Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative Firefighters & Safety & Health advocates working together to reduce risks & exposure to our Firefighters. See the survival section for more information.
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The State of Florida has the Firefighter Safety & Health Act in the State Statute and strict Florida Administrative Codes that all Fire Departments shall follow. It can be challenging getting "buy in" from members, and embracing a cultural enhancement as it pertains to Firefighter Safety& Health. More so, it can be difficult learning and understanding the laws. Being Firefighters, we at times rely

on resources to get task done. The resource for Firefighter Safety & Health is: The Florida Firefighter Safety & Health Collaborative. The Collaborative provides free training, policy creation and implementation, sharing of resources and best practices to help your Fire Department reduce injuries, illnesses, exposure, and/or death. Today, the Florida Firefighter Safety & Health Collaborative is a free Program to Fire Departments looking to enhance, and maintain an effective Safety Committee and/or Safety Program. Our Mission Statement is: "Our commitment is to focus on Firefighter Safety & Health by providing education, training, and sharing of best practices to minimize risks and exposure to our Florida Firefighters". This program is the bridge that has been built to close the gaps between Departments and Organizations and most importantly, their Firefighters. The Florida Firefighter Safety & Health Collaborative was recently featured on blog talk radio: FireEngineeringRadio with Ret. Captain Jeff Dill from the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance www.ffbha.org Our Fire Departments were represented in June as we support the International Safety & Health week which occurs each year. Please visit www.safetyandhealthweek.org to see the "Success Stories" of Florida Firefighters Safety & Health Collaborative Fire Departments embracing this event. FFSHC was featured on "Firefighter Close Calls" website sharing information on "personal safety" relating to Behavioral Health, with a link to the podcast.

08/26/2026

🔥 The August Issue of Florida Fire Service Magazine is Here!

This month’s issue puts the 2026 Safety & Health Conference front and center! 🌴 Take a look inside for conference details and a preview of what’s ahead this October at Margaritaville Resort Orlando. Turn to page 23 to learn more!

Also featured in this issue:

🔗 Collecting and Connecting the Dots: The Importance of Networking in the Fire Service
By Michael DeStefano

👩‍🚒 Women in the Fire Service: From Firsts to Future Leaders
By Captain Brittany Butler

Plus, stories from departments and fire service professionals across Florida highlighting leadership, training, innovation, community service, firefighter achievements, lifesaving responses, and more.

From Greater Naples enhancing football injury training and ESLI bringing Emergency Management education to South Florida, to Hillsborough County welcoming 33 new firefighters, Martin County crews performing a high-angle rescue, Titusville investing in advanced decontamination, and much more—there’s plenty to catch up on in this month’s issue.

📖 Read the August issue: https://issuu.com/ffca/docs/august_2026_ffs

✍️ Have a story to share? We’d love to feature your department in an upcoming issue! Submit general articles to [email protected], or leadership articles to [email protected] with “Leadership Article” in the subject line.

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative
Florida Professional Firefighters

08/24/2026

👏👏👏👏The City of Riviera Beach Fire Rescue

Ten years ago, it started with a simple belief: we could do better for Florida’s firefighters.Better protection.Better h...
08/24/2026

Ten years ago, it started with a simple belief: we could do better for Florida’s firefighters.

Better protection.
Better health.
Better preparation.
Better support for the people behind the badge.

Since 2016, the Florida Firefighters Safety & Health Collaborative has worked to bring Florida’s fire service together around a shared responsibility — ensuring those who dedicate their lives to protecting others have the knowledge, resources, and support to protect themselves.

Over the past decade, our profession has evolved. Conversations that once received too little attention — cancer prevention, behavioral health, physical fitness, exposure reduction, and firefighter wellness — are now helping shape the future of the fire service.

But we cannot do this work alone.

Everything we have accomplished over the past 10 years has been possible because firefighters, departments, organizations, partners, educators, researchers, and supporters across Florida have chosen to stand together.

As we celebrate 10 YEARS — 2016–2026, we’re not only looking back at what we’ve accomplished. We’re looking ahead to the next decade and asking you to be part of it.

