In remembrance of the tragedy from September 11, 2001, the Department will observe a moment of silence on Tuesday, September 11 2007. At 10:28 a.m., the exact moment when the final building of the World Trade Center (the North Tower) collapsed, each and every fire station throughout the city will lower their flags to half-mast to honor their fallen comrades and civilains alike. A more formal ceremony, following the aforementioned protocol but involving the Department's Honor Guard, will take place at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial site located at Fire Station #1, 611 Liberty Street.
The Department will witness several 'out of the ordinary' activities in the month of September, beginning with the official welcoming of a new class of firefighter recruits on Monday, September 17. The Thursday of that same week, September 20, the Department will be present at A.P. Randolph at 4:30 p.m. for the kick-off of the new Firefighter Career Academy program. Monday morning, September 24, at 10 a.m., the Department will receive yet another 'over-sized' check (literally) in the amount of $32,000 through a grant from the Fireman's Heritage Fund, with the presentation of the check set to take place at Fire/Rescue Headquarters located on Julia Street. Closing out the activities for September will be the Department's quarterly Awards Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 at 9 a.m. on the fifth floor at headquarters.
The week of September 17th has been an extraordinarily 'wet' one, with a nor'easter blowing through Northeast Florida and delivering the proverbial 'torrential' downpours generally associated with such a system. Monday, units from the Fire/Rescue Department responded to 15 'swift-water rescue' emergency calls in a span of three hours, as heavy rain created small streams and ponds at locations where previously roadways could be found. Stranded motorists in need of rescue had frequently been forced to abandon their vehicles, as rising waters caught many off guard along McCoy's Creek and King Street, a notoriously flood-prone area of town. All motorists should exercise great caution when caught in any deluge and remember that it is better to avoid standing water altogether while driving along unfamiliar roadways.
Congratulations are in order for those members of the Department who were honored during Promotional Ceremonies held at Headquarters on Wednesday, 26 September. Specifically, congratulations to new Lieutenants Sergio Cortez, Herbie Douglas and Tim Nguyen, as well as these most recent Engineers to be promoted, Sherri Bell, Joshua Dixon, Teresa Kinstle, J.W. Langford, Jason Platas and Andre Rodall.
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