1950 - 2000
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1966
Orlando’s Civil Service Board announced the beginning of entrance examinations in the police and fire departments.
Work hours dropped from 84 to 72 hours per week. Florida firefighters were seeking legislative support for a bill regulating the hours of work for firemen. The proposed act would limit the maximum number of duty hours to 120 in any two calendar weeks. Orlando's firefighters were working an 84-hour work week, while many of the South's larger cities were on 60-hour work weeks. In the majority of Pacific Coast cities, the maximum was 56 hours or less. New York City, Columbus, Ohio, and Flint, Michigan, were on 48-hour work weeks.
Their cost to build each fire house was $90,000.
Orlando firemen organized Local No. 1365 of the International Association of Firefighters.
This station was constructed beside the eastern runway. The Department also added one Class A Triple-Combination Seagrave Pumper, 1,000 GPM with Special Foam System.
On June 29, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the Orlando Civil Service Board placed 13 men on the fire department eligibility list to provide manpower for two new stations.
The 60-room hotel on North Orange Avenue was swept by fire and all three Orlando Fire Department companies answered the alarm. The 30-year-old brick and wood hotel was a favorite for traveling salesmen. On the night of the fire, nine guests were awoken by hotel employees and two Orlando Patrolmen. Although the fire on the first floor was confined almost entirely to the liquor store, none of the operators of the liquor store, drugstore, restaurant or rug shop were able to take any of their merchandise to safety. The blaze raged for over four hours and water damage from fire hose was extensive. Firemen confined the blaze to the hotel building by watering down frame houses to the rear and a one-story block building to the south. With only one aerial ladder in operation, firemen were forced to climb atop of an adjoining house, owned by the same company, to put water on the roof of the building.
The raises recommended by Fire Chief Paul Pennington were:
POSITION, MONTHLY SALARY
Fire Chief, from $435 to $460
Instructor , from $352.50 to $365
Lieutenant , from $320 to $350
Engineer, from $300 to $350
Mechanic , from $305 to $325
Fireman 1st Class , from $290 to $300
Probationary Fireman , from $255 to $260
PAUL PENNINGTON APPOINTED 8TH FIRE CHIEF
ENTRANCE EXAMS INTRODUCED
REGULATION OF WORK HOURS BEGINS
STATION 4 AND STATION 5 OPEN
LOCAL NO. 1365 ORGANIZED
STATION 8 OPENS AT MCCOY JETPORT FACILITY
MELVIN RIVENBARK APPOINTED 9TH FIRE CHIEF
MELVIN RIVENBARK APPOINTED 9TH FIRE CHIEF
WORK WEEK DROPS TO 66 2/3 HOURS WITH ONE-HALF KELLY DAYS
THIRD SHIFT ESTABLISHED ON A 56-HOUR WORK WEEK
13 NEW POSITIONS APPROVED
AVALON HOTEL FIRE
ORLANDO CITY COUNCIL RAISES SALARIES FOR FIREFIGHTERS
A timeline of the biggest moments in OFD History.
1969
1972
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1981
1975
Bookhardt Memorial Park on West Central was later named after him.
On June 10, the first African-Americans in the history of the Orlando Fire Department were employed. That first group included: Harley Leak, Timothy Jackson, Samuel Williams, Willie Green, J. L. Hawkins, and Davell R. Davis.
Firefighters Local Union 1365 and City of Orlando negotiated for a contract, marking the first time the City bargained with a Labor union.
The administrative offices moved from Station 1 to MJB on 100 S. Hughey Ave. The Training Academy moved from Station 6 to the Orlando Jetport.
ASST. CHIEF G. CALVIN BOOKHARDT KILLED AT A FIRE SCENE
ASST. CHIEF G. CALVIN BOOKHARDT KILLED AT A FIRE SCENE
STATION 3 REBUILT AT NEW SITE IN COLLEGE PARK
OFD HIRES FIRST BLACK FIREMEN
42-HOUR WEEK BEGINS
CHARLES S. PARKER APPOINTED 10TH FIRE CHIEF
ADMINISTRATIVE, TRAINING ACADEMY MOVE
E. “GENE” REYNOLDS APPOINTED 11TH FIRE CHIEF
OLD STATION 3 MOVES TO LOCH HAVEN PARK
OFD FIREGROUND COMMAND SOP'S PUBLISHED
JOINT RESPONSE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS
FIRST FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS HIRED
“SPINNER” INTRODUCED
RED AND WHITE INTRODUCED
HAZMAT VAN PLACED IN SERVICE
ARSON/BOMB SQUAD FORMED
DATA PROCESSING SECTION ESTABLISHED FOR DAILY INPUT OF ALL EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA
STAFF & LINE MOVED INTO ITS NEW FACILITY AT 800 W. GORE
FIRE PREVENTION IMPLEMENTED LOCK BOX
STATION 9 RELOCATED TO ROSEMONT AREA
STATION 8 REOPENED ON SHOALCREEK DR
ISO RATING WENT FROM THREE TO TWO
OFD OFFERS ALS COVERAGE FROM EVERY STATION
ANNEXATION FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENT
NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY TRAINING (NET) PROGRAM BEGINS
TRAFFIC PREEMPTION SYSTEM INSTALLED IN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS
MUTUAL AID RESPONSE AGREEMENT SIGNED
THE LEARN-NOT-TO-BURN PROGRAM PLACED IN ALL ORLANDO PRESCHOOLS
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SECTION ESTABLISHED
1989 CHARLIE LEWIS AS APPOINTED 12TH FIRE CHIEF
ROBERT A. BOWMAN APPOINTED 13TH FIRE CHIEF
DONALD W. HARKINS APPOINTED 14TH FIRE CHIEF
STATION 12 OPENS IN THE METROWEST
LANDMARK APPOINTMENTS
ELDERLINKS FOUNDED
FIRST TECHNICAL RESCUE UNIT (TR-6) PUT IN SERVICE
FIRST OFFICIAL FLAG DESIGNED AND ACCEPTED BY OFD
OFD EQUIPMENT UPGRADES
One million dollars was spent to replace firefighters’ protective equipment with state of the art protective clothing and Scott 4.5 self-contained breathing apparatus with integrated PASS alarms. $80,000 was used to purchase and upgrade fitness equipment for all firehouses.
DEPARTMENT REORGANIZATION
One Deputy Chief position was eliminated and new Assistant Chiefs positions were created to head the Special Operations and Planning & Resource Management Division.
THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS PLACED IN-SERVICE ON ALL TOWER APPARATUS
INCREASED ALS FLEET TO INCLUDE ALL ENGINES, RESCUES AND TOWERS
FIRST ACCELERATED PARAMEDIC PROGRAM COMPLETED
TOWER 11 UPGRADED TO A FULL SERVICE TOWER APPARATUS
ORDERED NEW FLEET OF MEDIUM-DUTY RESCUE UNITS
SOUTHPORT BECOMES ORLANDO’S FIRST FULLY SPRINKLERED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY
PURCHASED 100 SETS OF NOMEX WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING GEAR
REINSTITUTED DRESS UNIFORMS FOR ALL RANKS
OBTAINED STATE LICENSURE FOR ALS PRE-HOSPITAL GROUND TRANSPORT
DESIGNED NEW GRAPHICS AND WARNING PACKAGE FOR APPARATUS
RESCUE 8 IS PUT INTO SERVICE
NAVAL TRAINING CENTER FIRE DEPARTMENT DISBANDED
The City of Orlando assumed full responsibility for fire protection at both former military bases after the closing of the NTC base.
INITIATED TACTICAL MEDIC PROGRAM
This program trained and equipped Paramedics to be part of OPD's SWAT team.
EXPANDED IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM
The new Health Check Program provided monthly health screening in high-rise apartments, flu shots and immunizations, targeting the City's elderly population who are unable to mobilize to various locations.
RESIDENTIAL FIRE SPRINKLERS REQUIRED
Agreement negotiated with Southeast property owners to require residential sprinklers as part of the land development code. Agreement also reached to utilize residential fire sprinklers in NTC redevelopment.
HONOR GUARD REINSTATED
DISPATCHERS AND SUPERVISORS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS SECTION BECAME EMS STATE CERTIFIED
JUNIOR FIRE MARSHAL PROGRAM INITIATED
NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED
“FIRE VS. FUZZ”
The building was leased to the Orange County Historical Museum and opened in 1984.
The Training Academy's 5-story training tower was completed at the OOFTA. The cost was $140,000.
Orange County and Orlando Fire Departments began negotiations for a Joint Response Agreement. The Orlando Fire Department changed its name to the Orlando Fire and Rescue Department and the OFD Explorer Post was established in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America.
Suzie Paxton, retired 2002 as Lieutenant and Kathy Johnston, retired 2007 as Deputy Chief
A robot named “Spinner” (a walking/ talking fire hydrant) was purchased for the Public Education Division for fire safety education.
After a history of traditionally red apparatus, OFD changes to red & white.
Joining it were the new dive van, mini tower and public education van.
The squad, along with one OPD officer conducts a unified investigation into arson and bomb cases. When the OPD officer retired in 1993, Arson/Bomb Squad became staffed entirely by OFD.
To improve accuracy in gathering emergency incident data, the National Fire Incident Reporting System was implemented.
The first annual “Fire vs. Fuzz” football game was played between OFD and OPD, with OFD winning 33-6.
OFD BEGINS ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICE
OFD BEGINS THE FIRST PARAMEDIC PROGRAM
OFD COMPUTER SYSTEM GOES ONLINE AFTER TWO YEARS OF PLANNING
STATION 7 AND STATION 9 BEGIN SERVICE
The Citizens Fire Academy (CFA) program began; the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program also began.
A new SmartNet 800MHz advanced trunking radio system in Communications was installed.
The station replaced the temporary trailer that had been used since 1994.
Kathy Johnston-Miller was appointed the first female Assistant Chief in department history. David Andrew was appointed the first Hispanic Assistant Chief in department history.
The Elderlinks Program began to allow OFD to interact daily with the community’s elderly citizens. In this program, OFD can link seniors with appropriate community service agencies when they are in need of help.
All operations personnel were issued portable radios.
Signed with Orange County Fire Department, the agreement provides joint fire protection services for the Lake Nona area.
The section is responsible for planning, responding and recovering from City disasters.