In this IssueImprovements 1Spotlight 3Promotions 4Community 5Upcoming 7Pro iles 8Outreach 12Rescue 13Awards 13Around the St. 14Celebrate 15

The Lakeland Fire Department

Issue 1, Summer 2013

The new fi scal year is bringing many exciting improvements to the Lakeland Fire Department. Most notably, the department will be ushering in a new Station 7. During the last fi scal year, a grassroots community effort led to the approval of opening a seventh station. The current station is housed in a temporary facility at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport until the new state of the art fi re station is ushered in by late 2014. Bids for its construction are currently being accepted and once a contractor is selected, a ground breaking ceremony will be held in late fall. The building will feature four apparatuses, two designated for airport purposes and two to serve the community. The station will also stand out compared to the department’s other stations due to its modern and environmentally conscious design. The new station’s construction isn’t the only improvement the department will be seeing. Station 3’s security features are currently being enhanced with the addition of a new automatic gate, much like the one currently installed at Station 4, as well as additional lighting on both the north and west sides of the building. These additional security measures are expected to be completed by the end of September.

Another development for Station 3 is the installation of a new traffi c signal in hopes of making entry and exit safer onto busy US 98 N. The signal has been something many at the department have been wanting for sev-eral years and now with cooperation from departments throughout the city as well as the Florida Department of Transportation its in-stallation is anticipated for the end of October. The new signal’s instillation required additional road construction which has slightly delayed the effort.

Other Improvements in the Coming Fiscal Year

The newly approved budget will also allow for the following projects:

• The purchase of a new USAR trailer• The replacement of Automatic External Defi brillator’s for quick deployment• New software for Fire Safety Management • Replacement of Personal Escape Systems• Increase in funding for the current AARF program • A master study to re-asses the current training center

Improvements on the Horizon

Architect’s rendering of what new Station 7 will look like.

Your comments, suggestions, and questions are always welcome. Please contact Janel Vasallo with any story ideas or information worth sharing.

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Our Mission Ensure the health, safety, and well being of our community through servant leadership in a positive organizational culture.Our Vision To be the best public safety organization focused on providingsuperior customer service.Our Values Leadership, Commitment toExcellence, Diversity, Integrity, Social Responsibility, An Empowered Workforce.Our MottoEveryone goes home.Fire Wire Editorial StaffJanel Vasallo, Public Education and Information Offi cer Editor’s NoteYour comments, suggestions, andquestions are always welcome,Please contact Janel Vasallo withany story ideas or informationworth sharing.

Phone: (863) 834-8219Email: janel.vasallo@lakelandgov.netMail: 701 E Main Street, Lakeland, FL 33801Website: www.lakelandgov.net/lfd

Copyright © 2013 Lakeland FireDepartment. All Rights Reserved.

A Message from the ChiefEvery edition of Fire Wire will feature one of the core tenants of the department discussed in depth by Chief Ballard. This month Chief Ballard shares his thoughts on the LFD’s vision to be the best public safety organization focused on providing superior customer service.

I would like to share with you my thoughts about who we are today and whom we can and will become in the future. My vision for the Lakeland Fire Department is for us to be the best fi re department in providing and meeting the needs of our citizens. There will always be fi re departments that are larger than us, but it’s not about size. It’s about having a purpose and meeting the needs of our community. We provide a wide range of services; fi re and medical response, building inspections and permits, code enforcement, and fi re investigations. All of them are important in providing a safe and secure quality of life for our citizens. The employees of the Lakeland Fire Department are a great and caring group of people. You are talented, compassionate and well trained to make a difference in the lives of the people you touch. For us to be the best we must all work together and place the needs of others fi rst. Memorizing the Vision and Mission statement doesn’t make us the best. We only become the best when our actions bring life to the Vision and Mission statements. In closing, I challenge each of you make a daily commitment to be better today than we were yesterday and we will be the best fi re department.

Sincerely,

Gary Ballard Fire Chief

Lakeland Fire Dept.

