Firefighters, EMTs, and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, with their K-9 partners, will be there, ready to show you the tools and equipment they use every day. Kids love getting a close look at real fire trucks and meeting those four-legged officers up close.

Community Helpers Day isn’t just a chance to connect with local first responders. It’s a hands-on, lively event designed for families. You can chat with firefighters and deputies, learn how they keep our community safe, and let your kids ask questions. If you get hungry, they will serve up free hot dogs; just grab one while supplies last.

No need to sign up or register; just show up at the library at 3450 N. Access Rd. in Englewood. It’s outdoors, and everyone’s welcome. If you want more details, reach out to Holly Gaines at 941-681-3715 or email Holly.Gaines@CharlotteCountyFL.gov.

Whether you’re curious about public safety, or you just want to thank local heroes in person, Community Helpers Day is one Saturday you won’t want to miss. It’s all about learning, celebrating, and having fun together as a community.

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Lately, the Englewood Fire Department (EFD) has zeroed in on one challenge: saving one of their own. As they put it on social media, “Hopefully, these are skills we never have to deploy, but it is important to learn and practice them, so we are prepared.”

On Tuesday, firefighters faced a controlled fire scenario, learning how to rescue a fallen colleague and make tough calls under pressure. The team trained inside a building rigged with wires and a fire simulator. No actual heat, but it felt like being trapped in a burning, collapsing structure.

The large-scale scenario finished up on Tuesday, and the last training shifts went through the exercise on Thursday. Crews used the Advance Dental Care building at 1148 S. McCall Road, a spot still damaged from last year’s hurricanes. They built props to make the roof collapse scenes and entanglements as real as possible.

Over the past few months, teams drilled on firefighter rescue skills. They focused on pulling downed firefighters from debris and cutting them free from wires, practicing until it became second nature. The six-part program covered everything, from command decisions down to the gritty, hands-on rescue work.

The EFD thanked their mutual aid partners at Charlotte County Public Safety for joining in and gave a shout-out to Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office fire dispatchers for sending part of their team to train alongside them.

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The funding allowed the department to buy a raincoat for every employee, along with four dry suits designed to keep firefighters dry during floods or cold-water operations.

“Instead of doing fundraisers, I just figured I would write the grant for you and see what we could do,” said Sherry Toth, secretary of Rotonda Elks Lodge 2710. Toth said she learned about the department’s need after meeting an Englewood Fire Department crew during a public event.

Toth said the lodge consistently looks for projects that make a positive impact locally. “I am thrilled to be able to do this for our community,” she said.

Englewood Fire Chief Kevin Easton said the grant directly supports firefighter safety while helping the department manage public resources responsibly.

“We strive to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and to make every dollar count,” Easton said. “On behalf of the entire department, I am sincerely grateful to the Rotonda Elks for their continued support and for this grant, which allowed us to purchase essential gear that helps keep our crews safe and operational in all weather conditions.”

Toth and her husband, Ed, a past exalted leader of the Elks, later visited Fire Station 71 to see the raincoats and dry suits in person.

For more information, contact Todd Dunn at 941-949-2328 or TDunn@Englewood-Fire.com.

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This year’s breakfast is made possible through the generosity of community partners. HCA Florida Englewood Hospital is donating all the food, and Dearborn Coffee & Bakery is providing the hot coffee.

“Our community is always so supportive, we just wanted to do a little something to give back during the holiday season,” said Fire Chief Kevin Easton. “We hope both young and old come out to enjoy some pancakes with us.”

Reservations are not required but strongly encouraged to ensure seating. Sign up attinyurl.com/firehousepancakes or from our website at Englewood-Fire.com.

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“We are extremely proud of Fire Marshal Brooks for earning this prestigious designation,” said Englewood Fire Chief Keven Easton. “This achievement reflects his dedication to professional excellence and his ongoing commitment to serving our community at the highest standard. His leadership and expertise continue to strengthen our department and the safety of those we protect.”

The Fire Marshal designation program uses a comprehensive peer review model to evaluate candidates seeking the credentials. The Commission on Professional Credentialing awards the designation only after an individual successfully meets all the organization’s stringent criteria. The individual must demonstrate excellence in seven measured components: experience, education, professional development, professional contributions, association membership, community involvement, and technical competence.

Additionally, all applicants are required to identify a future professional development plan. Maintaining the designation requires recipients to demonstrate continued growth in professional development, make professional contributions, be actively associated with a professional organization, and engage in community involvement, while adhering to a strict code of professional conduct.

The Commission on Professional Credentialing, an entity of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc., administers the Designation Program. Its members include individuals from academia, federal and local government, and the fire and emergency medical services profession.

To learn more about CPC, visit cpse.org/credentialing.

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The ceremony, which began at 9:30 a.m., included the Posting of the Colors by the Englewood Fire Department, the national anthem led by retired Navy veteran Carol Hilton, and prayers for unity and healing. 

Doug Izzo, executive director of the Englewood Chamber of Commerce, welcomed attendees and reminded them of the importance of reflection. “This ceremony is not only about remembering lives lost, but also about paying tribute to those who serve and sacrifice,” Izzo said. “Here in Englewood, we may be miles away from where those events took place, but we are forever connected by the spirit and unity that carried this nation through its darkest hours.”

Pastor Alex Christie of the Fellowship Church led the invocation, praying for unity in a divided nation and giving thanks for the courage of first responders and service members.

Deputy Chief Karl Bennett of the Englewood Fire Department delivered the keynote address. He recounted the timeline of September 11, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost, including first responders who rushed into danger. “Their sacrifice didn’t end on 9/11,” Bennett said. “For months, they searched the wreckage, breathing dust and sorrow, driven by duty, love and hope. Hundreds more have since passed from illness caused by working in this toxic aftermath.”

Bennett also noted the continuing sacrifices of the military, with more than 7,000 service members killed in the war on terror. “We owe them more than thanks,” he said. “We owe them purpose, support and unyielding gratitude.”

Shannon Mesenburg of Operation Solid 7 read the names of Floridians who died that day, followed by the ringing of the bell, a fire service tradition signifying remembrance. The bell tolled five times: for the victims in New York City, the Pentagon, Flight 93, fallen first responders and military members, and as a pledge to never forget.

The ceremony closed with the playing of taps by Danny Fusion of VFW Post 10178. Bennett left attendees with a call to service. “You don’t have to wear a uniform to serve,” he said. “Service is found in mentoring a child, checking on a neighbor, supporting a veteran or volunteering in your community. Every act of service is a tribute to those who gave all.”

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With the addition, four of the department’s six frontline fire apparatus are now ALS-certified. These units are staffed with firefighter/paramedics and equipped with advanced medications, cardiac monitoring technology, and life-saving tools designed to treat severe medical and trauma emergencies before patients reach the hospital.

The upgrade is part of a broader initiative to strengthen emergency medical services in response to Englewood’s growth. Officials say expanding ALS coverage improves response times, increases access to advanced pre-hospital care, and supports better patient outcomes across the community.

The move underscores the department’s focus on prioritizing community service and enhancing resources to meet evolving public safety needs.

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