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Puddin Race, St. Lucie County
puddin@slcfd.org
Tel.: 772-621-3450
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Greetings from Jon
 Greetings:
As of this writing we are already four weeks into the
2007 Legislative session. Things have been moving
fast and we have been working with all of the fire
service stakeholders to assure our voices are
heard.
Among the key issues being dealt with statewide is
the property tax reform. There is certain to be an
impact although nobody knows yet what that might be.
We are also closely monitoring legislation that will
create a task force to study the feasibility of legalizing
consumer fireworks. The main concern at this point is
language that would preempt a local jurisdiction from
adopting a new ordinance until the study findings are
complete. Other issues include the placement of
carbon monoxide detectors in all residential
construction. We are working with the various
committees to assure proper language and that we
will not have an unrealistic burden placed upon us for
enforcing the retrofit of existing facilities. As the next
month progresses we are going to be facing great
challenges on the Legislative front. Please pay close
attention to member alerts and calls to action. It is
grass root efforts that Legislators will listen to, but we
must be united and present the same message.
You can read complete reports on all of the legislative
issues on our web page at www.ffmia.org under
Legislative Updates.
As I write this, I just returned from Washington D.C.
where I attended the International Association of Fire
Marshals Winter Meeting, a retirement reception for
International Association of Fire Chief’s Executive
Director Gary Briese and the Congressional Fire
Services Institute’s 19th Annual dinner. Long time
friend of the FFMIA and the FAFLSE Jim Dalton from
the National Fire Sprinkler Association was awarded
the inaugural Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for
Leadership in Fire Safety Education. All of these
opportunities provided a tremendous networking
outlet and showed that once again the Florida Fire
Marshals and Inspectors Association is a strong
advocate for international relationships.
Please don’t forget that we will be honoring our “Of the
Year Award” recipients in Tallahassee on April 16th
and 17th and keep checking our website for training
opportunities in your area.
Sincerely yours in a firesafe State of Florida,
Jon W. Pasqualone
President, FFMIA
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Time to Nominate
Now's the time to nominate your favorite Public
Educator for the Of The Year award. These
people work tirelessly day after day to educate the
public about all sorts of Fire and Life Safety issues.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for
someone who is doing an outstanding job. If your
educator hasn't won this award before, we're looking
for a dedicated person who is out there beating the
pavement for Public Education not only in your county,
but throughout the state. If you have that special
someone working in your organization who works
hard and reaches out to your neighboring counties,
he/she would be a prefect candidate. Educators who
have produced a special project this year in your area
would also be great candidates.
Send your nomination to: Puddin Race, St. Lucie
County Fire District, 5160 NW Milner Rd., Port St.
Lucie, FL 34983. If you have questions, please call
me at 772-621-3450.
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CHAPLAIN'S CORNER
Greetings,
How do you feel about deadlines? Sometimes
they find you digging in at the last second, correct.
Thats where I am at this moment. I have about 40
minutes to have this sent off by the 15th. It had me
thinking though about God's deadlines.
One of HIS biggest deadlines was the event we
christians are celebrating this month, Holy Week.
Now we are in line for the next biggest deadline of the
Lords. We can read about it in His Holy Word, in the
last book, Revelation 19:11-16. The Rider on a White
Horse, the Second Coming.
I hope during this Holy Week that all of your
deadlines have been met. On that Good Friday, our
Lord said it all when He spoke from the
Cross, "Father, forgive them, because they do not
know what they are doing."
Happy Easter to all! ><>
In His Service, and yours,
Chaplain Woody Bollinger
Panama City Fire Department
Office 850-872-3053
Cell 850-541-2415
BECC
FFMIA
For our God is a consuming fire. Heb 12:29
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Conference Scholarships Available
Thanks to the Ross Family, there are six
scholarships available to the Florida Association of
Fire and Life Safety Educator's conference June 11 -
14, 2007. The conference will be held in Marco Island.
The scholarship funding covers the hotel and
conference fees. Travel and meals are the
responsibility of your respective departments.
Nomination forms can be found on the ffmia.org
website, click on Scholarships and go down near the
bottom to find Ross Family Scholarship. You
will find a copy of the program and the scholarship
form there.
Send your completed forms to: Puddin Race, St.
Lucie County Fire District, 5160 NW Milner Drive, Port
St. Lucie, Florida 34983.
Deadline date is April 15, so let's get
crackin'!
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Milestone for "A Safe Haven for Newborns"
Florida Bishops approve “A Safe Haven for
Newborns” Curriculum for all Catholic High Schools
in Florida.
Elizabeth is a sixteen year old junior at your
school. She is a good student and has told her
friends she plans to go to college to become an
engineer. Her parents are proud of her good grades
and her plans for college. Elizabeth has the reputation
of being rather quiet, but friendly and easy to talk to.
She had been dating Tommy, a senior but Tommy is
now going steady with Ana, and Elizabeth hasn’t been
dating anyone since she and Tommy broke up.
In the last few months, Elizabeth has been
noticeably quieter and withdrawn. She transferred out
of her P.E. Class and has taken to wearing oversized
clothes. You have been close friends with Elizabeth
and have noticed these changes. You now believe
Elizabeth may be pregnant and is trying to hide it.
You are her best friend, what do you do?
This is the introduction to the Safe Haven
Curriculum being implemented in the Catholic High
Schools in all of the Dioceses in the State of Florida.