Summer 2013

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In the coming months several fi refi ghters are anticipated to be hired. The process in recruiting and screening the best pool of possible candidates is a long and tedious one currently being undertaken by Training Chief John Almskog and a hiring board. For the fi rst time a new, dual screening process is being used to fi nd the next additions to the LFD team. In an effort to match other hiring processes from fi re departments across the state, applications are being accepted through the National Testing Network (NTN). Used by a majority of the fi re departments in Florida, the National Testing Network is a third party organization that serves as a central hub for prospective fi refi ghters to apply to departments throughout the nation. The NTN processes all required certifi cations, test scores and miscellaneous

requirements applicants are required to submit. The use of the NTN also means that the next additions to the LFD team will have to successfully complete the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). The physical ability test and how it is scored is backed by the network removing any liability from the LFD. Candidates will also have to pass the Fire Team Test which includes a human relations, mechanical aptitude, reading, and math component. Applicants will still be required to apply through NEOGOV as well. This comprehensive process will be used by the LFD to hire new fi refi ghters from now on.

Spotlight on ... The Hiring Process

Practice Makes PerfectAction shots from recent training activities

Vehicle Machinery Rescue Training Aquatic Co-Training with Lifeguards at Florida Southern College 3

The past few months have see a lot promotions and even a few retirements. Pictures from all of the respective promotion and retirement photos can be found on the City of Lakeland Y Drive at Fire Rec>Special Events. Here is a quick recap of who has recently moved through the ranks and others who are off to enjoy some rest and relaxation.

Moving Up and Moving Out

Left: Thursday, July 25, 2013 in a well-attended retirement ceremony, the Lakeland Fire Department, gave a fond farewell to Battalion Chief Jesse Sloan and Lieutenant Kirby Lastinger in a dual retirement ceremony. The two LFD veterans retired after 31 and 29 years of service, respectively.

Above: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 in an exceptionally well-attended ceremony, Jason Merritt was promoted to Lieutenant.He has been with the department since 2006 and served as driver-engineer prior to this promotion.

Right: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 long time veteran of the Lakeland Fire Department (LFD), Wayne Epperson, was promoted to the offi cer position of Battalion Chief. Wayne began his career with the LFD in 1985 and served as a fi refi ghter, fi re instructor, driver-engineer, and lieutenant, having held the latter position for 17 years.

Above: August 06, 2013 Mike Smith of Station 3 was promoted to Driver-Engineer. He has been with the department since 2007 and was commended by Chief Ballard during the ceremony for being one of the department’s top paramedics.

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Doing Good in the NeighborhoodIl Forno Fundraiser a Success!

The Firefi ghters Association’s annual spaghetti and meatball fundraiser was held on August 16. Firefi ghters, their family, friends, and scores of supporters from the community including several city commissioners showed up to support the event. The fundraiser, held to raise money for

the erection of a commemorative statue in front of Station 1 raised approximately $ 3,000.

The venue’s owners, Mick and Patti, who support the fi refi ghters association every year by donating food and the use of their restaurant hope to help again with an additional fundraiser in the coming year.

Making Time to Visit with a Fire Service Veteran

The bond forged between the men and women in fi re service is universal, regardless of when or where they’ve served. Proof of that was on a recent visit made by the Lakeland Fire Department’s Assistant Chief Doug Riley, along with Station 5 ‘s Lt. Jim Hewitt, Engineer-Driver Steve Herndon, and Firefi ghter Jason Vickers who visited retired Massachusetts Firefi ghter George Coughlin at Clairbridge Place in Lakeland on August 6, 2013. They reached out to Mr. Coughlin to welcome him to the community and for the opportunity to bond over tales of service as fi refi ghters.

Mr. Coughlin served as a fi refi ghter for over 25 years and upon retiring in Polk County became very involved with fi re service related issues in his community. He led the charge and was instrumental in the building of an additional fi re station in nearby Winter Haven, and now as a new resident of Lakeland plans to become equally as involved. Firefi ghters from Station 5 plan to visit regularly to continue to grow the relationship and learn a lesson or two from a this valuable veteran of fi re service.

Regardless of disparity in age or location of service, its examples like these that make it clear that fi refi ghting is not a career choice but rather a lifestyle.

Doing good... Continued on Next Page 5

Doing Good in the Neighborhood Cont.

