Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito is one of a growing list of senior county staffers, especially in the fire department, who have left or are seeking to leave the department for neighboring departments where pay is significantly higher, a brain-drain issue County Administrator Craig Coffey has been warning county commissioners about this summer.
Fire House
Lightning Triggers Fire in Flagler Beach House, Damaging Third Floor
A three-level house at at 2120 South Central Avenue was struck by lightning Sunday afternoon, igniting a fire in the attack and a closet that Flagler County Fire Rescue contained to that area. There were no injuries.
As Flagler Beach Residents Bear Biggest Burdens of Changes, Commissioners Duck
More visitors and more businesses have vastly increased costs on Flagler Beach residents, but when the county stepped up with proposals to reduce those costs through some fire-house consolidation, City Commission Chairman Steve Settle said no thanks–before the commission had even considered the proposals. It’s an example of a commission that doesn’t have city residents’ best interests at heart, argues Rick Belhumeur.
“Fiercely Independent” Flagler Beach Says No to County Fire Services and $100,000 Savings
Flagler County is ready to take over the Flagler Beach Fire Department, provide a higher level of service that would vastly improve the city’s fire insurance rating and lower property insurance rates, and net the city a $100,000 annual saving, not counting capital savings, but the city is not interested for now.
Flagler Beach Plans to Eliminate Fire and Police Chief Posts, But Both Departments Survive
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell wants to replace the fire and police chiefs with captains, and see them working the streets when necessary. The change, tentatively approved by the city commission, would eliminate high salaries but with proposed raises for the ranks, would only slightly lower payroll costs in the fire department, and raise them in the police department.
Flagler County’s Rescuers Take Flight in Tactical Operations Training Over Intracoastal
Ten members of Flagler County Fire Rescue and five Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies jumped out of Fire Flight up to five times each today in a rescue training operation at Bings Landing and over the Intracoastal that will vastly enhance water-rescue capabilities in offshore emergencies.
Flagler’s Firefighting and Helicopter Costs Expose County Tensions Over Wants and Needs
Looking at the near certainty of a tax increase, Flagler County Commissioners Monday continued to wrestle with a budget submitted by their administration that is adding to their costs rather than making it easier to fill a budget gap, or keep taxes from increasing. But the administration argues there’s no room for going cheap short of eliminating services.
Shupe and Carney Clash as Fire Merger Referendum Proposal Enflames Flagler Beach Commission
Flagler Beach City Commissioner Marshall Shupe questioned fellow-Commissioner Kim Carney’s honesty over talks with county officials on a potential fire department merger after Commissioner Joy McGrew proposed handing the matter to voters next March in a citywide referendum.
Flagler Beach Bats Down Fire Department Consolidation, Agreeing Only to Ask Questions
Flagler Beach Commissioner Kim Carney’s proposal to formally ask the county for information on possible consolidation got no support but was replaced by a watered-down agreement to “ask questions” and have them answered by City Manager Bruce Campbell, through meetings with the county if necessary.
Flagler Beach’s Opposition to Fire Department Consolidation Costing Taxpayers $200K a Year
Consolidating the Flagler Beach Fire Department with the county’s would save $200,000 and vastly improve fire and rescue services in the city, argues Rick Belhumeur, yet the Flagler Beach City Commission has consistently scuttled debate on the issue while pretending to invite residents to offer cost-saving ideas.
Fat Firefighters Need Not Worry: Body Mass Index Not an Issue in Florida
The Florida House rejected an amendment that would have required all firefighters to keep their Body Mass Index at 25 or under. Above that number, an individual is considered overweight.
Flagler Beach Snuffs Out Discussion of Combining Fire Department With County
Flagler Beach City Commissioner had placed a discussion of consolidating fire departments on the agenda of Thursday’s meeting, only to have City Manager Bruce Campbell pull the item. Carney put the commission on notice that she wasn’t done.
