The Flagler Beach Fire Department is veiling its unwise request for a new $600,000 fire truck under the guise of “fire safety equipment,” a deception–and a purchase, with money the city cannot afford–residents should reject, argues Rick Blehumeur.
Fire House
County Taxes To Increase Some in a $68.6M Budget That Sheds Austerity for Investment
Flagler County’s 2014-15 budget, led by a $600,000 increase in the sheriff’s costs, is a reflection of a more relaxed, less financially pressured budget season, and a willingness among commissioners to replace years of austerity with increased investment in the government infrastructure.
Flagler Beach Fire Department Makes Pitch For $600,000 Fire Truck, Igniting Questions
City Commission Chairman Kim Carney has predicted last year that the fire department would soon be asking for a new fire truck, and is raising questions about its proposed financing, including taking more than $300,000 from the city’s infrastructure fund.
Flagler County Adds a 7th Ambulance Unit But Reduces Staffing on Some Fire Engines, Triggering Concerns
Staring May 20, Flagler County Fire Rescue reduced fire engine staffing from three firefighters to two at two of the county’s three fire stations to make possible the addition of a seventh ambulance unit, reducing response time or the need for aide from neighboring counties. But the shift has triggered opposition from the firefighters’ union, on safety grounds, and fears among residents.
Thick Smoke in Palm Coast From Controlled Burns in Putnam and Clay Counties, Not Flagler
Thick smoke has been wafting over areas of Palm Coast and Flagler County Thursday (May 22), but only from controlled burns in Clay and Putnam counties, authorities say. No fires have been spotted or reported in Flagler County and Palm Coast.
Fire Police’s Bob Hudak Among Top Winners in Palm Coast Fire Department’s Annual Awards
Hudak was named the 2014 Fire Police Officer of the Year Saturday evening, bringing some attention to one of the more thankless and least-rewarded aspects of emergency operations. Firefighter-Paramedic David Faust was named Career Firefighter of the Year, and Lt. Paul Matarazzo was honored as Volunteer Firefighter of the Year, among other awards.
Downed Power Line Triggers Fire Along Seminole Woods Blvd., But Blaze Is Controlled
A road crew was working on the east side of Seminole Woods Blvd., clearing brush in the first step of construction of a path, when a track hoe severed a power line that set a 70-by-70 fot area on fire. No residential or commercial properties were in danger.
Ex-Flagler Beach Cop Juratovac Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison in Attempted Murder of Flagler Firefighter
Nathaniel Juratovac, the 41-year-old ex-Flagler Beach cop who twice shot an unarmed Flagler County firefighter in what was then termed a road-rage incident by the side of U.S. 1 was sentenced this afternoon to 51 months in prison in a plea agreement. Had he been convicted at trial, he could have faced up to 25 years in prison on the attempted murder charge.
Eulogy For a Tornado: Palm Coast Memorializes December Twister in Numbers and Kudos
With a dramatic video narrated by Mayor Jon Netts and a line-up of presenters, the Palm Coast City Council heard and watched a recap of the December tornado that ripped through the city’s B, C and F Sections, with nearly final costs to property owners and to the city’s bottom line.
No Need To Lie Anymore: Proposed Law Would Allow Sale of Fireworks For “Personal” Use
Currently the law limits sales to relatively innocuous devices such as sparklers, while banning sales of such things as bottle rockets. Lawmakers are gathering support for a proposal that would allow the sale of aerial and explosive devices as long as the individuals buying the fireworks sign a waiver asserting that it’s for personal use–not just agricultural use, as is now the case.