Showing Firefi ghter Hopefuls What It Takes

Earlier this summer, Training Chief John Almskog and Lieutenant Matt Brown were able to share some of their enthusiasm for fi refi ghting and emergency medical response with local teen Brodie Bulloch. Brodie, who is interested in joining the fi re service, is one of the stars of UPTV's reality show Bulloch Family Ranch. Almskog and Brown spent a day with Bulloch, showing him the ropes and providing some insight as to what it takes both physically and mentally to serve the community of Lakeland on the front lines. The experience was featured on the seventh episode of the show which aired August 21, 2013 at 10:00 PM on UPTV.

Margaret Orozco Recognized for Her Volunteerism For years, FF Orozco has been volunteering and mentoring burn victims as part of the Children’s Burn Foundation which sponsors events like Burn Camp and mentor/mentee relationships. Margaret who is very active with the organization was selected from a nationwide pool of applicants to participate, along with her mentee, in a national conference in Washington D.C.. Her experience will be the focus of the October Employee Spotlight piece for the city’s Access Newsletter. Congratulations to Margaret and thank you for your volunteerism!

A Glimpse at Fire ighting History Every edition, a brief look will be taken at the history of the fi re service by highlighting a few fun and informational facts.

Our founding father Benjamin Franklin, one of our nation’s most prolifi c thinkers was responsible for introducing the fi re service as an organized corps of individuals for the sole purpose of tending to damaging fi res when they happened. On visits to New York and Boston in the early 1730’s he learned of groups of men that would fi ght fi re and improve their skills through regular meeting and training. When he returned to his adopted Philadelphia he saw the potential for fi re there and spent several years laying the groundwork for what would become the Union Fire Company. Established on December 7, 1736 as an organized volunteer fi re fi ghting “club”, the formation of the fi re company would be a big step in the formalization of the fi re service. In his letter writing campaign to convince the people of the need for a fi re fi ghting group he coined the now well-known phrase “a pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure” to emphasize how important a fi re fi ghting service truly was to protect the life and property of early colonist.

Above: Benjamin Franklin, in his volunteer fi re company’s hat and uniform.

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Up and Coming

The Lakeland Professional Firefi ghters Union, Local 4173, will be sponsoring a fundraiser to benefi t the March of Dimes. Scheduled for September 14, 2013 at Peterson Park in Lakeland, the event will feature a competitive cornhole tournament with prizes. Lt. Heath Seeber's famous pulled pork platter will also be sold to raise funds. The event was been a great success last year, raising several thousand dollars for the March of Dimes. Come out and join in the fun to help this event continue to be a success.

The Lakeland Fire Department will join the National Fallen Firefi ghters Foundation (NFFF), other fi re departments, and community groups from coast to coast in this poignant tribute as part of the National Fallen Firefi ghters Memorial Weekend. The moment of remembrance will occur on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 10:00 AM at all Lakeland fi re stations and at participating locations throughout the Lakeland area. This day also marks the beginning of Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Prevention Week runs from October 6 - 12, 2013. The week will culminate with the LFD hosting its 8th annual Open House event scheduled for October 12, 2013 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The entire community is invited to this FREE event where the department will feature live demonstrations, tours, refreshments, fi re safety education for all ages, and much more.

The department has partnered with Lakeland’s Comfort Keepers to help provide food for needy seniors as part of the Feed Seniors Now program. Nonperishable foods will be collected through September 30, 2013. The collection box is located in the administration building’s lobby. LFD staff and supporters are encouraged to donate nutritious foods that could make a huge difference to a hungry senior. A list of foods that will help meet senior’s dietary needs can be found at www.nourishseniorlife.com.

Cornhole Tournament

Food Drive

Memorial Service

Open House

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New Kids on the BlockThis summer, LFD welcomed aboard 14 new “Rookie” fi refi ghters. Due to varying shifts and placements at different stations it can be a real challenge to get to know the new recruits well. The ten new fi refi ghters were asked to answer some telling questions to help fellow LFD personnel get a better idea of who they are and why they’re here. Some of the responders were a bit more candid than others, so read below to get to know a little or a lot, depending on who we asked, about the new additions to the crew. Rookies not featured in this issue did not complete the provided questionnaire.

Stephanie Parente, 27, didn’t necessarily always know she wanted to be a fi refi ghter, but admitted that after the fi rst day of fi re standards she knew she had found her calling. Stephanie who brings valuable paramedic skills with her to the job and says she

truly enjoys coming to work and not knowing what they day has in store for her. She also really enjoys the bonds forged between her and her fellow crew mates and really values how much like a family the group feels. She attributes that sense of bonding to the fact that everyone always works so well on emergency scenes because they all understand the gravity of their work and the impact they make as a whole to the citizens of Lakeland. When asked if she has encountered any challenges yet she jokes that the schedule sure has taken some getting used to and that she is slowly working through her fear of repelling. She’s actually grateful that the job pushes her to her limits and has her overcome any obstacles she is faced with. On the job, she looks to Lt. Dougherty as her mentor and says “He has offered me valuable guidance and advice that will certainly help me throughout my career. He conducts himself in a professional authoritative manor but with an approachable and non-threatening demeanor. However, I have also been very lucky because all of my crew members have served as mentors that have all been very willing to teach and help me improve where I need it.” For now Stephanie wants to work on becoming the best fi refi ghter she can be but does see a long and fulfi lling career with LFD. As alluded to, Stephanie was a paramedic before being hired with LFD and worked for both Busch Gardens and Concentra. For fun she enjoys soaking in musicals, a personal passion of hers, and is recently focusing more on being involved in extreme running events like tough mudder and savage races. She feels that “Happy” would be the best word to describe herself.

Steven Murphy, 25, has wanted to be a fi refi ghter since a young age. He says “the camaraderie, respect and infl uence from my father all played a part in my decision

to seek employment with LFD.” Steven’s father was a veteran LFD fi refi ghter who recently retired after 38 years of service.

He truly enjoys all of the aspects of the job but is particularly touched when members of the community reorganize the service and value that LFD provides to them as citizens. He says he has been fortunate enough to encounter citizens while out and about that have shared their thanks with him and that he is very humbled by it. When asked what he thought was the most rewarding aspects of the job, Steven says “knowing that I have the best job ever. Every shift I love my job more and more. Having a career that I truly cherish and appreciate is very rewarding to me.”

On the job Steven considers Lt. Matt Brown to be a personal mentor, who has played a large role in helping him on the job, and in the areas of education and training. While he plans on focusing all of his energy in the near future to being the best fi refi ghter he can be he does one day hope to rise in the ranks as the opportunity presents itself. Prior to working at LFD he worked at Publix in the Meat Department. During his free time he enjoys SCUBA diving, fi shing, lobstering, and working on cars.

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Brandon Polk, 21, chose the fi re service because he wanted a career where he could make a difference and enjoy his work in the process. When asked who inspired him in life he answered “My major infl uences in my life have got to be my family, especially my parents. If not for them I honestly cannot not say if I would be in the position I am blessed to be in now.” He says he enjoys waking up every third day, and going to work knowing he will be exposed to something new. He says he is “lucky to be able to do so.” When thinking about goals, in the long term he aspires to be a Driver-Engineer. Prior to working with LFD he worked with a fertilizer

company in Plant city for 3 years, and then worked for his own pallet company for a year in order to get through fi re school. For fun he enjoys just about anything to do with motor sports, especially off-roading.

Jerrod Hayes, 27, a former fi refi ghter in the US Navy, was inspired to become a civilian fi refi ghter once because he has always felt a need to serve his community and serving as a fi refi ghter would

allow him to do exactly that. Jerrod counts his family as his biggest inspirations but on the job looks up to Lt. Wilson, Lt. Craw, and Lt. DeLegge who he sees as constant sources of learning and as examples of the kind of fi refi ghter he aspires to someday be. He also counts Driver-Engineer Virgen to be a big help on the job who helps him learn the in’s and out’s of the position. So much so that one of Jerrod’s long term goals is to also be a Driver-Engineer.

