AP Fire Department on track after its future was in doubt

Oct. 22--AVON PARK -- There was the search for funding; there was the hole in the city's budget; there was the possibility of losing a fire department; and worse, there was the livelihoods of 11 firefighters at stake.

But the dire circumstances that had befallen the Avon Park Fire Department (APFD) over the past three months have been snuffed out for now and for the foreseeable future, and its staff is moving forward.

Oct. 14, during an Avon Park City Council Special Meeting, the council voted 4-1 for a fire assessment rate resolution to assess city residents a $140 fee per parcel for the next fiscal year, ending a two-month process of whether the City of Avon Park should continue to levy a fire assessment fee and if a fire department would remain active.

Since that day, 14 full-time firefighters -- including 11 that had gotten layoff notices Sept. 9 -- are busy back manning the station and answering alarms.

In the week since the fire assessment was passed, firefighters said Wednesday that they've been working to get back to "business as usual" and when not responding to calls, spending the day doing routine building fire safety inspections and testing fire hydrant water flows, among their duties.

In his office, APFD Capt. Warren West, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3121, said although department morale had obviously dipped that early October day, the department's focus never wavered: to assure city residents and business owners the department "needs to be diligent and help people in need."

"At this point and time, we're just trying to get back to normal," said West, who's going into his 30th year with the AFPD. ""There were a lot of guys that starting looking for new jobs; I'm now trying to persuade them to stay and not leave."

At the city council meeting, city councilwoman Brenda Giles was the dissenting vote. Mayor Sharon Schuler motioned to accept 47.9 percent of the fire budget, $666,713 -- what would be needed to fully-fund the APFD for the next fiscal year.

Now that the fire department is securely funded for at least the next fiscal year, Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, West said the department is looking for a fifteenth full-time firefighter to bring the department up to standards set by the Insurance Services Offices -- provider of statistical, actuarial, underwriting and claims information and analysis for fire and building code information.

"We were at the lowest manpower we could have; we were down to the marrow of the bone," said West, who added one time the APFD had a full-time fire investigator, secretary and code enforcement officer. "But we never changed our service and now I'm trying to keep them (firefighters) moving forward and focused on their jobs. I'm confident the fire department will continue with some adjustments."

The department was budgeted for 2015-16 at $1.385 million and the remaining money would come from the city's general operating fund, said City Manager Julian Deleon. The city's current budget for the upcoming fiscal year is $19,054,909.

Deleon said he's aware he was "viewed as the bad guy" in wake of the layoffs but is glad the issue has been resolved. He said the city council's responsibility is to "respond to the electorate" and it boiled down to whether the citizens wanted to pay for the APFD services.

"By city charter, I have to provide city council with a balanced budget and these difficult decisions fall on my shoulders," he said. "I'm the first person to acknowledge we lost some focus and organizational traction during the past two months. Now, this is in the rear-view mirror."

Deleon said he would return to focusing on city land annexations and capital improvement programs, such as growing Avon Park to the south and going into phase two of installing new drinking water wells.

Additionally, Deleon said the idea of merging the city fire, public safety and law enforcement departments hasn't been dismissed and certification would have to be established in all three for new hires. He said that wouldn't require any current firefighters to get law-enforcement certifications.

"Due to our public safety system with our three duel-certified officers, we have grown without incurring any additional staffing and expenses. This alone, is a huge accomplishment," he said in his city hall office Wednesday.

Back in West's APFD office, Firefighter-Emergency Medical Technician Jason Simmons and Lt. Andy Marcy -- both of whom received layoff notices -- said the force never faltered in its ability to serve despite the possibility of layoffs and department closure. He said after the city council meeting, a few fighters embraced, went for beer at a local pub and they have since grown closer as a unit.

Marcy and Simmons calculated between all APFD firefighters, there is about 240 years of fire-fighting experience among them. Both firefighters said they're happy the vote is over but aren't totally confident with the future of their jobs.

"It hasn't caused a lot of disruptions, except for our mind-sets," said Marcy, who has a wife, Renee, and two children, Andrew, 11 and McKenley, 7. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of reassurance from city hall. I'm not confident about what Deleon may do next."

Simmons, with the APFD for 11 years, said he wanted to thank the city council for "doing the right thing."

"I also want to thank the residents for coming out in support of the fire department. I feel relieved. This brought the firefighters together in support of each other," he said.

West said he, Marcy and firefighter Anthony Gaines have been invited to a Nov. 4 Florida Professional Firefighters Presidents Executive Board Meeting in Gainesville. There, they will describe the APFD events in Avon Park and hope to recoup about $6,000 the union paid for support signs and in attorney's fees.

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