Palm Beach County Elected Officials Become Firefighters for the Day

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida. The Palm Beach County Rescue Service invited elected County officials and media to work as firefighters for a day. This was the second time the county had hosted an event of this nature, as officials said COVID disrupted past sessions.

“We felt it was really important,” PBCFR spokesperson Tara Cardoso said. “If you are better equipped to know what it takes, what the equipment needs, what the equipment is for, how much power it takes to get the job done, and to see it for yourself, then when questions or decisions come up, you have to do, you will be much better educated and able to make decisions.”

The event at PBFR Headquarters on Turnpike and South Florida Boulevard gives local leaders a glimpse into what firefighters do every day in practice. More than 20 officials learned how to quickly put on equipment, put out fires, operate wrecked vehicle recovery equipment, and conduct search and rescue operations.

“The industry has changed,” Cardoso said. “Now we are doing much more than ever before. We are the department of all dangers. It’s not just fires, medical and car accidents. It’s everything you can imagine and we want to make sure they understand it too.”

Each exercise was supervised by professional firefighters. This program was created to give people hands-on experience to better understand what happens during emergencies.

For Palm Beach County Commissioner Maria Marino, it was like nothing she had ever expected.

“You really can’t appreciate what they’re doing until you actually do it,” Marino said. “The conclusions are: they must have the right equipment, they must have the right equipment, they must have the right technology.”

State Rep. Gervonte Edmonds called it a life-changing experience.

“What I thought about firefighters came from movies and theaters,” Edmonds said. “These people are risking their lives day in and day out.”

He said that he plans to transfer the acquired knowledge to the state level.

“I want to go to Tallahassee and advocate for better equipment, for them to retire at the proper age, and for everything related to their health issues,” Edmonds said. “I want to make sure we support them. Again, they come and save lives every single day. This is their job.”

Edmonds said that although it may seem easy, he appreciated these brave men and women in a new way.