FIREFIGHTER FOR A DAY
January 31, 2008
(Weston, FL) – Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Lt. Walter Knapp helps 17-year-old Diego Alvarez adjust the air tank as he gears up to be a firefighter for the day at Weston Fire Station #81 on Wednesday, January 30th. About 20 high school students participate in the city-sponsored Weston University Program that began in 2002. The program is a seven month-long program that provides the students an opportunity to learn about state and local government; in particular, Weston’s municipal government, through a combination of classroom and real-world experiences from the people who work there. As part of the day-long excursion, the group also went to BSO headquarters and toured the 9-1-1 communications center and the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue logistics facility.
Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue
Inaugural Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament and Auction
January 29, 2008
A Big Success
The first Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament was held on Saturday, January 26th at the Deerfield Country Club. This charity golf tournament was held to raise money for the families of Broward Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Chris Reyka and BSO Deputies Maury Hernandez and Paul Rein, who were all shot in the line of duty in 2007.
This sold out tournament was a big success raising $30,000! Over 130 golfers, along with community members, attended the event to share in golf, raffles, a silent auction and food & fun. The money raised was donated to the funds set up by the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County for the Hernandez, Reyka and Rein families.
Captions
Spencer Reyka, son of slain Sergeant Chris Reyka, hits first ball to kickoff the tournament.
Deputy Maury Hernandez pictured with the Reyka and Rein families attended the Inaugural Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament and Auction.
TWO BSO DEPUTIES RESCUE ELDERLY WOMAN FROM SMO
January 24, 2008
Two Lauderdale Lakes BSO deputies carried a 75-year-old woman out of her burning home Wednesday morning to safety. Deputies Greg Lose and Mike Ruback arrived at 4129 NW 52nd Ave. around 10:00 a.m. to find Gerard DuPoux, 81 standing in front of his single-story home with smoke coming out of it. DuPoux told the deputies that his wife, 75-year-old Raymonde DuPoux was still inside the house. The deputies entered the smoke-filled house and found DuPoux trying to collect her possessions. Dep. Lose said the smoke was so thick that they couldn’t even see. DuPoux, reluctant to leave her home, was carried out to safety by the deputies. She was treated on the scene by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedics for smoke inhalation. Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to locate the fire, which was in the attic above a bathroom. They were able to contain the fire to the attic and put it out in about 20 minutes according to Mike Jachles, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman. Raymonde DuPoux told firefighters that she “switched the heater on a few days ago, but it never turned on.” Investigators are looking into that as one possible cause.
Photo credit: Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue
The Broward County Commission recognized a member of Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti’s newly formed Community Action Taskforce Tuesday.
BSO community involvement specialist Adriane Reesey was among those singled out by commissioners for her work on a local taskforce combating human trafficking in South Florida.
Reesey is one of the members of Sheriff Lamberti’s newly created Community Action Taskforce. The taskforce is a grass roots level team of BSO community liaisons assigned throughout the county. Their new role is to be BSO’s eyes and ears in neighborhoods and communities across Broward County.
The taskforce is a new way for residents to connect with BSO. Taskforce members will be familiar faces that citizens will know, and can contact with suggestions or concerns. Taskforce members will be part of Sheriff Lamberti’s front line when it comes to finding out what specific public safety issues need to be addressed at the neighborhood level. They will also be critical partners in getting important safety messages to residents, community groups and neighborhood associations.
“Every neighborhood, every community may have different concerns when it comes to public safety. Our job is to make sure those needs are clearly heard, and quickly addressed,” said Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti. “This new taskforce will allow BSO to serve citizens – our customers – like never before.”
The Community Action Taskforce is just one of Sheriff Lamberti’s new initiatives intended to fulfill his promise to serve the residents and visitors of Broward County with “Pride in Service with Integrity.”
VETERAN CHIEF IS “WHEELS UP” FROM THE AIRPORT
January 7, 2008
On December 31, 2007, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Steven Dersham was honored for his 30 years of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of Broward County at Fire Station 10, located on the grounds of Ft. Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLHIA). Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello escorted Chief Dersham for the final walk by and inspection of uniformed personnel. Dersham was presented with his retirement badge, helmet and “rang in” his retirement on the fire bell with eight rings with the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Honor Guard present.
Chief Dersham’s fire service career began in 1968 with the United States Coast Guard at Cape May, New Jersey and took him down the east coast where he has been for the last 30 years at Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Station 10 at FLHIA. Chief Dersham’s last day “on the job” was January 2, 2008. He had served in command of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) operations of BSO. He started his ARFF assignment in 1978, when the fire station was part of the Broward County Aviation Department. In the early 1980’s, the fire station merged into then-Broward County Fire Department, which became Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue in 2003. Because of the increased growth and traffic at FLHIA, the fire rescue needs kept pace with that growth. In late 2002 a new mid-field state of the art fire station replaced outdated and outgrown quarters on the outskirts of the airport. Currently, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue has over 100 FAA-certified firefighters.
Station 10 units responded to 2,667 runs in 2006. It consists of: four crash trucks, one structural engine, a battalion chief and two paramedic rescues. On a typical alert-2, which is a problem in-flight, a first alarm response includes: Station 10 units plus hazardous materials and technical rescue teams and units from adjacent Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue’s Port Everglades station. An alert-3, a confirmed incident, can add upwards of 50 additional units.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello (right) prepares to give a congratulatory handshake to Asst. Chief Steven Dersham (left) at a retirement ceremony on December 31st, 2007 at Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood Int’l Airport where Dersham has served for 30 years. Dersham is holding his helmet also presented by Chief Lello. Watching (center) is Acting Asst. Chief Harris Bouchillon who was appointed by Chief Lello to assume command duties at the airport.
Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue
