I apologize for this week’s abbreviated Week in Review, but the coconut
telegraph is broken down here in the Keys, and email is all I have…so let’s get
started…
No major issues or concerns to address….so I just want to give thanks this week.
First. Let’s start with Sunday and the amazing MCI managed by Chief Jack Griggs
and Chief Greg Roland.
• When was the last time you transported 17 patients from one call? I’m
scratching my head too, but for the units who responded to the MCI on I-95 and
Emerson St, it was last Sunday. When you think about what we do on a daily
basis, the bravery and lives saved, it’s not hard for me to find calls to thank
you for. But each week, something unusual occurs, that reminds me, there is
nothing the men and women of Jacksonville Fire & Rescue can’t handle; I truly
believe that.
o I’m quoting Chief Griggs “I was first on scene and every car I went up to,
people were hurt; some really bad. I knew this was going to be big, and when
Chief Roland showed up, I knew things were going to go well.” I knew, with both
of those Chiefs on scene, it was going to be managed perfectly. You know who
they were looking for? The rescues, engines, and ladders en route to help them.
Without the men and women of ‘B’ shift on Sunday, who showed up to accomplish
our mission, this would have never have happened. Great job to everyone for
making one of the larger MCI’’s of late, a successful one.
• To Fire Prevention---this week was National Fire Prevention Week and
Jacksonville hosted it at Metropolitan Park today. For those who don’t know, it
was FF Berlinda Tookes first time at coordinating the event. Eighteen stations,
multiple agencies, months of preparations culminated with over 1000 students
getting very needed education in preventing fires. My hat is off to Ms. Tookes,
Chief Jones, and everyone else in Fire Prevention for pulling off a very
successful Fire Prevention Week.!!!...Very proud of you all.
Thursday was the Fallen Firefighter Memorial hosted by Station 1 and their
crews. For those who don’t know, the captains, meticulously maintain the yard
and memorial, as well as any flags, in honor of those who have given the
ultimate sacrifice. Do you know, if assigned to Station 1, they test you on the
names on the wall? Do you know any names on that memorial? If you do, I’m truly
sorry as we all have lost someone important to us. If not, I recommend you stop
by sometime and pay your respects to the great firemen and their families who
have given the ultimate sacrifice for our department and our community. Which
brings me to this…Twenty two names are engraved in bronze. If we were a
presumptive legislation state (which we’re not), hundreds more would be on
there. Here’s another quote, in case you missed it...Chief Senterfitt said the
department also remembers those it calls the “silent deaths”—the firefighters
who died from lung cancer and other ailments from their job, like his father.
“He was dead by the age of 59, and out of the six years he was retired, four and
half was undergoing cancer treatments and surgeries. So often, I have to admit,
it hurts my heart when people talk about lucrative fire pensions. Most
firefighters never survive long enough to truly enjoy it.”….that is the best
quote I have ever heard him say because it’s the freaking truth! This is my
passion: to change the way we expose ourselves to carcinogens, and to change the
outcome for us unlike so many of our brothers and sisters before us. Period,
underline, italic, bold, exclamation point, whatever. I’m tired of going to
funerals of firefighters who died prematurely because of the way the Fire
Service handles structure fires. I assure you, for JFRD, change is coming.
I would like to take a moment and recognize the retired firefighters who passed
this week.
• Retired Captain and veteran, Walter H Taylor.
• Retired Battalion Chief Marcus Lennon.
• Retired Capt. Joe Gardner (1989), Father of Capt. Scott Gardner, E42 A. This
one hits close to home as my father in-law and a Lt. Gardner worked at Engine
and Ladder 20 back in the 80’s.
o My sincere condolences to the families of these three firemen and a very good
friend of mine, Scott Gardner.
Well I wish this was more of an uplifting week, but with memorials and reality,
it is what it is. Keep up the good work, know that it doesn’t go unnoticed,
As always, we thank you for what you do, why you do it, and for being the best
Fire Department in the country; we couldn’t mean that more.
Very Respectfully,
Kurtis R. Wilson
Chief of Operations
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department