A Brush with History - City of Coral Springs

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city Fire Department leads by example as County is ‘abuzz’ Recent bee attacks in Broward County can be traced back more than half a century to biologist Warwick Kerr, who took African bees to Brazil in 1956 and crossbred them with European honeybees. A year later, they were released into the wild and began swiftly spreading northward. U.S. officials tried to barricade the bees along the Panama Canal, but some got through and reached Texas in 1990. Because it would be impossible to eliminate them, our emergency response officials have no other choice but to learn to live with them. The December attack in Fort Lauderdale was confirmed work of Africanized honeybees, also known as killer bees. While these bees have been found before in Broward County, this is the first known incident in which they have stung. Luckily, everyone recovered, including a dog. The State Department of Agriculture stated that 14 out of 22 counties in South Florida have had sightings, and our Fire Department’s standard operating procedure to combat them is considered a best practice. “The only thing we needed to add to our repertoire of equipment was a honeybee net to cover the firefighters’ faces,” Chief Training Officer Bob Bertone said. Firefighters also use the same foam that is commonly used to extinguish fires to suffocate the killer bees in 60 seconds. Our firefighters have responded to at least two Africanized honeybee calls a week for the past couple of months, with one successful intervention near an elementary school. Coral Springs Fire Chief Donald A. Haupt, Jr. will be truly missed as he retires on April 30 after serving our community for 61/2 years. Chief Haupt came to Coral Springs in August 2000 from Norfolk, Virginia, where he had been the Fire Chief for many years. He has had a long and distinguished career, including the honor of becoming the first person certified as a paramedic in the State of Virginia in 1979. One of Haupt’s first challenges upon arriving in Coral Springs was transitioning the department from a mostly volunteer force to a paid department, growing from 66 employees to 172. He also established more demanding minimum firefighter standards, mandated the use of GPS technology on fire equipment, expanded the Coral Springs Fire Academy, and helped to create the City’s Community Emergency Response Team. Recently, the City opened the new Public Safety Training Firefighter/Paramedic Jesse Kautz is surrounded by bees at a recent sighting in Coral Springs. Firefighters used foam to suffocate the swarm of bees. Experts expect these honeybees to be found soon throughout the state since their arrival five years ago. Although the sting of an Africanized bee is no more dangerous than that of an ordinary bee, they are far more aggressive in attacking people near their nests and seizing territory from other bees. If a resident finds a hive in an unusual, low location, it’s likely to be the home of Africanized honeybees. In this case, residents should call an approved pest control specialist to remove the hive. If someone is being attacked, please call 911 and dispatch will send someone to assist you. Do not squash the bees, as they will release a chemical that will attract more bees to the area. Keep in mind that even if firefighters have a successful intervention, a pest control specialist must still come out and remove the hive or the bees may return. Chief Bertone said all you can do is run far and run fast. Your best bet is to get inside your home or car, and lock the door behind you. Africanized honeybees will chase someone up to a quarter or half a mile, and jumping into a pool won’t help. “Diving into a pool or canal will not save the victim because the bees will hover above a lot longer than you can hold your breath,” Bertone said. “The best thing you can do is avoid them.” Although there have been no reports of a stinging in Coral Springs so far, rest assured that our Fire Department is trained and ready. Retiring Fire Chief led department to new heights & Technology Center, a project that Chief Haupt championed from early on. The facility, located in the industrial park, houses the Coral Springs Fire Academy, a regional program recognized as one of the state’s best. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Coral Springs and Parkland,” Haupt said. “It’s been the best part of my 36 years in the fire service.” In his letter to City Manager Michael Levinson, Haupt said he is retiring due to a medical illness. Haupt is well respected by his staff and co-workers. “Chief Haupt is a very dedicated and hard working person,” Assistant Chief John Whalen said. “He was a pleasure to work with and we are very sorry to see him go,” Whalen added. “Chief Haupt will be sorely missed,” Levinson said. “He has created one of the finest agencies in the country.” • Coral Springs • Spring 2007 Visit coralsprings.org
