Employees have been aware of Petito’s departure since last week. County Administrator Jerry Cameron gave Petito an ultimatum: retire, resign or be fired. Petito chose to retire. He leaves a department in disarray.
Don Petito
Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito on Leave Pending Investigation of ‘Discrimination and Retaliation’ Complaint
Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito has had a rocky relationship with County Administrator Jerry Cameron since Hurricane Dorian last year and is now embroiled in serious employment matters.
Flagler Declares County-Wide Burn Ban, Including Prohibition on Fireworks and Charcoal Grills
Flagler County is enacting a countywide burn ban, including in all cities, starting Saturday, as the drought index continues to rise and firefighters are being deployed on an increasing number of fires.
From High School to $37,000-a-Year Firefighters: Flagler Hires 1st Three Recruits Out of FPC’s Fire Academy
Noah Dunaway, Dylan Cronk and Beau Kruithoff, all 18, are the very first Flagler County Fire Rescue recruits to be hired directly out of FPC’s fire academy. They were introduced to the Flagler County Commission this morning. They’ll be making $37,000 a year within weeks.
Forced Out or Not, Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito Is Looking to ‘Get the Hell Out’ in Fallout From Clash
Flagler County Fire Chief thought he was being forced out with an ultimatum until County Administrator Jerry Cameron said he’d misunderstood, but he’s looking to leave anyway in the wake of a clash with Chief Information Officer Jarrod Shupe during the Hurricane Dorian emergency.
SUV Flips, Traps and Injures Woman, 21, in Crash With Flagler County Ambulance on Old Kings Road
Gabrielle Julia Connors, 21, of Palm Coast, crashed into a Flagler County Fire Rescue ambulance that was making an illegal U-turn at Farnum Lane on Old Kings Road early the morning of Oct. 6.
Palm Coast Manager’s Power-Play Mucks Up Donation of Truck to FPC’s Fire Academy, Ignoring County’s Role
What should have been a feel-good donation of a fire engine to FPC’s popular Fire Academy turned into a turf war after Palm Coast Manager Jim Landon ignored the county fire department’s role in the academy.
Ambulance Fees Going Up 48% as Flagler Fire Rescue Makes Pitch For Big Budget Increase
Flagler County’s fire department is asking for a substantial budget increase to raise pay and buy $1.5 million worth of equipment, and the county approved huge increases in emergency transportation fees.
Flagler Fire Services Get Boost and 8th Ambulance With Heritage-Preserving Transfer of Bunnell Fire Station
Bunnell’s Fire Department no longer exists, but a Bunnell fire station lives on, improved, under county auspices, with better response times and expanded countywide services.
After Years of Resistance, County May Finally Absorb Bunnell Fire Department In Expansion
Bunnell government appears ready to cede its fire department’s property to the county, which is expanding its ambulance service from seven to eight 24-hour rigs, and would so so in Bunnell.
Wildfire Smoke Shrouds Flagler-Palm Coast From West as Officials Declare Fire Warning
A Red Flag Warning signaling a high-fire danger is in effect from noon to 8 p.m. today, and a 300-acre fire in Crescent City was sending thick smoke over Flagler-Palm Coast today, flooding the 911 center with worried callers.
Flagler County Will Declare a Burn Ban Effective Monday and For Foreseeable Future
Flagler County is joining at least 21 other Florida counties with an open-ended burn-ban declaration, mostly as a precautionary measure as upwards of 100 fires burn statewide and the local drought index continues to rise.
At least 4 Homes Evacuated in Mondex; Half-Dozen Agencies Battling 40-Acre Blaze
A fire that started in an abandoned trailer in the Mondex spread quickly and forced evacuations, and was only 50 percent contained in mid to late afternoon.
From Inside Charred Aftermath of Last Week’s 435-Acre Fire, A Cautionary Warning of Season Ahead
In a tour of the forest partly charred in last week’s fire south of Bunnell, Florida Forest Service officials cautioned of a fire season ahead they expect will be more active because of drought and higher temperatures.
City Will Spend $100,000 to Renovate Fire Station 22, Its Oldest, on Palm Coast Parkway
The city considered demolishing and rebuilding the station in the past, or closing and moving it, but for it says renovation is the best option, keeping open the possibility of a new station on Colbert Lane in the future.
Palm Coast Floats New Rescue System in Name Of “Efficiency,” But County Sees Many Flaws
No one is complaining about ambulance service in Palm Coast, but the city council is favoring changing the system by adding two county ambulances and spreading manpower around. The county, which runs EMS, says the plan is costly and unnecessary.
FPC Will Launch a Firefighter-EMT Academy, Filling a Recruiting Gap for Fire Departments
The Fire Leadership Academy is designed to appeal to students who may be losing interest in school while giving the county’s and cities’ fire departments a reliable recruiting ground of new firefighter-EMTs.
County’s Coffey Calls Some of Palm Coast’s EMS Claims “Garbage” In Broad Rebuke
Responding to Palm Coast’s claim two weeks ago that EMS service can be more efficient and responsive, County Administrator Craig Coffey today rejected the city’s analysis, saying it would end up costing taxpayers a lot more.
For Fire Chief Don Petito, a Family Matter Escalates Into Confrontations and Complaints
Don Petito was seeking to help his father move out of a house when a deputy forbade either to enter the house, causing the fire chief to become “very animated,” in his own words.
