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 Busy Weekend for the Honor Guard and the Pipe and Drum Band-
Posted on
November 10th
, 2009
On Saturday Nov 7, the honor guard and Pipe Band presented colors on the track at the Palm
Beach Kennel Club for the kick off of South Florida Fire Fest. That night the band split and
half went to play at Slaintes for the after burner party for Fire Fest. The rest of the band
were the guests of the United States Marine Corps. 4th ANGLICO. The band played at the USMC
2009 Birthday Ball celebrating 234 years of the USMC. PBCFR's own Tony Acosta and Lee Bronco
were in attendance also.
The band than went and played at the Combat Challenge Teams fundraiser in PB Gardens. On
Sunday, Nov. 8. both groups went and marched in the Veterans Day parade down Clematis St.
in West Palm Beach. Special thanks to the Black Pearl , Browards Bravest Pipes and Drums
and Engine 24 "C" for the help over the weekend.
 Funhouse Fright Night- Story and photos by Captain Sean Pamplona.
Posted on
November 9th
, 2009
Halloween night was extra special for the Amberwoods neighborhood just east of Station No.
55. A-shift personnel decided to take it to the streets and hand-out treats
making it a night to remember. Getting into the spirit of things, our very own
FF Kevin Loaiza was transformed into the "Tin Man" due to the creative
efforts of PM Dominick Potenzano. This Tin Man proved to have a big heart handing out
treats to nearly 100 neighborhood revelers.
 Operation Trick or Treat: Halloween '09- Story and photos by Captain Kevin Kimberly.
Posted on
November 3rd
, 2009
Station 32 went out on Halloween night and gave out candy in two of our local neighborhoods. Both engine and rescue
had a great time. The children liked getting the candy and the parents were absolutely amazed at what we were doing.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing. They liked it a lot!!!! I hope that we get some good feedback from this.
We had a great time doing it and are thinking about making it an annual thing to do ,for the station. We went to the
neighborhoods of Florida Gardens and Palm Beach National and ran out of candy after only two streets in Fla. Gardens.
Next time we'll have more candy.
 PBCFR Basketball Team Wins Gold in National Firefighter Games- Story and photos from Joe Bostic.
Posted on
November 2nd
, 2009
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Basketball Team won the gold medal in the National Firefighter Games this past weekend
(Oct 31 / Nov 1) for the second consecutive year. During the games, we beat the likes of Orlando Fire Rescue, West
Palm Fire Rescue and former reigning champs Metro Dade fire rescue- twice to bring 'home' the Gold for back-to-back
championships! There was a great display of support from PBCFR employees and family members during the tournament and
happily- No Injuries! We are excited about this accomplishment and eager to win more in representation of Palm
Beach County!
The team consists of Chad Snyder, Lee Bronco, Joe Bostic, Lamar McThay, Casey Maher, Ray Gordon, Pierre Simbert, John Mends
and Coach Bryan Lancey. Congrats to all involved!!!!
 Captain Roy Morgan Recognized as Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce's Firefighter of the Year- Story and photos by Battalion Chief Mike Arena.
Posted on
October 27th
, 2009
Captain Roy Morgan was on his way to work on the morning of September 1 and witnessed a vehicle roll over and go
into the canal on State Road 80. The vehicle was going east bound and he was going west wound. He immediately turned
around and went to help. The vehicle was well into the canal when Captain Morgan arrived at the canal bank. He pulled
over to help and was assisted by another gentleman who also pulled over to help.
He immediately dove on the car several times in an attempt to remove the victim and was unable to break the glass. Keep
in mind he had no special gear or dive equipment as he was in his personal car.
Obviously, this being in the vicinity of Hatton Highway and SR 80, it was a very long response for Fire Rescue Crews to
get there. Capt Morgan worked tirelessly trying to free the person from the vehicle but was unable to. Capt. Morgan stayed
in the water to assist and the vehicle was eventually pulled out by a PBSO truck winch and the victim was pulled out and
Fire Rescue crews entered the water to assist with victim removal Rescue crews were able to provide emergency resuscitation
efforts and pt was flown by Trauma Hawk to Delray Community Hospital.
Unfortunately the gentlemen (who was a PBSO employee) did not survive. It was not because of lack of effort on Fire
Rescue's part. Many people drove by that morning but did not stop. The efforts by Captain Morgan were truly heroic and his
recognition is indeed worthy of being the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce Firefighter of the year!
 Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial- Story by Steen Eriksson, photos by Jack Norris.
Posted on
October 27th
, 2009
The Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service was held in Ocala on October 09, 2009, with the name of
Lt. Raphael Vazquez being one of three added this year to the large blocks of black granite.
The permanent Fallen Firefighter Memorial is located in the courtyard of the Florida State Fire College in
Ocala, and holds the names of Florida firefighters who have died in the line of duty. It is much like the
IAFF memorial in Colorado Springs, and the National Firefighter Memorial in Emmittsburg Maryland, on the
campus of the National Fire Academy. It is smaller in scale, but no less meaningful, nor does it have less
of an impact on the families and firefighters who attend to honor the Fallen.
Members of the Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum Corps, as well as Chief Jerauld, Chief O'Bannon, Chaplain Jeremy
Hurd, and Jack Norris, were there to represent PBCFR and to accompany and provide support to Ray's wife, Michelle,
and their youngest son.
After the formal service at which Michelle was presented a flag and medallion in Ray's honor, we had a private
meeting so that we could present to Michelle, the flag and other memorial items the Honor Guard and Pipe and
Drum Corps accepted on her behalf at the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service in Emmittsburg in September.
Honor Guard Members Present:
Sean Pamplona, Commander
Steen Eriksson, Lt. Commander
Rick Gass
Pipe and Drum Corps Members Present:
John Fischer
Khristy Osment
 Palm Beach County, Martin County Automatic Aid Response- Story and photos from Steen Eriksson.
Posted on
October 14th
, 2009
With the closing of station #11, automatic aid responses are now in effect with Martin County Fire-Rescue. MCFR will
be covering the northernmost PBC pockets, and second-due with station #18 on southern Jupiter Island. Station #18 is
second-due with MCFR in southern Martin County.
In preparation for this, MCFR stations #32, #33, and #36, as well as EMS and command staff, met with the crews of stations
#18 and #15, and EMS1, DC1, and BC1 at station #18 to meet and learn about each other and the units and equipment.
All shifts had these meetings in September with the effective date being October 1, 2009. It gave us the opportunity to
discuss the differences and similarities in our EMS and fire SOGs.
 Honor Guard, Pipe and Drums Travel to 2009 National Fallen Firefighter Memorial- Story and photos from Captain Sean Pamplona.
Posted on
October 6th
, 2009
Recently, members of the Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums traveled to the National Fire Academy in
Emmitsburg, MD for the 2009 National Fallen Firefighter Memorial. This year Lt. Rafeal "Ray" Vazquez received
national memorial recognition. Our Honor Guard members received memorial honors on behalf of the Vazquez family.
These honors were brought back to Palm Beach County and will be traveling up to Ocala, Florida accompanied by
Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums on Friday, Oct 9th for the Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial at the Florida
State Fire College. There the honors will be presented to Michelle Vazques, the widow of Ray, and his
children who will be in attendance.
 Fire Safety Month Demonstration at Home Depot- Story and photos by Kevin Rao.
Posted on
October 5th
, 2009
Photos from our participation with the Home Depot's Fire Safety Month demo at their store on Jog and Lantana Roads.
 Anthony Acosta Promoted to Chief Petty Officer-
Posted on
October 1st
, 2009
Chief Petty Officer is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above Petty Officer First
Class and below Senior Chief Petty Officer, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The Grade of Chief Petty Officer
was established on April 1, 1893 for the Navy.
On Sept 18, 2009, our own Capt Anthony Acosta of Battalion 3-C shift joined the reanks of Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy.
At a ceremony attended by fellow Sailors, Family and friends in Miami, Chief Acosta was promoted with 14 others. The fifteen
newly promoted Chiefs were the only promoted among almost 1500 Sailors that are on active duty or reserve in South East
Florida, not including Key West.
Among those pictured, attendees included Capt Larry Doelling 36-C and FF/PM J.R Scarso of Batt 7-B, Scarso also serves in the
US Navy with Chief Acosta.
Unlike Petty Officer First Class and lower ranks, advancement to Chief Petty Officer not only carries requirements of time
in service, superior evaluation scores, and specialty examinations, but also carries an added requirement of peer review. A
Chief Petty Officer can only advance after review by a selection board of serving Senior and Master Chief Petty Officers, in
effect "choosing their own" and conversely not choosing others.
Advancement into the Chief Petty Officer grades is the most significant promotion within the enlisted naval ranks. At the rank
of Chief, the Sailor takes on more administrative duties. In the Navy, their uniform changes to reflect this change of duty,
becoming identical to that of an officer's uniform except with different insignia. Sailors in the three Chief Petty Officer
ranks also have conspicuous privileges such as separate dining and living areas. Any naval vessel of sufficient size has a room
or rooms that are off-limits to anyone not a Chief (including officers) except by specific invitation.
 Structure Fire in Canal Point- Story and photos by EMS Captain Craig Prusansky.
Posted on
September 30th
, 2009
At 10:44 pm on Monday, September 28, 2009, crews from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations 72 and 73 responded to
a residential structure fire in a house on the 12,000 block of Bryant Avenue in Canal Point. When crews arrived they
found smoke and flames coming from the roof of the single-story house. No one was home at the time of the fire, and
there were no injuries.
The crews were able to confine most of the fire to the attic. However, the entire house sustained significant smoke
damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Fire Investigation Bureau,
but it does not appear suspicious.
Units on scene: E72, E73, E73B, R72, R73B, DC7, EMS7, IV4
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