As alluded to, prior to working with LFD, Jerrod was a ship board fi refi ghter in the Navy and has worked as a shipboard fi re safety instructor. He enjoys country and Irish music and notes “American Sniper” as his favorite read. During his spare time he also enjoys hunting and fi shing. He describes himself as “Diligent”.

Cody Ritenour, 21, grew up wanting to make a difference and has a passion for helping people. He counts his family as a major infl uence in his life and considered his father to be his hero. When asked

what some of his favorite parts of the job were, Cody says “The diversity in what we do, no two calls are the same. Also the respect we get from the people in the city of Lakeland.”

Some of the best experiences he has had on the job so far include getting the opportunity to sit after dinner and soak in the conversations of the experienced and knowledgeable fi refi ghters he works with. He feels that he learns something new on the job every time he works and considers the support the community provides the department to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. He has goals for himself and wants to go to paramedic school and eventually aspires to become a Driver-Engineer. Before joining LFD, Cody worked in the emergency room at Florida Hospital South. Since being on the job, he says one of the skills he has developed is learning to play it cool even when he may not know what to do. For fun he enjoys fi shing, hunting, going to school, and working.

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Jesse “Gray” Baldwin, 33, is one of the older rookies to join the crew this time around. He says he joined the fi re service because he wanted to work in a fi eld that provides help to others, and to do something that is different each day. He credits his parents for teaching him the value of hard work. While on the job he really enjoys the opportunity to help others and the camaraderie between fellow fi refi ghters at the station. When pressed about what parts of the job are taking some getting used to he jokes that “a good night’s sleep is hard to come by.” He also wasn’t expecting to get such big “mopping muscles” as he put it, due to his rookie tasks around

the station but counts them as an added bonus. Prior to pursuing a career with LFD he worked as a mechanic and electrician at a boatyard in Charleston, SC and in the design offi ce of a sailboat builder in Gainesville, FL. During his free time he enjoys fi shing, biking, and studying maps of Lakeland. His one word to describe himself was aptly enough “Hungry”.

Cortlind Hendley, 22 choose the fi re service because of a week long experience when he was in high school. “It was a camp called Firestorm in high school. We were given the opportunity to see what the life of a fi reman was all about. At the camp we climbed ladders, put on bunker gear, pulled fi re hoses, and even put out some fi res. I always wanted to serve my community I just didn't know in what way. This camp inspired me to become a fi refi ghter” said Cortlind. He is the youngest of three siblings and is the father of 3 year old Aaliyah. When asked to tell us more about who inspires him he said “If there is anyone who is my hero and has had the greatest infl uence on my life it would be my grandfather,

the late Robert Hendley III. He was a pastor, an entrepreneur, and heck of a story teller. He always taught me to love God, love people, and never give up. If it wasn't for him I don't know where I would be.” One of his favorite aspects of the job are the children’s reaction when he participates in public education. He feels that as a fi refi ghter, public education events are an opportunity to be a role model for children. Cortlind added that he “takes great honor in being a position where my job gives me the opportunity to help the next generation and remind them to believe that they can be anything they want to be.” He says his best experience on the job was actually orientation training because ”it tested our hearts as group, made us close friends, and reminded us that we choose this path not just for ourselves but for the city of Lakeland.” When talking about running calls he notes that he gets a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that when trouble strikes, LFD responders are the fi rst to be able to arrive and help. He explains that it is very gratifying knowing he can help those in medical need. On the job, he counts Lt. Matthew Smith as his mentor. Cortlind says “He is one the hardest working men I know. He also will not allow me to be average but always inspires me to be the greatest fi reman I can be. He is always willing to teach and train me whenever the opportunity is present. There isn't a day that doesn't go by where I'm not gaining knowledge from him”. Like many of the other Rookies, Cortlind would like to become a paramedic and over time has long term ambitions to move up in rank. Prior to joining LFD he worked as an EMT for a private ambulance company. When asked off the cuff if he was learning any new skills, he admitted to improving his cooking skills while on the job thanks to the master chefs on C shift with him. During his free time he enjoys sports like basketball and football. The one word Courtlind used to describe him when prompted is “Outgoing”.