Code Enforcement has new citation guidelines The City of Coral Springs might be one of the cities with the most codes and courtesies, but it’s what keeps our City clean and beautiful. When code violations occur, the Code Enforcement Division has several actions it may take and as of April 1, code officers will follow new administrative citation guidelines, which allow certain violations to be taken to a special magistrate at City Hall rather than a county court. “This new program is intended to encourage a faster voluntary compliance,” Chief Code Enforcement Officer Ken Maroney said. If a code officer finds a violation, the first step of action will be a warning notice with a time to comply. If you receive such a notice, it is important that you contact the officer Volunteer Spotlight She’s the Fire Department’s favorite baker, and the staff always looks forward to her unexpected visits and her exquisite angel food cakes and snickerdoodle cookies. “After the attacks on September 11, I started baking for all of the fire stations and dispatch,” volunteer Lynne Johnson said. When a local Publix found out what she was doing, they were kind enough to donate the cake covers. “I live near Station 64, and I always tell the firefighters this is in case you carry me out and I can’t say thank you.” Johnson, 83, has been volunteering with the City since January 1998, and she drives proudly with a bumper sticker that says “I love my career. I’m a volunteer.” A native from Ohio, Johnson moved from South Carolina to Florida in 1996 to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren. To make friends, she decided to get involved in local groups, such as Seniors and Law Enforcement Together. That’s when she met City staff and soon got involved with Safety Town. Since then, she has volunteered for nearly every City department, putting in at least 40 hours a month. She has a deep love for reading and music, but enjoys getting out and volunteering. “I plan to volunteer until I can’t anymore,” Johnson said. She proudly wears her City badge and when people ask where she works, she smiles and tells them, “I volunteer for the City of Coral Springs.” For more information on volunteer opportunities, contact Volunteer Coordinator Kim Sanecki at 954-346-4430. to find out what you need to do to reach compliance. The code officer will then show up to reinspect the property and determine if the violation has been corrected. If the property still does not meet compliance, Code Enforcement will take the person to a special magistrate, who will determine a fine for each day the property is not in compliance. Depending on the severity of the violation, code officers will now have the authority to determine if the hearing should be conducted at the county court. For more information on violations and fines, please visit coralsprings.org/code or call 954-344-5964. Business owners and residents may report potential code issues by visiting coralsprings.org/servicerequest or by calling 954-344-1017. Police Department cracks down on graffiti The Coral Springs Police Department launched a proactive initiative this fiscal year to help combat graffiti in the City. Each member of the Department’s patrol unit has graffiti tracking forms to fill out when they spot graffiti, which could be anything from a painting on a building to small writing on a Florida Power and Light box. The form includes information about where and when the officer saw the graffiti, along with the property owner’s name. According to City Ordinance 8-24, property owners then have 120 hours to remove the graffiti, be it by cleaning or painting. Capt. Rich Nicorvo said the patrol officer who reports the graffiti is responsible for ensuring property owner compliance. “We want to make sure the graffiti is cleaned up as soon as possible,” Nicorvo said. “Studies show that the sooner you clean up graffiti, the less of a chance there is for repeat occurrences.” City ordinance defines graffiti as “any writing, drawing, painting, inscription, figure, or mark of any type on any structure, public or private, or any other property, real or personal, that has been made without the consent of the owner of the property.” Since January 1, patrol officers turned in almost 50 graffiti tracking forms. But Nicorvo said that does not mean there are that many large murals; it ranges from unlawfully painted walls to illegal writing on poles or benches. The Police Department began the initiative after officers noticed an increase of graffiti along Sample Road. This tracking system is meant to help property owners and deter offenders, who, if caught, could face state first degree misdemeanor charges that carry punishment of up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000. Watch CityTV Channel 25 Spring 2007 • Coral Springs • 7 city
Page 1 and 2: The Magazine for the Premier Commun
Page 3 and 4: features city business The Magazine
Page 5 and 6: Garcia, worked nearby. When he saw
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Page 15 and 16: Our Water How can you help the envi
Page 17 and 18: The Unitown experience Jessica Klei
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