Firefighters Battling Flagler’s Largest Wildfire of the Season, Off SR 11, Now at 200 Acres
A wildfire started in the pine and cypress forest southwest of Bunnell on Saturday, burning 130 acres, and consumed another 70 acres Sunday, creating Flagler County’s largest fire to date this season.
Ex-Flagler Beach Cop Juratovac Jailed for Attempted Murder of Flagler County Firefighter
Nathaniel Juratovac, a 40-year-old former Flagler Beach police officer, is at the St. Johns County jail today following his arrest on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot Flagler County Fire Rescue firefighter Jared Parkey Friday night on U.S. 1.
Wildfires Damage 2 Beverly Beach Homes and Jump A1A Before They Are Fiercely Put Down
A fire broke out at 2:25 this afternoon in the 3800 block of North Ocean Shore Boulevard in Beverly Beach, consuming parts of a beach-front house.
P-Section Brushfire Near Homes on Pacific Drive a Reminder of Brittle Conditions
The fire in an empty lot at the corner of Parish Place and Pacific Drive in Palm Coast Wednesday afternoon had homes on either side, but they were never threatened as a Palm Coast Fire Department engine was at the scene within moments of a 911 call.
Veteran Flagler Fireman’s Home Burns in Rima Ridge, at County’s South End
Ron Walker spent his life fighting fires and protecting other people’s homes and properties. He retired from the Volusia County Fire Department, and has been a Flagler County volunteer fireman. On Thursday afternoon, the house he built burned for unknown reasons.
Not a Word on Fire Department’s Unraveling or Future As Flagler Beach Commission Meets
Business droned on as usual at the Flagler Beach City Commission meeting on February 28, with near total silence about an alcohol scandal that gutted this quaint oceanside city’s Fire Department. Neither city staff, nor elected officials talked about the firing of five Fire Department personnel after an independent investigation.
Between Firings and Wrist-Slaps: How the Flagler Beach Fire Department Was Gutted
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell fired the fire chief and four others while retaining Acting Fire Chief Bobby Pace, who falsified records, after a three-day suspension. Volunteer firefighters were hired in the others’ place to ensure that the city remains protected.
Flagler’s West Side, Tired of Black Sheep Label, Wants Better Fire-Rescue Services
Response time to emergencies in Western Flagler County can be very long, prompting west side residents to urge county officials to set up a more permanent rescue station there. Officials have been listening, and may soon have a plan.
Flagler Fire Flight and Other Strike Teams Helping Volusia Battle Blaze Near County Line
What started as a controlled burn near Barberville in northwest Volusia County went out of control this afternoon, growing first to 100 acres, then possibly doubling in size by 4:30 p.m., according to Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito. The fire was sending smoke and the familiar, acrid smell of burning brush wafting over portions of Palm Coast and Bunnell.
Drinking On the Job Aside, Investigation Finds a Broken Flagler Beach Fire Department
Four Flagler Beach firefighters, including the fire chief, broke the city’s zero-tolerance policy on drinking on the job, but the independent investigation broadened to find a severely dysfunctional fire department riven by cliques, lacking authority and pointing tio disturbing acts such as record falsification.
Wildfire Laps to Within Inches of P-Section House, a Reminder of Tinder Season
A wildfire broke out at 2:15 Monday afternoon on Porpoise Lane at the southeast corner of Palm Coast’s P Section, near Royal Palm Parkway, and burned within inches of a house, melting a segment of a backyard fence and a few soffits before firefighters stopped the flames, which devoured a third of an empty lot next to the house.
Flagler Beach Fire Chief and 3 Others On Leave as Drinking Allegations Trigger Investigation
Fire Chief Martin Roberts, Assistant fire Chief Shane Wood, firefighter Jacob Bissonette and Fire Police Captain Steve Wood have been placed on leave following now-acting fire chief Robert Pace’s allegations that they had drank at the station or answered a fire call under the influence.
When Flagler’s Firefighters Are A Lot More Than First Responders
When the author’s father died at an assisted living facility in Palm Coast two years ago, paramedics had to be called in to take care of his aunt’s panic attack. What followed illustrates our first responders’ routine and largely unheralded heroism.
