Seminole County, Fla. (February 19, 2024) – The United States Navy recently collaborated with the Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) for a joint training exercise during Daytona Beach Navy Week. This cooperative effort aimed to foster a meaningful exchange of knowledge between active-duty Sailors and first responders, strengthening the bond between military and civilian emergency services.
The scenario, carefully crafted for training purposes, facilitated a hands-on experience for both Navy personnel and Seminole County emergency responders along with personnel from the Domestic Security Division from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Personnel will rotate through three stations:
- Extrication – Seminole County Fire Department personnel and U.S. Navy worked together on extrication exercises with SCFD’s Special Hazards & Operations Team.
- High-Angle Rescue – SCFD personnel and U.S. Navy practiced high-angle rappelling from the 3rd floor of the Training Tower with SCFD’s Tower Team. Bomb Squad & Drones – personnel from Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad unit and the U.S. Navy had their bomb squad robots. SCFD showcased drones.
“About 10% of our firefighters are military veterans,” said Seminole County Fire Chief Matt Kinley. “So, having the Navy here as part of a subject matter expert exchange was extremely meaningful and engaging to all members involved. We thank the U.S. Navy for their service and our Seminole County Fire Training Facility was proud to be among their tour stops.”
Daytona Beach Navy Week was one of 15 Navy Weeks to take place in 2024, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America's Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people—about half the U.S. population.
Special thanks to Mission BBQ for providing lunch to the participants and Barista Cup for providing coffee.
