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Public safety briefing: Okaloosa highlights emergency management, beach safety, EMS and Dorcas options
Summary
The county’s public‑safety director briefed commissioners July 22 on emergency management, beach‑safety operations, park rangers and EMS paramedicine gains; staff also reported a likely rejection of a single RFP for Dorcas fire service and said funding options for permanent coverage are under study.
Pat Maddox, director of Okaloosa County Public Safety, briefed commissioners July 22 on the department’s emergency management, beach safety, park ranger and emergency‑medical services programs and highlighted operational accomplishments and budget requests.
Maddox said the county’s emergency management team is fully staffed and noted recent work integrating Florida’s recovery reporting initiative into the county’s operations for faster access to recovery funding. Chief Ryan Prince leads the emergency management team, Maddox added.
On beach safety, Chief Charles Rich Huffnagle (presented as Chief Huffnagle) reported the program protects 3.5 miles of guarded beach with seasonal staffing, multiple towers and a prevention focus. For the most recent reporting period Maddox cited 37 rip‑current and heavy‑surf rescues (a 12% increase over the previous year), 86 lost‑child reports (all returned to family, up 19%), and about 203 medical calls (up 30%). Maddox also described prevention outreach including the Buddy on the Beach program, a beach wheelchair program and a junior‑lifeguard education program.
Maddox described the park‑ranger program as year‑round education, enforcement and permitting support for county coastal parks. The program, he said, completed more than 50,000 documented patron contacts for education and prevention—up about 20% from the prior year—and more than 17,000 ordinance/information contacts (up 70%). The program is currently funded by general‑fund and vendor permitting revenues; Maddox said no additional general‑fund staff were requested at this time.
On emergency medical services, Chief Darryl Welborn reported more than 35,000 requests for assistance (up 8%) and more than 25,000 billable transports (up 5%). Maddox and Welborn highlighted the county’s community‑paramedicine program and post‑overdose work: the paramedicine initiative logged outreach and referral outcomes, and Maddox said in‑field advanced treatment has had measurable results—citing 56 low‑titer blood deliveries with 54 saves in those incidents.
Commissioners and staff discussed Dorcas Fire Department service options in the county’s north end. County staff said an RFP produced a single bid that appears higher than the funding available; staff indicated the bid will likely be rejected and that permanent service models under other funding mechanisms or a blended volunteer/paid approach will be explored. Staff emphasized that Dorcas is a special district funded by special assessments rather than ad valorem taxes and that the existing assessment rates remain in effect unless the board acts to change them.
No final action was taken on Dorcas service at the July 22 workshop; staff said they will return with options and additional financial detail ahead of the budget hearings.