For Needy Children’s Christmas, Flagler Fire Fighters’ Union Answers the Call of the Year
Kyle Lockwood, a firefighter-paramedic with Flagler County Fire Rescue, organized a gift drive for 42 of the county’s neediest children and, with colleagues, delivered the gifts to children and their families Friday in the courthouse parking lot.
Three Blazes in 2 Days Prompt Flagler-Palm Coast Fire Chiefs to Highlight Holiday Safety
Firefighters battled three residential fires in two days this weekend—two in Palm Coast, one in Flagler Beach—though in every case firefighters got to the scene fast enough to limit the damage. The county’s three fire chiefs spoke of the need for heightened safety vigilance around the holidays.
Woody’s Joe Rizzo, Incoming President of Flagler Education Foundation, Is Hurt by Fire
Joe Rizzo, co-owner of Woody’s Restaurant and the incoming president of the Flagler County Education Foundation, was preparing to host the foundation’s annual Christmas party at his house when his shirt caught fire, burning 11 percent of his body.
An 88-Year-Old Woman Is Killed in Floral Ct. Blaze, 1st Palm Coast Fire Death in 5 Years
Edith Moss, 88, was killed from smoke inhalation. Her husband Nathaniel is in critical condition following a midnight fire in the couple’s garage, where much of the damage was contained.
Flagler County Fire Flight Knocks Down Brush Blaze Within Yards of Plantation Bay Homes
A brush fire broke out just after noon today in a wooded area immediately behind a line of houses in Plantation Bay. The fire, within some 20 yards of the houses, was quickly put out by Flagler County Fire Flight and Volusia County Fire Rescue crews.
Blaze at Woodstone Lane House With Troubled History Termed “Absolutely” Suspicious
A fire that broke out late Tuesday night at 20 Woodstone Lane in Palm Coast is the latest in a series of incidents that have involved homeowners Harold and Karen Pizzetta since September.
Another Feather in Bird’s Cap as Fire Flight Rescues 2 Mud Muckers Lost Overnight
Wayne Oley, 30, and Brigett Madorma, 24, lost their ATV in the wilds of Mud Muckers’s 19,000 acres Sunday night, and were lost after that, until Fire Flight spotted them Monday morning, shivering from a cold night but otherwise fine.
County Line Bar in The Mondex Burns in Mysterious Morning Fire; No Injuries
The County Line Bar in Daytona North, or the Mondex, went up in flames Monday morning just after 11 a.m. for unknown reasons. The fire was still burning at noon.
A 17-Year-Old Matanzas High School Senior Is Charged With Arson; No Injuries
Josh Lowe, a 17-year-old senior and a member of the Matanzas High School football team, was charged with felony arson today at the school when he was connected with a fire that started in a bathroom in the middle of the afternoon.
Flagler Beach Fire Takes 1st Place in 5th Annual Flagler County Fire/EMS Competition
Twelve teams competed in 24-hour, round-the clock scenarios this weekend in an event hosted by Flagler County Fire Rescue. The Flagler Beach Fire Department won the basic life support division. Boca Raton Fire Rescue won the advanced life support division.
Fire Consumes Seminole Woods House That Belongs to a Family of Four
A single-family house on 15 Seaman Trail East in Seminole Woods, belonging to a couple with two young children, was demolished by a fire that started at 3:30 Monday afternoon. A neighboring house was protected. No one was injured.
Lane Burnsed Is Laid to Rest to the Words of Job and a Community’s Grief
Lane Burnsed, 19, was laid to rest Wednesday as hundreds of friends and family members paid their respects to his father, Capt. Jamey Burnsed, and his wife Iola, whose roots in the community run broad and deep.