The Superintendents in all the dioceses in Florida are
taking the lead in implementing this program in all of
their high schools. Upon successful implementation,
the curriculum will be introduced to the Public School
System statewide.
Florida has a law that allows a mother/father who
cannot or does not want to take care of a newborn
child to leave that child at a “”Safe Haven” opposed to
abandoning the baby in an unsafe place, resulting in
almost sure death.
The Gloria M. Silverio Foundation –“A Safe Haven
for Newborns” 501(c) 3 Florida organization has
developed a “Safe Haven” Curriculum to be taught in
High Schools as part of their public awareness
education efforts statewide.
The organization is addressing this societal
problem thru education, prevention, grass roots
community involvement and their 24/7 multilingual
helpline. Thru a grass roots approach, “Safe Haven”
now reaches across all 67 Florida Counties. They
have “Partnered” with the Florida Fire Chiefs
Association, Emergency Medical Services, many
Hospitals and many other organizations and
agencies in the state. They are the information and
resource organization in Florida relating this complex
societal problem which affects people of all races,
cultures and economic backgrounds.
Obviously this program is not the final answer to
the societal problems contributing to the cause of
infant abandonment but provides a compassionate
approach to saving the lives of innocent and helpless
babies. This is a positive outcome for all involved:
§ A Child’s life is saved.
§ A mother or father is saved from a lifetime of
guilt, anguish and possible criminal prosecution.
§ And the hopes and dreams of a loving family
waiting to adopt a child are fulfilled.
The ultimate goal of the Gloria M. Silverio Foundation –
A Safe Haven for Newborns is to eventually eliminate
infant abandonment in Florida.
We believed from the beginning if one life is
saved all there efforts would be worthwhile.
As of this writing, Sixty One (61) babies have
been saved in Florida. Sixty One (61) little lives who
now can grow up to be all they can be, but there is so
much more to do.
Please visit www.asafehavenfornewborns.com to
learn.
The Gloria M. Silverio Foundation 501(c)3 -
"A Safe Haven for Newborns"
6801 N.W. 77th Ave. Suite 404
Miami, FL 33166
Website: www.asafehavenfornewborns.com
Email: safehaven@asafehavenfornewborns.com
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Just Can’t Get Enough – Matherly joins St. Lucie County Fire District
Rick Matherly worked for 22 years with the Palm
Beach County Fire and Rescue – but he just couldn’t
get enough. After a two-year hiatus, he joined the St.
Lucie County Fire District. Then, just after starting last
October, a new position in Public Education came
open. He had been teaching during those two-years,
including CPR and First Aid, so he had an advantage
over others who applied for the position.
He joined Puddin Race, who has been with
SLCFD for 21 years and in Public Education for 15
years. Thanks to her, SLCFD has been a trailblazer in
Public Education, offering many safety classes to all
age groups in the county.
Article Provided by:
Catherine Whitaker, PIO
St. Lucie County Fire District
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Lake County Announces Awards
The Lake County Fire Marshals Group in
conjunction with State Farm Insurance-Lake County
Independent Agents held an award ceremony where
they recognized the 2006 Lake County Fire Marshal of
the Year and the 2006 Lake County Fire Inspector of
the Year.
The event was held at The Carraba's Italian Grill
on State Route 50 in Clermont, Florida.
The 2006 Lake County Fire Inspector of the Year
was awarded to Mr. Kevin M. Rausch, SR. from the
City of Clermont Fire Department. Inspector Rausch
has worked for the Clermont Fire Dept. as an
Inspector/Investigator since November of 2003 and
has been instrumental with creating the Lake County
Fire Marshal Group. He has, along with the
assistance of Chuck Akers, Executive Director of the
Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association,
brought over 32 hours of continuing education unit
classes to Lake County and the surrounding areas.
He has organized the South Lake Public Safety
Exposition for the last three years and has been
instrumental in making it a huge success. He is a
dedicated Post Advisor to the Clermont Fire
Department Explorer Post 600 and has brought that
program to be one of the best, if not the best trained
Explorer Program in the State of Florida. Kevin's
actions have him being noted around the state and
within the organizations he represents and is being
considered for an Executive Board position in the
future within the FFMIA.
The 2006 Lake County Fire Marshal of the Year
was awarded to Mr. Brien Bowers from the City of
Leesburg Fire Department where he currently serves
as Division Chief of Life Safety Services. During the
course of 2006 Chief Bowers overcame a massive
heart attack including triple bypass surgery to turn his
division around to be one of the best known
professionally operated in Lake County. Chief Bowers
has had to hire his own replacement as inspector
and add an additional inspector.
During the previous year his city has annexed
thousand of acres which included businesses that
haven't been inspected in years. Chief Bowers has
won the respect of his co-workers and peers
throughout Lake County and the City of Leesburg.
Both Inspector Rausch and Chief Bowers were well
deserving of this prestigious recognition and should
represent the County well.
Along with the of the Year Awards, the Lake
County Fire Marshals Group in conjunction with the
Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association
recognized Mr. Wm. Buddy Martin of the Lake County
District Schools for his continue efforts and support in
making Lake County Schools fire safe. Along with a
plaque, Mr. Martin was presented with his very own
Fire Inspector Badge to officially wear while
performing his school inspections.
The Lake County Fire Marshals Group would like
to express their sincerest appreciation for to the
fourteen Independent State Farm Agents for making
this event possible. With their continued partnership
with the our group we should be able to make these
annual events even more successful.
Article Provided by:
Kevin M. Rausch, SR.
Clermont Fire Department
352-394-7662
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