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The tight lipped Derek McBrayer, 24, chose the fi re service because he grew up around fi re stations and comes from a family of fi refi ghters. His favorite part about the job is the camaraderie and the great meals he enjoys on duty, cooked up fresh. He looks up to his crew mates and says they’re a source of professional inspiration. Prior to working at LFD he worked at Best Buy for fi ve years. Derek describes himself as an adaptable kind of guy.

Anthony Woods Jr., 29 grew up running the halls and bays of the station where his father and mother volunteered as FF/EMT’s. His mother went on to become an ER Charge nurse, and a Bayfl ight fl ight nurse which exposed him to emergency medicine and inspired him to work in the fi eld. He truly enjoy’s never knowing what each day will bring and counts “Watching kids’ faces light up when they see the truck, or us in our gear” as his most rewarding aspects of the job so far. He considers his crew to be his mentors and aspires to one day be as knowledgeable as they are. In the near future he is focused on making it through rookie testing, and eventually attending paramedic orientation. He expanded by saying that although he can’t predict what the future will bring he does want his career to grow with LFD. Prior to joining the department he worked as an EMT in Manatee County and as a charge medic at Manatee Memorial Hospital. He has also worked in construction. He enjoys fi shing as a hobby.

Brandon Dougherty, 28, says he choose the fi re service because he wanted to make a difference and add to his family’s tradition of working in the fi re service. Brandon considers both his parents, one of which is LFD’s Lt. Mike Dougherty, the biggest and most positive infl uences in his life. He enjoy’s running calls and says “it keeps me busy and lets me use the skills I learned in school.” So far he is really enjoying the job but notes that some challenges include moving from a clinical to real world setting which comes with a really big learning curve. He feels that the most rewarding part of his job is “knowing that I impacted someone’s life when they needed it the most.” He counts his Lieutenant and crew as mentors and feels that they have been a tremendous help in his transition from a clinical to fi eld setting. He also worked at GEICO before starting with LFD. Brandon looks forward to paramedic school in the near future. He enjoys watching sports and enjoys Avenged Sevenfold’s music. When questioned for this piece, Brandon wanted to add that he “is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work for the Lakeland Fire Department. This is the only place I wanted to work and I consider myself very lucky to be able to work alongside the best fi refi ghters in the best department.”

Photos for the following three “Rookies” were not available at time of publication.

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The Calendar

With the arrival of new Public Education Offi cer Janel Vasallo, public education and outreach efforts have undergone some minor changes. The public education calendar for events is now available as a shared calendar on the Microsoft Offi ce Outlook program, commonly used for email and calendars. Monthly public education calendars are sent at the end of the month for the following month and will include friendly reminders on how to check to see if your station is involved in an event and how to report important event information after it has happened. Please remember to check the calendar daily to see if your station is scheduled for an event.

Open House Poster Distribution

Open House is almost here. The biggest event of the year for the LFD will be held Saturday, October 12, 2013. Posters and instructions have been delivered to all

stations. Please continue to distribute the posters until all have been posted and if you need more posters do not hesitate to contact PEO Janel Vasallo at Ext 48219 or via email.

Back to School Safety Campaign A Success

Thanks to everyone’s effort, the 2013 Back to School Safety campaign held from August 15 through 21, was another big success. Positive feedback was received from every school administrator where LFD fi refi ghters campaigned and several citizens in the community, including city commissioners and Mayor Gow Fields commented on how happy they were to see LFD’s hard working men and women taking the time to remind motorist to slow down and buckle up. Great suggestions were received from fi refi ghters on how to improve the campaign next year. One stand out suggestion, based on what was seen while sign holding this year, was to have “Don’t Text and Drive” signs. It is such a great idea that next year, anti-texting while driving signs will be added to the safety messages the department will be promoting. Thank you again to everyone who participated. More pictures from the campaign can be found at www.lakelandgov.net/lfd and the Special Events folder of the Fire-Rec Y Drive.

Program Request Form

Know of someone who would like to request an educational program ? The request process has moved online. Refer any program request to our Program and Events section of the LFD website where the requester will need to complete an online form. Instructions and more information about LFD’s educational programs are also available on the LFD website.

