BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Chief Ben Carter recently congratulated Lt. Kevin Mobley on his promotion to operations captain for Bradford County Fire Rescue.
An employee of the agency for three years, Carter told county commissioners that Mobley had more than 30 years of experience in fire services. He is now overseeing day-to-day operations for the department.
“Since (Mobley’s) been employed here, he’s proven himself to be an asset, but especially since being promoted into the executive leadership team,” Carter said. “I just want to say thank you to him and also congratulate him publicly in front of you all for this accomplishment.”
Among other exciting news, Carter said, was the use of Florida workforce training grants to place automated CPR devices on all the county’s fire rescue equipment, including fire engines, ambulances and supervisory vehicles. The grants are a part of a statewide initiative to equip first responders with this technology.
“That is something that we have not had in Bradford County, and it’s something that is quite expensive. They’re about $29,000 apiece,” he said.
The department was able to purchase 10 with the grant funding, which required no matching funds from the county.
The backpack-sized devices unfold, Carter said, and perform CPR chest compressions while paramedics are moving and transporting patients.
“It’s probably one of the biggest improvements that we’ve seen as far as expansion of our services in quite some time,” he said.
Working in conjunction with the chest compressions is a device that slowly sits the patient up during CPR, taking pressure off the brain and preventing a stroke while responders work to get the heart pumping again.
Carter announced that after two years of working with the state, money the sheriff had obtained for improvements at the Heilbronn Springs station have now been approved for use at Theressa and Sampson City.
He said they are waiting for completed designs for the living quarters at the Speedville station, which is being funded by a private donor. Those blueprints will be used for future Bradford’s fire rescue stations.
The Speedville project should break ground in February.
Carter also reported that advanced lifesaving services have been expanded to the engine serving the southeastern area of the county. This is the same level of care provided by an ambulance except for the ability to transport a patient. The engine is always staffed with at least one paramedic firefighter.
Speaking of dual certified fire rescue employees, Carter announced that four employees have recently graduated from the firefighter minimum standards course at Florida Gateway College — Chief Dylan Rodgers, Colin Traylor, Dakota Drummond and Samantha McKerrell. Employees Abhi Bastiany and David Jackson have graduated from Santa Fe College’s paramedic program.
Carter said he would be traveling to Baltimore to conduct another cadaver lab program. Hundreds of providers have been trained through this program since 2013. The grant-funded program takes place four times a year, and Carter said they have been asked to showcase it during Florida Fire Services Day during the upcoming legislative session.
They are carrying on the program founded and sustained by Dr. Peter Gianas by former Chief Allen Parrish.
