Escambia Fire Chief: Volunteers Remain Important, New Deputy Chief Hired

January 17, 2010

The county’s top fireman says that volunteers are in the long-term future of Escambia Fire Rescue, and he announced that has hired a new deputy fire chief.

“What we do here is the heart of America — volunteers make things happen, especially when you have dedicated folks like these,” Escambia County Fire Chief Frank Edwards said Saturday night at the annual appreciation dinner held by the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department. “We will have volunteers; we will not be going all-paid in my lifetime, not in the life of these volunteers.”

Escambia County has paid fire crews stationed at several departments in the county — including a paid crew each weekday in Molino and Century. But Edwards said the north part of Escambia County has quality fire protection from well-trained volunteers, and he expects that to continue to be the case. “The volunteer system works well up here,” he said. “I am very happy with the north end.”

“We have made good strides since consolidation,” he said.  The county’s paid firefighters and 15 volunteer departments were all brought together with one unified leadership back in September, 2008. “I am every optimistic about the future.”

Edwards, who became Escambia’s fire chief about four months ago, said he has hired a new deputy chief for his department. Richard Stover will start the position February 7. Stover is a former division chief  for Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue, a suburb of Miami.

“He comes from departments that rely on volunteers,” Edwards said of his new deputy chief. “He is also very training oriented.”

Stover received his associates in science degree from Broward Community College, where he is also an adjunct instructor for fire science programs. Stover also holds a bachelors in science degree from Nova Southeastern University and is pursuing a master’s in public administration. He is a graduate of the United States Department of Homeland Security, National Fire Academy’s prestigious Executive Fire Officer Program. Stover has over thirty years of Fire Rescue experience in all aspects of administration, operations, and instruction.

Comments

One Response to “Escambia Fire Chief: Volunteers Remain Important, New Deputy Chief Hired”

  1. David on January 19th, 2010 11:31 am

    You would think that with all the money collected through the ” FIRE TAX ” , that we could have a completely paid Fire staff. Maybe if all the Escambia County Fire Department vehicles were used only for fire protection we could save some funds for the paid staffer’s.

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