Make Your Voice Count:

Overview

All personnel received advanced training in medical care, fire suppression, and special operations. The District accumulated over 67,788 hours of fire, special operations, and EMS related training.

Classes included:

· Driver operator 

· Officer development

· Leadership

· Vehicle extrication

· Air management

· Rapid intervention

· Ventilation

· Live fire

· Enter and search

Training Highlights

Driver Training Recertification Program: The Training Division administered a driver training program in 2014 for all firefighters. It is a complex program that included maintenance, apparatus knowledge, equipment familiarization, emergency and non-emergency driving, and pump operator skill evaluations. The program had two important goals: 
1) Determine the readiness of new driver/operators. 2) Ensure department personnel are trained in pump and apparatus operations. The program was a success; all firefighters passed the testing.

Live Fire Training: The live fire training center at Station Four is an important tool when training on interior and exterior fire operations. Personnel from various fire departments throughout Lee and Collier Counties participated in more than 15 days of live fire burns. This totals to over 300 firefighters trained in Bonita Springs’ live fire training center.

EMT and Paramedic Training: The District’s Medical Director, Dr. A. Rodi, Jr., conducted monthly in-service training sessions to include:

· Cardiac care

· Trauma emergencies

· Pediatric

· Orthopedic injuries

· Respiratory conditions

· Pharmacology

The Training Division conducted monthly instruction and practical evolutions. Along with this, paramedics attend specialized classes in:

· Basic Life Support

· Advanced Cardiac Life Support

· Basic Trauma Life Support

· Advanced Pediatric Life Support

Other programs to maintain competency in their field, such as the Health Stream  Interactive Web Based Training System, were utilized. Emergency Medical Providers received their renewal certificates and licenses from the State.

Special Operations/HazMat:  In 2014, training in the following disciplines was provided to District personnel:

· Vehicle Extrication/Stabilization

· Water Rescue/Operations

· High and Low Angle Rope Rescue

· Confined Space

· Trench Rescue

· Hazardous Materials

Letter From Our Medical Director, Dr. Alexander Rodi:

My name is Dr. Alexander Rodi, Jr., and I am the Medical Director for the Bonita Springs Fire District. My duties include training and credentialing your emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, reviewing quality of care your EMTs and paramedics deliver, and establishing and maintaining acceptable practice guidelines which we have developed in conjunction with Lee County Emergency Medical Service.  

Our EMTs and paramedics come from the same training programs as the County’s EMTs and paramedics. The difference, and greatest benefit to you, is that our EMTs and paramedics are also firefighters; they have dual certifications in both firefighting and medical care.

In addition, your paramedics have multiple certifications in trauma care, pediatric care, basic life support, advanced life support, and I provide monthly lectures on various medical issues related to patient care and treatment.

Our EMTs and paramedics are professionals, always striving to be the best in the county. Trained to think outside the box, they use their training and knowledge to deliver the best care possible to the citizens of Bonita Springs.

Since we respond to a large number of medical calls, it is important to understand that time is critical. From initiating a 9-1-1 call for chest pain, to arrival to the hospital, any unnecessary delay can mean the difference between life and death.

Your Fire District strives to provide the very best pre-hospital medical care economically possible. We continue to work toward providing ambulance service on a local level to improve the current level of service and your quality of life.

Dr. Alexander Rodi, Jr., Medical Director