On Thursday, June 1, 2017, the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District Hazardous Materials Team responded to the North River Fire District for a fuel spill in a boat. Accidentally a boat owner pumped over 20 gallons of fuel through a rod holder instead of his fuel tank. This fuel ended up in bottom of this boat in the well and rapidly became an extremely dangerous incident.

On 4/18, 19 & 20 Southern Manatee Fire Rescue presented certificates of appreciation to EVO gymnastics and several of the gymnast in recognition of their demonstration of acrobatics they practice on a routine basis. This demonstration gives valuable insight to first responders who may be called upon to render care in the event of an injury.

On Wednesday, April 12, 2017 from 0900 to 1600 hours, the District conducted our annual Strategic Planning Workshop with all of their officers and staff personnel. Each year prior to the starting on the next fiscal year’s budget, all personnel submit their budget request for either new equipment, maintenance & repair of existing equipment, supplies and continuation requests.

At this meeting all of these requests are reviewed and any new equipment or ideas are discussed and voted on to determine if they will be included in the next year’s budget.

On Thursday, March 30, 2017 at the Manatee County Fire Chief’s Association meeting issued the “Chief’s Unit Citation Award” to members of the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District Hazardous Materials Team for their professionalism and Team work during a multi-agency response to an overturned gasoline tanker accident on I-75 just north of University Parkway on December 12, 2016.

On Sunday, October 16th, 2016, the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District participated in Morton’s Market 17th Annual Chili Cook-off that raises money for the Sarasota Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund.

On Saturday, October 1, 2016 from 10:00 to 2:00, the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District held their 2nd Annual Open House to kick off the Start of Fire Prevention Week.

Recently Southern Manatee purchased a U.A.S. (Unmanned Aerial System or Drone) for it’s HazMat team. This system allows us to gather real time information from long distances without having to put firefighters in harms way.

Southern Manatee Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials Team and Sarasota County Fire Departments Hazardous Materials team practice how to quickly and effectively extinguish large flammable liquid fires using SMFR’s Foam trailer.

Last month Southern Manatee Fire Rescues Hazardous Materials Response Team was the recipient of a large cache of equipment from the National Guard’s 48th Civil Support team. The 48th CST is one of two teams in Florida that the military calls upon for incidents involving weapons of mass destruction such as Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear and Etiological agents.

On May 31st, 2016 around noon, Station 4-B Shift, Truck 343 and Medic 7 were dispatched to a report of an unknown type of medical emergency, person collapsed. Apparently the patient was behind his house mowing his lawn and tripped over some garden stones. When this happened a neighbor saw the patient collapsed and did not get up right away so they called 9-1-1. When our personnel arrived on scene…

On Thursday, July 21st, 2016 at the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District monthly Fire Commissioner Meeting, the Fire Commissioners recognized FF/EMT Seth Burnett, FF/EMT Steve Gibson, FF/EMT Brian Hodges, Paramedic Keith Lock and Paramedic Kevin Mackin with the Phoenix Award for successfully resuscitating a patient that suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing golf

On the early morning hours of Friday, June 17, 2016, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District Engine 351 and Engine 331 responded to assist Sarasota County Fire Department with a 6 Alarm Fire at 925 Packinghouse Road. The fire involved an old wood frame packinghouse that dated back to early 50’s that was surrounded by other wood frame buildings.

Shown are members of Southern Manatee Fire Rescues Haz Mat Team “Hot Tapping” a fuel tanker. The incident occurred at 1400 hrs in the 6100 block of 249 Street E in Myakka on June 13, 2016. Supported by Myakka City and East Manatee fire departments SMFR’s Haz Mat Team drilled and pumped out 3,100 gallons of Diesel fuel from a tanker that veered from the roadway averting a potential diesel spill.

On Thursday, June 9, the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District participated in the Grand Opening of the new Wawa Store located at 4506 53rd Avenue East, Bradenton, Florida. Our Station 4 personnel, Lieutenant Chad D’Agostino, Firefighter/EMT Dustin Daughtrey, FF/EMT Brian Hodges, FF/EMT Dan Reisdorf and Fire Inspector Frank Meola participated in the Hoagies for Hero’s competition.

Firefighter’s from the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District recently completed an 8 hour course in Swift Assisted Victim Extraction that taught our personnel how to work side-by-side with Law Enforcement during an active shooter event