Latest news with #JacksonvilleFireandRescueDepartment
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
2 Jacksonville Fire Chief applicants have been the subject of Action News Jax investigations
As the City of Jacksonville looks to replace outgoing Fire Chief Keith Powers, Action News Jax has learned some of those applying have been the subject of controversy in recent years. The 17 candidates in the running to become the next chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department come with a combined total of more than 330 years of fire experience. The diverse slate of applicants includes educational backgrounds ranging from bachelor's to master's and even two doctoral degrees. Five are military veterans. Their fire experience is equally diverse, with one candidate holding the position of a rank-and-file firefighter, while others currently serve in top-level positions like District, Division, and Battalion Chief. 'We'll be interviewing those folks that we feel are most qualified to do the job and we'll move on from there,' Mayor Donna Deegan said Tuesday. Deegan will be tasked with appointing the new Chief. In 2023, she announced a series of ten new leadership appointments at JFRD, along with a new program aimed at growing the next generation of leadership from within the department. 'Safety is job one and I think Chief Powers has done an amazing job with that over the years,' Deegan said. But two of the current candidates have been the subject of Action News Jax investigations. JFRD Lieutenant Todd Smith faced sexual harassment claims during his time as Chief of Emergency Preparedness in 2022. He resigned from his post days after Action News Jax broke the story in 2023. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Candidate and current Fire District Chief Bryon Iveson also made headlines in April when Action News Jax revealed he faced an internal investigation and had been reassigned to desk duty after allegedly forcing a Muslim firefighter to break his Ramadan fast. When asked about the controversy surrounding the two applicants, the Mayor told us she'll be looking for a candidate that can unite the community. 'We need to pick somebody that will bring this community together, but also make sure that it is safe,' Deegan said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Jacksonville City Council will need to confirm whoever the mayor picks to replace Powers. His last day is June 30th. The mayor's pick will serve as Acting Chief as their appointment moves through the council confirmation process. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
LIST: 17 candidates in the running for the next chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
The City of Jacksonville currently has 17 candidates it is considering to be the next fire chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Action News Jax told you last month when the city confirmed that current Chief Keith Powers would be stepping down. His last day is June 30, and the city wants to have a new chief in place by July 1. Here is the list of candidates being considered for the role: Aaron Bebernitz Damien Bell Jacob Blanton James Davis Percy Golden Darin Hooten Renaldo Horn Bryon Iveson Willie King Benjamin Kodatt Christopher McKeown Eric Mitchell Timothy Nguyen Michael Pluhacek Paul Rigdon Steven Serrato Todd Smith Phil Perry with the City of Jacksonville said that another 12 were deemed ineligible, for a total of 29 applicants. 'The 17 candidates currently being considered meet the basic criteria, including the requirement that they are currently serving at JFRD,' Perry said in an email to Action News Jax. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We believe that out of nearly 2,000 firefighters, there are qualified candidates to be considered,' Perry continued. The 17 candidates will now go through a more detailed evaluation process. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Final moments dad shared with son, 1, before being killed on way home from party
Mitchell Patch was crossing the street holding his one-year-old son Everett on May 16 when a Honda Civic collided with them. Both father and son were confirmed dead at the scene A father and his one-year-old son have died after being mowed down by a car as they crossed the road last week. Mitchell Patch and his young son Everett were fatally struck by a Honda Civic on Baymeadows Road at 8:30pm on May 16, leaving behind their heartbroken wife and mother, Mary Patch. The tragic incident happend in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department attended the scene and confirmed the tragic deaths of the man and his child, according to a post by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) on Facebook page. The driver of the Honda Civic was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is assisting authorities with their ongoing investigation. Commander Dan Shelton with the JSO provided details about a tragic motor vehicle accident in a statmnt. It read: "The incident occurred on May 16, 2025, at 8:30 p.m. on Baymeadows Road near San Jose Boulevard. The preliminary investigation revealed a white man in his mid to late 30s was crossing the street with his one-year-old son when they were struck by an older model Honda Civic traveling eastbound on Baymeadows Road. "Jacksonville Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and pronounced the man and his child deceased. The driver of the Honda Civic was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is cooperating with authorities in the ongoing investigation. "JSO's Traffic Homicide Unit responded to the scene and is conducting a thorough investigation. This case remains active. Our hearts are with the family and friends of the man and his child." Mr. Patch was a respected maths teacher at Bayview Elementary School. The school's headteacher paid tribute to him in a message to Jax yesterday. The message read: "We will all certainly remember Mr. Patch for his incredible commitment to students and to the teaching profession. He was a dedicated educator and well-loved and respected member of our Brave family. "Our sympathies go out to Mr. Patch's family, friends, and our entire school community during this difficult time. I am deeply saddened, and I know