Even as John Keppler Jr., who died in 2002, has been previously honored by the state, Flagler County refuses to recognize his line-of-duty death–a recognition Keppler has received from two state memorials and one national memorial.
firefighters
The Firefighters of Notre Dame
The firefighters who saved the majority of the cathedral, which could very well have collapsed without their heroism, now stand as tall and as anonymous as the architects and masons of Notre Dame. They deserve their own Victor Hugo.
In Blow to Collective Bargaining, Court Upholds Scott Veto of Firefighters’ Pay Raises
Scott’s decision to veto the $1.57 million for state firefighters, including employees who fight forest fires, had drawn criticism even from Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam.
County Commission Retreats From Joint Meeting With Palm Coast Council on EMS
After appearing ready to meet with Palm Coast, county commissioners now say that between election turn-over and the absence of a crisis, there’s no need to meet over ambulance issues.
Five New Flagler County Fire Rescue Firefighters Complete Orientation as Department Grows
New firefighters – Thomas Cope, Cory Sattar, Michael Beaulieu and Andy Thomas, all hired in December, along with Marianne Huston, who was hired in September – were put through their paces last week, the first full week of the new year.
Special Treatment for Firefighters With Cancer? Florida Among Few States That Say No
Florida lawmakers have introduced bills that would make Florida the 34th state to offer special protection to firefighters, but the measure faces obstacles in large part because of local governments’ opposition.
Firefighters Hurt on the Job: Florida Justices Will Decide Legality of 2-Year Limit on Benefit
A firefighter who was severely injured on the job got two years of total disability, but was denied more when he applied. His attorneys argue that the two-year limit on temporary benefits is unconstitutional.
Police and Firefighters’ Unions Troubled by Plan to Give Local Governments Freer Hand in Pensions
A Senate committee pushed forward Wednesday with a bill that would overhaul how local governments fund pensions for police officers and firefighters, hoping that a different political climate in 2014 will allow the legislation to succeed after it died in the House during the spring legislative session.
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.
Ranse Jones, Flagler Firefighter-Paramedic in a Coma Since May, Died on Monday
Ransford Jones was 34 years old. He had been with the Flagler County Fire Department for two years before an aneurysm felled him in May, while he was playing in a beach volleyball tournament in Panama City.