Monroe County Fire Chief RL Colina with Monroe County Fire Rescue joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
MCFR sees dehydration emergencies during this time of year.
Chief Colina said, “Between even the guests and the people that work down here, people that work down here in the restaurant industry, the people that are outside the construction, the roads, it’s really important that they stay hydrated throughout their time on the outside, because a lot of times, once you don’t feel thirsty, they say it’s already too late, so just be mindful of that.”
The Beat the Heat events help people stay cool.
Chief Colina said, “Saturday at Bernstein Park, starting at 10am, that’ll finish up our Beat the Heat. But I will tell you, we still have a bunch of different outdoor events and community engagements that we have that will be coming on for the Fourth of July. On July 3, actually starting at 5pm the Big Pine Community Park Fourth of July event will be out there. Our saying this year for the Fourth of July, is be safe and be seen. We’ll be handing out Glow Sticks. Then on the Fourth of July, we’ll be splitting our time between the outdoor resorts, their little parade on the Fourth of July, and also the city of Layton Baptist Church. They have their little celebration for the Fourth of July. We’ll have representatives from Monroe County Fire Rescue out there as well. So, going through the Fourth of July, we have a busy, busy, busy time coming.”
Be careful with fireworks on the 4th.
Chief Colina said, “I think even from adults, they like playing with sparklers and like playing with fireworks, but really, some of the stuff that we’ve got going on down here right now, with all the dry conditions and everything else we have and the safety of the fireworks, it’s always best to find a location that’s providing the fireworks show, get out there with your family, enjoy it, and then that way you guys can remain safe. There’s so many things that can happen with these imported fireworks that we see people end up in the hospital, things miss fire, they end up destroying other people’s property. There’s just so many mishaps that can happen when it’s an unregulated event.”
What’s been happening with the wildfires on the mainland?
Chief Colina said, “We’ve been monitoring the smoke and the conditions, because anything that impacts those roads between the turnpike and 27, it impacts our travel for our residents and our visitors here in the Florida Keys, so we do play pay close attention to what the fires are doing, and we try to get a briefing in the morning through emergency management. So far, we are looking good.”
Monroe County Fire Rescue also responded to a plane crash at Key West Airport a little over a week ago.
Chief Colina said, “No injuries. Monroe County Fire Rescue Station Seven, is at the airport, it’s what they plan for. It’s what they train for, day in, day out. We hope it never happens, but it’s just one of those things that when it does, the men and women of Monroe County Fire Rescue went into action, and they were able to mitigate that scene. There was no injuries from the plane, and they were able to ensure that everything happened as safe as possible.”
With hurricane season upon us, it’s important to be prepared.
Chief Colina said, “With the weather we’ve been having, and we haven’t had any crazy alerts on social media about a storm in the horizon, so I think people get a little sleepy on it at times. So just remember, these things can manifest themselves in no time at all, and next thing we have it, looming and trying to find a track of where it’s going to potentially hit, so just be prepared, be smart about it, know what your evacuation plans are, make sure that you have all your stuff in place, and even the stuff surrounding your houses.”
Do all fireworks displays require a permit?
Chief Colina said, “The commercial displays are required to have a permit, they’re required to be on a barge, and those are the ones that we look for that to be permitted. For individual family or residential, we really can’t regulate them going out and buying certain fireworks and having something done in their streets, that’s where we just ask them to be extremely careful and mindful of some of the fireworks you may be buying should be in the hands of professionals, and you may not have the right area or the right space to detonate some of those fireworks that you are available to buy.”
Be mindful of outdoor burning as well.
Chief Colina said, “Just be mindful of the conditions and the stuff around where you’re burning, and that you have a properly placed chiminea, and that you’re not too close to the house, and things of that nature. We get so many phone calls from people that are just having a backyard barbecue or a camp, and we end up going out there to tell them about the smoky conditions or the hazards that it presents. Just be mindful and be safe, that’s the main thing going into this holiday season.”
How is recruiting going?
Chief Colina said, “So far we’re doing well. We’ve got 15 new firefighters that were approved by the county commission, and we’ve got those in the works right now, getting all the paperwork done. We’ve got the academy prepared for them, they’ll be going through an eight week orientation process to acclimate them to the Florida Keys, and acclimate them to how Monroe County Fire Rescue operates, and before they get loose on the streets there, but we’re anticipating those 15 to be a great addition to the men and women of Monroe County Fire Rescue. We’re very grateful for the community and the support that we receive from our commission and the residents of this community. A lot going on, and we look forward to a very safe and fruitful summer.”
For more information, click here: https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/firerescue