Outreach and Public Education Updates and Highlights on all things “Outreach” related

Left: Sparky meeting with kids on tour. Center: Display suggestion for safety materials from Station 6, B-Shift. Right: Tour at Station 1.

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Over the past few months, LFD has been fortunate enough to add six new paramedics to its rescue staff. Paramedics Anthony Woods, Stephanie

Parente, Derek McBrayer, Chris Walker, Jonathan Smith, and Andrew Vinzant are off to complete paramedic orientation in the next month and for the fi rst time the training will be provided on site at LFD stations. Instructors for the orientation will be existing LFD paramedics and Rescue Chief Shane Reynolds. Also for the fi rst time, the department will have six Field Training Offi cers who will be tasked with training the new paramedics among other things. Immediately after paramedic orientation the new additions will work up to 10 24-hour shifts, riding along with both Polk County Fire Rescue and LFD Rescue, to cap off their experience. Good On You

Rescue Side of Things

A quick look at who has recently been recognized for something great!

Left: Kaley Ivins is recognized for her help on additional duties with a VIP award.

Left: Chief Ballard is elected as Second Vice President for the Florida Fire Chief’s Association.

Right: FF Taylor Riley wins awards from Firehouse Magazine for a heroic entry last December.

Right: Lt. Mike Winslow is recognized with a VIP award for his diligent work as LFD’s new “Quarter Master”.

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Congratulations to Newly Selected Field Training Offi cers:

TODD BURNEYMATTHEW BURNS

DAMIAN MOTSINGERMICHAEL SMITH

MARK OLIVENBAUMPHILLIP GREEN

Congrtulations to New LFD EMS Bike Team:

MIKE WINSLOWPAUL FAIRBANKS

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Fire Chief Gary Ballard and Assistant Chief Doug Riley participated in a county wide event held at the Polk County Sheriff’s Compound in Winter Haven early Wednesday, September 11th, 2013. The event was to commemorate the tragic loss of life twelve years ago this day. The event featured the symbolic release of 50 white doves by representatives from fi re-rescue and police departments throughout Polk County.

“We were glad to be a part of this event” said Chief

Gary Ballard. “It is important to remember that today is not only a day to refl ect on the thousands that lost their lives on the day of the attacks but also the scores of others that fell victim to these acts of terrorism, like the soldiers who died in confl icts that resulted from the 9/11 attacks, fi rst responders who have since fallen ill as a result of their exposure during rescue efforts, and scores of others whose lives were disrupted by the events.” added Chief Ballard.

Around the Station

August 20, 2013 Firefi ghters, both current and retired, came together for the annual LFD Golf Tournament.

A place to take a look at miscellaneous happenings around the department.

Update on Rick Best’s Condition

Most of LFD is well aware by now that Driver-Engineer Rick Best has been recovering at Tampa General Hospital after a life altering motorcycle a few months ago. Rick and his family are regularly visited by LFD fi refi ghters and administration to check in on his condition and provide any support possible. The most recent update on Rick’s condition comes from Chief Ballard who visited with him Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Chief Ballard reports that Rick’s condition is

slowly improving and that on the day of his visit Rick was conscious, aware of his surroundings, and has since been taken off dialysis which is a good sign of regaining kidney function. It will be a long and arduous road to recovery but fortunately his condition is showing signs of improvement. LFD administrations plan to continue to visit regularly and will provide updates regularly.

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Summer Birthdays and Anniversaries

Anniversaries

CURTIS GILES 6/5/1987RICHARD BEST 6/8/1987MARGARET COLSON 6/20/1989MICHAEL GILMAN 6/9/1992JAMES CRAW 6/10/1992MICHAEL STEELE 6/10/1992HERBERT WISE, JR 6/15/1992CHERYL EDWARDS 6/6/1994WILLIAM DAVIS 6/8/1994ALLISON HALSTEAD 6/23/1996JOHN ALMSKOG 6/10/1999KATHIE HELTZEL 6/11/2001MARGARET OROZCO 6/5/2003LUIS HERNANDEZ 6/7/2004WESLEY WATSON 6/12/2006KEVIN LEFKOWITZ 6/12/2006PETUR LEONARD 6/12/2006DAMIAN MOTSINGER 6/9/2008CHRIS WHITNEY 6/6/2010KYLE ALFORD 6/6/2010ALVIN CATHOLIC 6/6/2010JESSE SNYDER 6/6/2010STUART CURK 7/1/1980JAMES McGRATH 7/30/1987JOHN McGRATH 7/13/1988MICHAEL THOMAS 7/20/1988CHRIS PEELER 7/27/1988DAN TAYLOR 7/18/1989JOHNNY REGISTER, JR. 7/29/1991HARLEY WILSON 7/8/2001CHRIS CAUSTIC 7/30/2002ROGER JAHN 7/28/2003JONATHAN BEALE 7/6/2009VINCENT HAZELBAKER 8/30/1982JAMES SPIVEY 8/7/1987JOSE SANCHEZ 8/17/1997JAMES HEWITT, III 8/4/2002BRYAN GILLIAM 8/12/2002JOSEPH DELEGGE 8/13/2002MATTHEW CORLEY 8/18/2003DANIEL VARNER 8/16/2004HARVEY RIES 8/21/2006PIETER LYALL 8/21/2006KALEY IVINS 8/16/2010JEFFREY WHARTON 9/14/1981DANIEL LESTER 9/9/1991JOHN MADDOX 9/25/1995MICHAEL GILBREATH 9/27/1998MICHAEL WINSLOW 9/21/2003JOSHUA R RUMMLER 9/6/2005JASON DIAZ 9/19/2005GREGORY CALLAHAN 9/19/2005ROBERTO SANCHEZ 9/4/2007JASON VICKERS 9/4/2007COLLIN LEIDY 9/4/2007MICHAEL SMITH 9/4/2007TAYLOR RILEY 9/11/2011DEREK WIGGINS 9/25/2011

Birthdays

RICHARD BEASLEY 6/10GARY BALLARD 6/29DAN TAYLOR 6/7HEATH SEEBER 6/13JOSE VIRGEN 6/5JOHN FEZY, III 6/8CHRISTOPHER FARINA 6/6MATTHEW BURNS 6/13MICHAEL SMITH 6/20ANTHONY WOODS 6/11JOEL CASTELLOW 6/29TERRY SMART 7/23ALLEN AYSCUE 7/17ALLISON HALSTEAD 7/16DANIEL LESTER 7/26MICHAEL WHEELIS 7/25STEVEN LINDSEY 7/29JOHN ALMSKOG 7/17MATT LUTTERMOSER 7/30MICHAEL REYNOLDS 7/28HARLEY WILSON 7/16MARY BELOVARAC 7/20JASON DIAZ 7/14JESSE SNYDER 7/30TAYLOR RILEY 7/21WAYNE EPPERSON 8/31RICK HARTZOG 8/16TROY DEINES 8/6SCOTT JOHNSON 8/10JOSE SANCHEZ 8/23JAMES HERNDON 8/25JOHN MADDOX 8/5MICHAEL GILBREATH 8/13MATTHEW CORLEY 8/31JOSHUA RUMMLER 8/3MICHAEL BROWN 8/2DEREK WIGGINS 8/14JASON MERRITT 8/20BRANDON POLK 8/11LANCE TAYLOR 8/31PAT QUINTO 9/5MICHAEL STEELE 9/11JOHN LISK 9/28KAWAILANI KUIKAHI 9/2ALLAN GEDDINGS 9/6JOHN McGRATH 9/24JAMES McGRATH 9/24DAVID HENDERSON 9/12MICHAEL T HOMAS 9/17BRYAN GILLIAM 9/1RICHARD HANCE 9/3JOHNNY REGISTER, JR. 9/6HERBERT WISE, JR 9/24JOHN DRISKELL 9/27MARK SLOAN 9/25STEVEN CONNORS 9/27ROBERTO SANCHEZ 9/23MATTHEW LENOX 9/23JESSE BALDWIN 9/20PHILLIP GREEN 9/17ALEXANDER SANCHEZ 9/24STEVEN MURPHY 9/24DEREK MCBRAYER 9/3CORTLIND HENDLEY 9/4BRETT KNOLL 9/8CLAYTON KIDDEY 9/9

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