Broward Sheriff’s Office

(Hollywood, FL) – Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Maury Hernandez gives a handshake to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Inspector Michael Rizzo at Memorial Regional Hospital’s Trauma Awareness Day on Thursday. Rizzo was performing fire inspections just blocks away when Hernandez was critically shot last August. Rizzo, hearing the officer down call, immediately responded and was the first to give aid to Hernandez, who was transported by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue to Memorial Regional Hospital’s Trauma Center, which is a Level One Trauma Center. Through the years, the talented groups of trauma surgeons, rehabilitation experts and other medical professionals have worked tirelessly to help many survive the most challenging incidents. Over two dozen trauma survivors were recognized, as well as Memorial Regional Hospital’s Trauma Team and members of the community trauma network at the annual event.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

(Miramar, FL) – NBC 6 South Florida Today host Roxanne Vargas is joined by Dr. Nabil El Sanadi, Medical Director and EMS Chief Stephen Krivjanik, of Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue (BSFR) during a segment on EMS week on May 20th. Dr. El Sanadi and Chief Krivjanik highlighted the cutting edge technologies being used by BSFR, including the AutoPulse, a device used in heart attack treatment and hypothermic resuscitation. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue is the first metropolitan EMS provider in the state and one of only five in the nation to use this method of lowering the body temperature of cardiac arrest patients through intravenous administration of chilled medications. The purpose of the cooling is to prevent brain damage that is common in heart attacks. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue has 15 AutoPulse devices in use, and in its short use has already saved lives. Dr. El Sanadi said, “With these technologies, we are able to see heart attack patients actually walk out of the hospital and return to their families with a normal quality of life.” This is the 35th year EMS Week has been observed in the nation, recognizing the efforts of paramedics, EMTs and fire rescue personnel. It runs from May 18th-24th.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello and Sheriff Al Lamberti listen as Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Lt. Dean Meadows (center) tells reporters how his crew on Engine #14 spotted two masked men coming out of a cellphone store on State Rd. 7 Friday afternoon while returning from a call. They followed the suspects in an SUV through routine traffic on the road for a couple of miles. When the suspects made a U-turn, so did the fire truck and that’s when they realized they were being tailed. The firefighters radioed the locations and description of the suspect vehicle on I-595 and I-95, keeping an eye from a distance until they lost sight of the SUV near Stirling Rd. By then, a BSO helicopter and deputies were closing in and they bailed out near the 5800 block of SW 25 Ave in Dania Beach. Sheriff Al Lamberti said, “In my 30 years of law enforcement, this is a first.” He added, “We’re one BSO and this is what the dedicated men and women do everyday, ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors in Broward County.”

Photo by Mike Jachles / Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

Florida Governor Charlie Crist is welcomed to Broward County by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello (right) and Deputy Chief Todd LeDuc (at left). The Gov. Crist just finished talking with the media and was on his way to speak at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference, held at the Broward County Convention Center Wednesday afternoon. Media from around the southeast are in Broward County all week for the conference.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

(Ft. Lauderdale, FL) – Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Capt. Mark Miceli tells CBS 4 TV reporter Ted Scouten the impact of dry conditions and the potential fire threat in urban areas. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue is monitoring the Keetch-Byrum Drought index, which was in the 650-700 range in most of central Broward on Wednesday, from I-95 in the east to the Everglades in the west. The conditions are favorable for the occurrence and spread of wildfires. Wind, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric stability also influence the actual fire danger.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

(Weston, FL) – Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews responded to a brush fire along U.S. 27 late Monday afternoon. When they arrived, they found a 50-yard square area next to the highway ablaze with a piece of a wood 2×4 burning in the center of the fire. They quickly extinguished the fire and were alerted to another brush fire a half  mile up the road. They extinguished that fire and once again found a burning 2×4 in the fire. Weston District Fire Chief John Frailey headed north on U.S. 27 and found a third brush fire on the side of the road, this time with a flatbed truck on fire. Apparently as the truck was northbound on the highway, the wood deck of the flatbed underneath the truck caught fire, unbeknownst to the driver. As he continued driving, the burning 2×4’s broke off, fell onto the grassy shoulder and started the fires. Fortunately, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews quickly extinguished all three fires and kept them from spreading. Said Chief Frailey, “With the dry conditions, we could have easily had a large brush fire, had our firefighters not acted quickly.”

Caption: Broward Sheriff Firefighter Gonzalo Curbelo (left) and Driver/Engineer Jim Harkins douse a hot spot along U.S. 27 Monday.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

Two hundred elementary school students throughout Broward County participated in the U.S. Fire Administration’s Arson Awareness Week 2008 essay writing contest. On May 6th, the three winners from Cooper City Elementary School read their essays to their classes and received certificates, Wal-Mart gift cards and cakes decorated with fire trucks to share with their classmates. The contest was coordinated by the Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau on behalf of the Broward County Juvenile Firesetters Program and the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal.

The third, fourth and fifth grade students who participated in this year’s essay contest had to write an essay on the topic of arson awareness and prevention, with the writing prompt, “A boy in first grade at your school was playing with fire at home and caused damage to his house.”

The judges, from Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and the Florida Div. of State Fire Marshal, chose the winning essays based on accuracy of information, focus on the topic, relevant supporting ideas and creativity. Contest winners also came from Weston, Lauderdale Lakes, West Park, Pembroke Park and Ft. Lauderdale elementary schools.

This event is one of many throughout the state designed to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of arson. Arson Awareness Week 2008 runs from May 4 – 10. This year’s theme is “Toylike Lighters – Playing with Fire.” These novelty lighters that look like toys have killed and injured children in fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 2002 there were 13,900 reported child-playing structure fires in the U.S. resulting in 210 civilian deaths and 1,250 injuries. Most child-playing home fires are started with matches or lighters, with an average age of five-years-old.

Photo caption: Fifth grader David Morales (front left) holds up his winning second place essay as his teacher Ms. Cretu holds their certificates. Joining them are (left to right): BSFR Dep. Chief Todd Leduc, Life Safety Ed. Pam Gorman, FL. Div. of State Fire Marshal Det. Ryan Gustin, Life Safety Ed. Courtney Palmer, Cooper City District Fire Chief Michael Campbell, BSFR Capt. Vince Greico and BSO School Resource Deputy Gloria Anton.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire