Rosenthal 5<br />

Carlos Vidaurreta 4<br />

December<br />

Frank Correggio 34<br />

Dan Grader 34<br />

Dave Covert 30<br />

Daryl Scott 30<br />

Scott Stinecipher 30<br />

Brett Lea 28<br />

Joe Majhess 20<br />

Ray Lintner 14<br />

Matt Welhaf 10<br />

Andrea Entus 9<br />

Jordan Flaschner 9<br />

Brian Shapins 9<br />

Craig Ashley 8<br />

Chris Burden 8<br />

Bob Cervi 8<br />

Mark Dell 8<br />

John Elliott 8<br />

Joe Ildefonso 8<br />

Chad Kozloski 8<br />

Pat Lao 8<br />

Brian Marlen 8<br />

Curt Berryman 6<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

BIRTHDAYS<br />

November<br />

11/02 John Lamey<br />

11/03 Dorrant Mowatt<br />

11/06 David DiPierro<br />

11/07 Sean Migone<br />

11/09 Kim Puchalski<br />

11/11 Francine Chokanis<br />

11/15 Val Polistena<br />

11/23 Warren Cann<br />

11/24 Arnaldo Rodriguez<br />

11/25 Loyd Putnam<br />

11/25 Ben Frederick<br />

11/26 David Eddinger<br />

11/26 Scott Hauss<br />

11/27 Paul Ursini<br />

11/27 Alejandro Callegari<br />

11/29 George Fox<br />

11/30 Bryan Walton<br />

December<br />

12/01 Pat Murray<br />

12/01 Michael Davanzo<br />

12/02 John Gibson<br />

12/04 Jesus Barrera<br />

12/06 Tomas Martin<br />

12/07 Scott Stinecipher<br />

12/07 William Pazanski<br />

12/08 Ed Guinn<br />

12/11 Scott Clark<br />

12/14 Kim Bunting<br />

12/15 Bruce Angier<br />

12/20 Jordan Flaschner<br />

12/24 Joanne Barnes<br />

12/25 Brian Ward<br />

12/25 Robert Parks<br />

12/28 Michael Altamuro<br />

12/29 John McClain<br />

12/29 Octavio Quinones<br />

12/30 Todd Withrow<br />

12/31 Aaron Fix<br />

January<br />

01/01 William Puchalski<br />

01/04 Mike O’Neil<br />

01/05 Shaun Fix<br />

01/07 William Fowler<br />

Gas Leak In East <strong>Boca</strong><br />

Residents Evacuated<br />

On October 25, 2011, fire crews responded<br />

to a report <strong>of</strong> natural gas leak<br />

at the corner <strong>of</strong> NE 25th Terrace and<br />

NE 5th Avenue. Fire Rescue crews<br />

arrived in minutes to find that a crew<br />

working in the area had hit the underground<br />

2-inch gas pipe with their<br />

backhoe. Police services quickly<br />

evacuated surrounding homes and<br />

shut down roads from Federal Highway<br />

and NE 25th Terrace west to NE<br />

4th Way and from NE 26th Terrace<br />

south to NE 24th Court, while fire<br />

crews worked to stop the leak. Hazardous<br />

Material Technicians from<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue lifted the<br />

backhoe bucket <strong>of</strong>f the pipe, removed<br />

excess dirt, then used a special clamp<br />

to stop the leak. Residents were then<br />

allowed to return to their homes.<br />

There were no injuries reported. Florida<br />

Public Utilities were contacted to<br />

repair the pipe.


Page 10<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

Fire Prevention Week<br />

On Monday, October 3, 2011, firefighters from<br />

FS2 visited students and teachers at St. Paul Lutheran<br />

School. Firefighters spoke about fire<br />

safety, gave the students a tour <strong>of</strong> their state-<strong>of</strong>the-art<br />

fire truck, and let them handle the hose<br />

just like a real firefighter.<br />

This year the theme for Fire Prevention Week is<br />

“Protect Your Family From Fire.” <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong><br />

Fire Rescue Services wants you to know that fire<br />

safety is everyone’s responsibility. Students<br />

were reminded to practice fire safety, ask their<br />

parents to test their smoke alarms, have in place<br />

and practice an escape plan and use battery operated<br />

lighting instead <strong>of</strong> candles. Firefighters also<br />

talked about Stop, Drop and Roll, dialing 9-1-1<br />

for an emergency, know two ways out, and stay<br />

low under smoke.<br />

FF Scott Kovi gets hugs from students<br />

FF Scott Kovi, FFD Marcus Cooper and<br />

student Andrew Majhess


Page 11<br />

Casey Denhard<br />

David Weaver<br />

<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />

William Zimmerman<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong><br />

Fire Rescue<br />

Services<br />

Welcomes<br />

Their newest<br />

Members.<br />

Adam Ziegenfuss<br />

Zane Smith<br />

Octavio Quinones<br />

Justin Pierce Travis Miller Justin Ghanem<br />

Jonathan Emmons


Smoke Detectors<br />

Save Lives<br />

Thomas R. Wood, CFO, MIFireE<br />

Fire Chief<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue Services<br />

6500 Congress Avenue, Suite 200<br />

<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>, FL 33487-2851<br />

Homeland Security<br />

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