the students, staff and family members who knew Mr. Patch will miss him tremendously," reports the Mirror US. A GoFundMe page has been created to help cover Mr Patch and Everett's funeral costs, medical expenses, and other needs. The GoFundMe appeal states: "On Friday May 16th, our beloved trainer Mary lost her husband, Mitchell , and her son, Everett, in an unimaginable accident. This devastating loss has left her and her family heartbroken, and now face the immense challenge of grieving while trying to manage any financial burdens that come with such a tragedy. "As we come together to support Mary, we hope to relieve some of the financial pressures, including funeral costs, medical bills, and any unforeseen expenses during this difficult time. The funds will directly go to Mary to assist her navigating this heartbreaking situation. "Mary is a dedicated and hardworking member of our team, and now, it's our turn to show her how much we care and support her. Please consider donating, and share this page with others who may want to help. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
JFRD Battalion Chief says he has not seen anything like JIA parking garage fire before
Only on Action News Jax, we're getting a firsthand account of what it was like fighting the devastating parking garage fire at Jacksonville International Airport on Friday. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief who commanded those firefighters returned to the garage Tuesday at JIA with Action News Jax's Madison Foglio. 'My fire station is over on Main Street and as soon as we got to 95, we could see the column of smoke so we knew we had a very large fire,' JFRD Battalion Chief Charles Drysdale said. 'We're getting additional reports of people evacuating, having trouble evacuating. So we knew it was all hands on deck.' The fire broke out in the south portion of the Hourly Parking Garage around noon on Friday. JFRD and Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials confirm at least 50 vehicles were destroyed as a result of the fire. RELATED: Jacksonville International Airport Hourly Parking Garage Fire: Timeline of events Drysdale served as the incident commander for this fire. In a nutshell, he was in charge of the firefighters' response to the fire. 'A lot of explosions. The fire was bright orange. As you can see, it's basically about 200 feet long, going about 40-50 foot up in the air. You can hear the glass breaking as the windows are failing, the tires are blowing up. Lots of things on cars can catch fire. More than likely, the gas tanks were rupturing and pouring gas on the fire, so we were getting a lot of sounds that you normally wouldn't get from a smaller fire,' Drysdale said. He was the one who made the call to pull the firefighters out of the garage. Foglio asked Drysdale what made him make that decision to pull the firefighters out of the garage. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'The report of the initial company, Engine 16, and his officer about the conditions. Plus, what we can see and our concerns about structural collapse,' Drysdale said. Drysdale said that one of his main concerns when combatting this fire was the water supply. 'To give the airport a lot of credit, we were able to flow, probably at its peak, 4,000 gallons a minute of water, which is a tremendous amount of water. And we had that on the fire within 14 minutes,' Drysdale said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] In the end, Drysdale said the fire could have been a lot worse. 'If we would not got a handle on it, it would have spread throughout the entire parking garage maybe into the other parking garage,' Drysdale said. No word yet on what started the fire, but on Tuesday afternoon, JAA released the incident report listing a mid-sized dark colored BMW as the car appearing to catch on fire first in the Hourly Parking Garage on Friday. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jacksonville City Council President reflects on leadership as JFRD Chief Keith Powers steps down
After nearly three decades of service, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers is preparing to retire, city officials confirmed. Powers will step down on June 30, ending a 29-year career that included six years at the helm of one of the largest fire departments in the country. His departure marks what city leaders are calling the 'end of an era.' Under Powers' leadership, JFRD launched innovative programs such as mobile stroke and critical care units, emergency access teams for storms, and a scholarship initiative for student-athletes. City Council President Randy White — himself a former firefighter — said Powers' impact has left a lasting mark on the department and the city. 'You're leading 1,800 men and women. You have to have a leader that people want to follow,' White said. 'We certainly had that in Chief Powers. Someone's going to have to have high marks to do that job and do that successfully.' White said he's known Powers since before he joined JFRD, recalling their first meeting during a deployment after Hurricane Andrew. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'I knew him before he was a firefighter,' White said. 'We worked together, had many runs together when he was out in the field. He's a good guy.' Earlier this month, Action News Jax ran a story about a JFRD battalion chief who was highly critical of the department's leadership and its handling of a cargo ship fire and explosion in 2020. Some of that criticism was aimed at Powers. White said Powers' decision to retire is based on timing, and nothing else. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] 'That's just fodder. None of that's true. I don't know if you're familiar with the DROP Program (Deferred Retirement Option Program)," White said. 'After you go on the DROP Program, you can stay five more years. And he was in his fourth year. He would've had to leave anyway in a year.' Action News Jax asked the city if Powers' retirement wasn't entirely by choice, or if he was forced out, and a spokesperson said, 'It's not true in any way, shape, or form.' The city says a search for Powers' successor is already underway. A new chief is expected to be in place by July 1. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