Your support helps the Collaborative continue providing education, resources, training, partnerships, and initiatives focused on our four pillars:

🔥 Safety
💪 Health & Fitness
🎗️ Cancer Prevention
🧠 Mental Wellness

If our mission has made a difference to you, your department, or someone you care about, please consider supporting the work and helping us continue moving Florida’s fire service forward.

Every contribution helps. Every partnership matters. And every one of us has a role in building a safer, healthier fire service.

👉 Donate today:
https://floridafirefightersafety.org/donate/

HONORING OUR PAST. BUILDING OUR FUTURE.

One Mission. One Family. One Florida.

Stronger Together. Safer for All.

🙏🙏🙏🙏
08/19/2026

🙏🙏🙏🙏

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the tragic loss of one of our own, Polk County Fire Rescue Chaplain Hector Cruz.

Chaplain Cruz was involved in a vehicle crash in Eagle Lake while traveling between stations and visiting with PCFR crews. The crash occurred shortly after he had left the Eagle Lake station. Hector was a dedicated member of our fire service family and someone who was always there to provide support, guidance, and comfort to our members.

Please keep Chaplain Cruz’s family, friends, and our entire Polk County Fire Rescue family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. We also ask that you say a special prayer for the crews who were faced with the heartbreaking task of responding to and caring for one of our own.

This is a devastating loss for our department and our union family. LODD funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced as soon as they become available.

Rest in peace, Chaplain Cruz. You will be deeply missed, and we will never forget your service to our members and our community. 🖤❤️

LETS DO THIS !
08/19/2026

LETS DO THIS !

🚨 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED!

Two powerhouse voices in the fire service are taking the stage at the 2026 Safety & Health Conference!

🔥 OPENING KEYNOTE | Michael Dugan
September 11th: Twenty-Five Years Later
A powerful opportunity to reflect on 25 years since September 11, followed by a question-and-answer session with Chief Dugan.

🔥 CLOSING KEYNOTE | Deputy Fire Chief Billy Goldfeder, E.F.O.
Firefighter & Fire Officer 2026–2027 Leadership “Survival”
Through real-world incidents and lessons learned, Chief Goldfeder will challenge firefighters and fire officers to take a hard look at leadership, size-up, decision-making, and survival—both on the fireground and in the firehouse.

Two keynotes. Two powerful perspectives. One can’t-miss conference.

📅 October 19–21, 2026
📍 Margaritaville Resort Orlando | Kissimmee, FL

Be there. Be Future Ready.

Register Today: www.ffca.org/shc

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative
Florida Professional Firefighters
Captain Mike Dugan

08/16/2026
08/14/2026
🔥 THE GYM BUILDS MUSCLE. THE KITCHEN DECIDES IF ANYONE SEES IT. 💪🥗In the fire service, we understand the importance of t...
08/14/2026

🔥 THE GYM BUILDS MUSCLE. THE KITCHEN DECIDES IF ANYONE SEES IT. 💪🥗

In the fire service, we understand the importance of training. We lift, push, pull, climb, carry, drag, and condition ourselves because when the tones drop, performance matters.

But the work you put in at the gym is only part of the equation.

You can’t out-train poor nutrition.

What we eat impacts body composition, energy, recovery, cardiovascular health, sleep, mental performance, and ultimately how prepared we are to do the job.

💪 TRAIN with purpose.
🥩 FUEL with intention.
💧 HYDRATE consistently.
😴 RECOVER deliberately.
🔥 PERFORM when it matters.

This isn’t about chasing perfection or following the latest diet. It’s about consistently making choices that support the physical and mental demands of being a firefighter.

And the goal isn’t simply to look fit.

The goal is to BE FIT—strong, healthy, resilient, and prepared to perform when your crew and community need you most. Just as importantly, it’s about protecting your health so you can enjoy a long career and a healthy life after the fire service.

At the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative, we believe taking care of our firefighters means addressing the whole person—physical health, mental wellness, nutrition, fitness, recovery, and long-term resilience.

🔥 FIT TODAY. STRONG TOMORROW. READY FOR ANYTHING.

Want to learn more? Visit our website’s Health & Fitness section for additional information and resources:

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative
Health & Fitness Resources:
https://floridafirefightersafety.org/health-fitness/resources/

Be Fit. Be Resilient. Be Ready.

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United States Of America
Washington D.C., DC

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