To say this has been a busy week is an understatement. First, last Friday was an eight hour Special Operations call involving a man stuck in a tank of tar. Followed by multiple W3’s, shootings, MVA’s with entrapments, bus versus dump truck, and finally the Mathews Bridge receiving major structural damage after a ship struck the center beams with rush hour traffic on the bridge (we averted a huge catastrophe on this one). Woven amongst all these events were marathon City Council budget meetings and approximately 2800 regular ems runs. Yet it’s just another week for the JFRD!


•Budget Update—the budget is set and nothing changed for us.
•No stations will close and we will promote for station 62 when it opens sometime in late January/early February.
•No funding for additional rescue units (44/26/37) or additional administration staff.
•We are buying 10 new engines, 10 new rescues, 6 light cars, and 2 Chiefs trucks.
•We have notified the appropriate people our intent to hire 64 new firefighters hopefully by November/December.
•New MDT’s


•OT Committee outcome—basically the OT lists will remain separate, but you can still sign up for both (firefighter-engineer). In order to shore up Rescue’s manpower, Chief Mote has advertised for 20 firefighter vacancies. This is for paramedics only and is a great opportunity for our firefighters seeking a change.
•Updates to the current RMS list went in effect Wednesday night. Hopefully, this will help.
•A change order has been placed to truly separate the lists. But like I said, you can still check availability for both.
•There are still FF paramedic openings in Rescue, so if you’re not on this week’s bulletin, you still have time.


•Rehab 37--staffing goes live Saturday. The initial staffing will be one engineer per shift and will be temporarily filled by a person from E37 until the 15 day advertisement period is expired.
•If you are interested in being part of Rehab 37 and going to every major event in the City, please sign up through RMS.


•A new Provisional Lt in Suppression will be made today, so yes, this starts the 4 month clock for announcing the test. This may change, depending on staffing in Emergency Preparedness Division. Ask your chief for further explanation.


•Outstanding reports EPRO & JFIRS reports are an issue. Lists have been forwarded to the District & Battalion Chiefs. Here is a breakdown of what you need to do…


•All dispatched EMS calls require an EPRO report to be completed, no exceptions. This includes all cancellations. All fire reports for EPRO can be deleted at this time. Please write FIRE report and include car fire, structure fire, wire down etc. in reason for deletion. Please note, we verify all fire calls prior to the final deletion process.


•W3’s (for now)—there used to be a saying at the Training Academy about never sacrificing accuracy for speed. When arriving first on scene at fires, please take the time to do a proper size up before calling the W-signal. I know and understand you feel the pressure of the responding Chief’s and field units but giving an accurate W signal is more important as W3’s trigger many behind the scenes calls (JEA, JSO), and additional responses (Rehab, Rescue Chief, additional engine, Air 5, etc..). Please don’t feel the pressure from this office for you to make a rapid call on a W signal.


•W4---no simpler phrase has solved such a huge problem for me in last 3 weeks. Pure brilliance. What does it mean? Not all fires require two assignments and we knew that. How and when do you request the second assignment to handle overhaul or the 2nd half of the fire for you? Enter W4. I’ll explain in further detail in Structure Fires Part 4, but I think you know where this is going. Thank you Captain Danley!


•USAR, HazMat, Boat Operators, and ARFF---lists are being generated now to update all the qualified folks for these positions. If you’re not on the list and wish to become part of one of these specialties, check your emails daily as new classes and opportunities are forthcoming. If you are on the list and no longer wish to be part of that discipline, you can let us know then too.



My thanks this week is not limited by the number of people going above and beyond but by my limited knowledge of individuals or crew efforts. Please continue to send me information if you want someone recognized for something…


•To everyone who played a part at the confined space rescue at 5790 Soutel Drive. Most of the assignment was on scene for over eight hours last Friday afternoon. Truly an amazing call and I know it’s one I won’t forget being a part of. This included:
•Engines: 36, 4, 13, 7, 152, 17, 21, 33, 34, 37, 44, 5, 9, 5, and 42
•Ladders: 26, 34, 4, 44, and 21
•Rescues: 13, 33, 34, 51, 53, and 7
•Fires: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
•Rescue 105
•Specialty Units: EM4 , TSF, P23, Air5, HR 4, HM7, HM21, Rehab 37, the Hackney, and CVAN.
•Off-duty personnel: Chief Les McCormick, Gary Kuehner, Ben Stein, Andrew Castleman, Eric Prosswimmer, Jimbo Taylor, Scott Karpus, Revis Coltrane, Sean Hatchett, and Jairo Herrera.
•Total cost of equipment and manpower is right at $70,000



Now it’s time to remember one of our own, Chief Roger Taylor who died in the line of duty My 16th, 2000. Below is the news article from The Times Union that week.



Roger H. Taylor, one of the Jacksonville fire department's first paramedics and a district chief in the department's Rescue Division, died Tuesday from a heart attack. He was 54.

Mr. Taylor had been an instructor for paramedics and medical technicians for many years and was credited with launching the careers of many division employees.

"There's probably not a paramedic or EMT on the force who has not been mentored or taught in some way by Chief Taylor," said his superior, Rescue Division chief Thomas McCrone.

A Jacksonville native, Mr. Taylor joined the department in 1969, part of the first class of firefighters to complete training after Jacksonville and Duval County consolidated governments the year before. At a time when many rescue personnel had only basic medical training, he was one of the city's first employees to become a state-certified paramedic, said John Keane, a longtime friend and colleague. "He had a very, very special, caring attitude" toward patients, Keane said.

Mr. Taylor taught emergency medical courses at Florida Community College at Jacksonville for more than 20 years. He had been a district chief for the past 10 years.

He is survived by his wife, Pam Taylor; two daughters, Janis Dolembo and Laurie Taylor, both of Jacksonville; and a son, R.H. Taylor of Jacksonville.



For those of us who worked with him and for him, you know what a huge loss this was to our department and our community.

Which brings me to my closing thoughts. Undefeated. When you hear this word, what comes to your mind? Is it the 1972 Miami Dolphins? 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide? Auburn, or Ohio State? Do you see a pitcher with a perfect game? Or a boxer holding up a championship belt? What do you see when you look in the mirror? Is it the face of a bad day or long night? Are you coming off a bad run or a good one? Was there a loss of life or one saved? Do you feel defeated at times because of the stresses of this job or the toll it takes on you and your family? My point is this… every one has their ups and downs, some more than others, but it’s how you mange the inbetweens that makes a difference. Do you know what I see when I look at our Fire Rescue Department? I see the faces of an Undefeated Fire Rescue Department. I see the raw talent, sheer determination, an unimaginable drive to sacrifice for the betterment of others. We all have a dash on this job and for Chief Taylor it was 1969 dash 2000. Remember it’s not the promotions that define you as a firefighter, but your character. The highest honor on this job is for your peers to say you were a good firefighter. You only get one shot at the dash, so make it count.

Well that’s it for this Week in Review. I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, I hope you take some time for yourselves this weekend and spend it with family and friends. And if any one can figure why my Class A uniform keeps shrinking, that would be great. In the meantime, we thank you for what you do, why you do it, and for once again proving why you are the best Fire Rescue Department in the Country!



Very Respectfully,

Kurtis R. Wilson

Chief of Operations
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department