“All Done With Pure Heart”: A Defense of Flagler Beach Chief Martin Roberts
Patricia Sigman, a long-time, Orlando-based labor and employment attorney, ended Flagler Beach Fire Chief Martin Roberts’s three-hour disciplinary hearing with a searing indictment of the the city administration and an earnest defense of Martin, who nhad kept silent throughout the month-long controversy. Here’s Sigman’s complete closing.
Flagler Beach Fire Chief Martin Roberts Faces Firing on Insubordination Charge
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell told Martin Roberts he’d be fired pending a pre-disciplinary hearing on July 17. Roberts had served as chief since November 2005. He was at the center of a controversy over unauthorized trips.
With Fire Chief’s Job Teetering, Flagler Beach Commission Splits Over Ethics and Dysfunction
In a special meeting prompted by a controversy over unauthorized fire department trips to fire truck manufacturers, the city commission Tuesday agreed to rewrite some of its ethics guidelines, but a proposal to turn commissioners into whistle-blowers is facing resistance.
Flagler Beach Volunteer Fireman’s Association Awards Scholarship
The Flagler Beach Volunteer Fireman’s Association announced Firefighter / Paramedic Michael “Dusty” Snyder has been selected as the recipient of the Association’s annual Emergency Services Scholarship. Snyder will be using the scholarship to take advanced course work in Firefighter Survival Techniques.
In Flagler Beach, a Clash of Authority Entangles The Manager, Fire Chief and Commissioners
The controversy over all-expenses-paid trip Fire Chief Martin Roberts and others took to investigate fire trucks is bringing to light a more serious conflict over City Manager Bruce Campbell’s authority, and the city commission’s habit of meddling directly with city department heads, over Campbell’s.
Flagler Beach Fire Department Embroiled in Controversy Over Unauthorized Trips
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell knew nothing about an all-expenses-paid trip his fire chief and two other fire department employees took to South Dakota in early June to look at a pumper truck, though the city commission has not approved the purchase of a replacement.
Mike Pius, Firefighter Just Back from Winning Gold in Europe, Is Seriously Hurt in Wreck
Lt. Mike Pius, one of the more popular and decorated Flagler firefighter-paramedics, suffered several broken bones and may be out six months following a wreck in St. Augustine, after a truck cut through Pius’s right-of-way. Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito said the firefighter brotherhood kicked in immediately after the wreck.
“We Won and Chilled”: In Czech Republic, Flagler Paramedics Are World Champs Again
Flagler County Fire Rescue’s team was led by Dennis Kline, William Kerek, John Moskowitz and Pius. The quartet won for the 3rd time in four years and faced competition from 22 teams from 13 countries spread over three continents.
Flalger County Lifts Burn Ban, For Now
The burn ban was in effect since April 16, but tropical storm Beryl and more rain in the forecast led Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito to let the ban lapse on Memorial Day.
A Man With Several Gunshot Wounds Is Found in Palm Coast Fire Station Parking Lot
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting that took place late this morning near the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Station 22, at Palm Coast Parkway and Clubhouse Drive. The shooting may be an attempted suicide.
Small White Eagle Wildfire Monday Afternoon Flashes Bad Memories of Last Year’s Blaze
A wildfire broke out behind the White Eagle Saloon Monday at around 2:30 p.m., scrambling fire units from around the county and reviving fears of a repeat of last year’s wildfires, which consumed large swaths of the Seminole Woods area east of the White Eagle. But the fire was out 40 minutes after it declared itself.
Cypress Point Fire Enters Mop-Up Phase as Emergency Passes, But Smoke Will Persist
The fire between Mother Seton Catholic church and Cypress Point Parkway started at 4 .m. and burned close to 10 acres. Division of Forestry crews were burning more ground this morning on purpose, to prevent flare-ups. A section of Cypress Point Parkway was closed.
Second Serious Wildfire of the Season Forces Evacuation of a Dozen Homes in the Mondex
A small fire that started in the backyard of a house on Holly Lane rapidly spotted and triggered another fast-moving fire that snaked its way across two blocks, forcing the evacuation of 10 to 15 houses in the area.