Report on Active-Shooter Exercise at FPC Points to Serious Flaws in Command, Communications and Cooperation
The unvarnished after-action report paints a troubling picture of sheriff’s and fire rescue operations that worked poorly as a coordinated, cooperative and unified response, though they worked well in their individual parts.
Flagler’s 911 System Goes Dark For 24 Minutes Tuesday as Back-Up Also Fails, Missing 10 Calls
Flagler County’s 911 system failed at 11:30 Tuesday morning and the back-up didn’t kick-in as technicians were working on a major upgrade of the system at the county’s Emergency Operations Center.
In Mass-Casualty Simulation, Flagler First Responders and Hospital Test Capabilities
The simulation entailed a plane crash at the county airport and more than two dozen injuries as fuel and debris struck Hijackers’ Restaurant. The exercise unfolded in front of Florida Hospital Flagler’s Emergency Room.
Flagler Fire Rescue Rolls Out Two, $219,000 Ambulances, Workhorses of Local Emergencies
The county has seven ambulances on duty 24 hours a day (11 units in all) that each log 5,000 miles and 1,000 calls a month, by far the majority of the 14,000 annual emergency calls in Flagler.
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.
Preparing For the Next Hurricane: Flagler Firefighters Join Statewide Rescue Exercises
A seven-member team from Flagler County Fire Rescue is taking part today in statewide disaster-preparation exercises in Palm Beach County, honing skills that could be used locally or whenever a disaster strikes in the state, and a statewide response calls on Flagler to offer assistance.
Debris Fire on Land Off CR 304 Is No Threat, But Will Smoke Up Palm Coast and Bunnell For Days
The 9-acre fire is consuming tree stumps, mulch and related debris at a dump for such material, and will continue burning at a lesser intensity for days, possibly weeks, creating smoke issues. Firefighters left the scene Tuesday morning, leaving it to the landowners to resolve.
Under Pressure from Sheriff and Fire Chiefs, County Heralds Emergency Management Changes
Troy Harper, Flagler County’s emergency management director for the past four years, has resigned and will be replaced by Ken Guthrie, who was hired in September, leading to speculation at the time that Harper was on his way out. Harper denied it then.
Pay an Issue as Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito and Others Aim for Jobs Elsewhere
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Minor Fire at Flagler’s Emergency Operations Center Forces Evacuation of 911 Dispatch
The fire beneath the floor at the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center broke out just after 5 p.m. in the data room, where county government’s communications wiring flows in and out.
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.
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.
Flagler Fire Chief Declares Burn Ban as Drought Intensifies and Neighboring Blazes Multiply
Recalling memories of last year’s feverish fire season, Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito just signed an order imposing a burn ban, while the county’s fire rescue department takes in 50 new radios that will vastly improve their communications abilities with other emergency responders.
Small Government’s Price: No Sidewalk Money, City Says in Wake of Boy’s Death on Seminole
Just as the county cut out a helicopter pilot to save money, Palm Coast has been delaying planned sidewalk projects, including sidewalks along Seminole Woods Boulevard, for lack of money.
Flagler Lifts Burn Ban in Effect for Most of The Last 6 Months as Wildfire Emergency Ends
There are still two active wildfires in Flagler County–Espanola and Opossum–but they’ve lost their bite, and rains have dropped the drought index closer to normal for the rainy season. Still, it was a costly few months.
From Wildfires to Ocean Breakers: Flagler Launches Sea Rescue Unit
The Flagler County Fire Department’s ocean rescue unit will be on the beaches during special events, adding a rapid-response capability that hadn’t been available north of the Flagler Beach pier.
Optimism Replacing Anxiety Over Flagler’s Wildfires, But Local Costs Keep Climbing
There’s been three successive days of gains on the Espanola fire and elsewhere, with rain in the weekend forecast. The Division of Forestry is not letting up, however, as it plans to maintain a deployment of more than 200 firefighters in Flagler County.
Risk-Avoidance: July 4 Fireworks Canceled in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast’s Town Center
The Flagler County Commission canceled both fireworks shows, saying it would be too risky in fire-prone, drought conditions despite projected rains. The $30,000 worth of fireworks may be staged around Labor Day.
Number of Fires Up to 22 As Flagler,
Drenched in Smoke, Awaits Governor
Lightning started seven new fires in Flagler in the last two days, one of them in Bunnell’s Grand Reserve area, just west of Palm Coast. Fire officials are concerned about a “fluid” situation and uncooperative weather.
Jacksonville and Clay Exit, Va. and Miss. Send Help As Espanola Fire Grows to 3,800 Acres
As winds begin to shift, bringing more drift smoke over Palm Coast, the Espanola fire keeps growing and out of county firefighters are rotating back home, though the Division of Forestry has taken over the Espanola fire.
How Flagler County Is Controlling The Public’s Right To Know The Latest On the Fires
On County Administrator Craig Coffey’s orders, the 9:30 a.m. daily “stakeholder’s meeting” on the fires, which includes all agencies and governments involved, politicians, and even members of the public, is closed to media.
Firefighter Hero-Worship and Floridians’ Hypocrisy: When Public Employees Save Lives
Flagler County and Florida residents are falling in heaps with praise for the same public and union employees they and the lawmakers they elected just finished bashing, insulting, demeaning and robbing. The disconnect is sickening.
Duval, Clay, Volusia Helping Flagler; 18 Homes Pre-Evacuated; White Eagle Flaring Anew
Other counties’ crews should help relieve local firefighters and press the case for a declaration of a state of emergency. Pre-evacuation warnings affect the western portion of Flagler, north of S.R. 100.