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 May 2020
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 During the first week in May, we usually take the time to do a small celebration for national Public Service Recognition Week. While all of leadership would like to be scooping ice cream for agency staff throughout the regions and have the ability to personally recognize and celebrate your hard work, this spring has been filled with unparalleled challenges. I hope you all are doing well and finding ways to stay positive and safe.
State Employee Recognition Day has been rescheduled for Sept. 30 but I cannot overlook the opportunity to express my appreciation for your dedicated service. Your work and commitment has significant impacts on Florida’s fish and wildlife and our broader conservation efforts. I am proud to work as a member of the FWC team to positively influence conservation.
Additionally, I would like to recognize the incredible resilience you all have shown both professionally and personally in adapting to so many changes during this unprecedented time. From our information technology team taking additional measures to keep us up and running from offsite, to our law enforcement and research staff adapting to social distancing mandates, to outreach personnel sharing important safety and awareness messages, to all staff balancing work and home life. The tremendous dedication and fortitude you have shown has been incredible. Please continue to stay connected with your leadership and colleagues as we continue to navigate through this uncertain time. Remember that we are all working toward one mission.
Resources continue to be available for your reference on FWC SharePoint. If you have additional needs for your work or for your family, please contact your supervisor.
Again, thank you for the significant efforts and unwavering commitment to Florida’s fish and wildlife resources and the people of our state. Keep up the great work.
Eric
 The Commission met Thursday, May 14 solely by video and telephonic participation. Stakeholders could provide comments regarding agenda item topics in advance by email or mail as well as call in during the meeting. The Florida Channel transmitted the meeting live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET. The agenda is on our website.
The next Commission Meeting is scheduled for July 22 – 23 in Bonita Springs. This future meeting is subject to being limited to a single day agenda and/or being held by video and/or teleconference technology if needed for purposes of maintaining social distancing for public health purposes.
In response to our public health emergency and to help contain the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ron DeSantis is allowing state employees the flexibility to donate and transfer available leave (sick, annual, special compensatory and regular compensatory leave) to other state employees (intra- and inter-agency). This change reflects the need for donations related to childcare and family care absences in response to COVID-19. The following rules apply:
If requesting to donate leave:
- All accrued leave types may be donated (this includes across pay plans, except OPS).
- Minimum donation amount is 8 hours (may be combined leave type hours)
- Must retain a minimum of 80 hours Sick Leave in personal balance after leave transfer is made
- Emergency Federal Sick (code 0098) and Federal FMLA (code 0097) cannot be donated
If requesting donated leave for personal need:
- Receiving employees must exhaust ALL personal leave balances and Emergency Federal Sick leave (code 0098) before using donated leave.
- Donated Leave may be used for the following reasons:
- Employee is under quarantine or isolation related to COVID-19
- Employee is advised by health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
- Employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is awaiting diagnosis
- Employee is caring for an individual who is subject to an order of quarantine
- Employee caring for their child under age 18 whose school or place of care is closed, or childcare provider of such child is unavailable is closed due to COVID-19 related reasons
- Employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition as specified by the federal Health & Human Services.
- Donated leave can be used in conjunction with the 2/3 leave provide by the 10 weeks Federal FMLA (code 0098) leave to keep an employee in full pay status.
If you would like to donate leave or are in need of donated leave hours, email Karen.Radford@MyFWC.com or call 850-488-6411 for assistance.
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Did you know the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, our citizen support organization, has an FWC Employee Assistance Fund? The fund is made up of donations from employees and other members of our communities. Assistance is available to FWC employees experiencing financial hardship. As all of us know too well, our state has experienced devastating hurricanes in recent years. The Employee Assistance Fund has been a huge help to our FWC family members in the wake of these disasters, providing tens of thousands of dollars to cover critical financial needs. As we approach the 2020 hurricane season, it’s time to be reminded about this great resource and where you can donate if you are in a position to do so. Also, as we go through these unprecedented times, if you are in need of financial assistance for any reason and would like information regarding this fund, please reach out to either your Regional Director, Gil McRae (FWRI), or Tindl Rainey (Tallahassee).
Tax-deductible donations to the Employee Assistance Fund can be made online at https://give.wildlifeflorida.org/FWChelp.
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 The Division of Habitat and Species Conservation is excited to announce that David Johnson has been selected as its new Deputy Director of Operations and Program Development!
David has worked for the FWC since 1988, starting his career as a Biologist II in the South Region. Since 2016 he has ably led the Wildlife Habitat Management Section. David has a wealth of knowledge of land management and our WMA system and has demonstrated skills in effectively managing the budget and personnel challenges that come with leading HSC’s largest Section.
“I enjoy working for the FWC because of the people,” he said. We have a special relationship and camaraderie that you don’t see very much in government agencies and it is no doubt because of everyone’s commitment to being good stewards of Florida’s natural resources.”
In his new role, David is looking forward to getting to know more members of the HSC team and learning how he can help them.
This position has been held by Lawson Snyder, who is retiring after over 40 years of service to the FWC. David will work closely with Lawson over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.
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 We often gather at locations throughout the region for memorial workouts to honor the sacrifices of the brave officers who have come before us, improve our fitness and strengthen our agency’s identity. Just because we are all practicing social distancing doesn’t mean we can’t carry on this tradition! Some of us did this Virtual Memorial Workout, took a quick snapshot after the workout and sent it to Northeast Admin so they could make this collage.
Lt. Delmar Teagan was killed in an automobile accident as he was driving his government-issued vehicle home from a training session in Tallahassee. A driver traveling on the opposite side of the road swerved into Lt. Teagan's path, striking his vehicle. Lt. Teagan succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The other driver sustained minor injuries and will face charges related to the accident. Lt. Teagan served with the FWC for 10 years and was assigned to the Lakeland office.
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 Spring-Summer Wild Hog Hunting Opportunities
The FWC is offering late spring and summer wild hog hunting opportunities on wildlife management areas across the state. For more information about these opportunities and the FWC’s recently launched WMA Finder, an online tool that lets hunters search for WMAs by location, season, species, and type of hunt, check out these talking points. Find brochures for WMAs with May/June 2020 wild hog hunts (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Season Dates and Bag Limits
2020-2021 Florida resident game and furbearer hunting season dates and bag limits for lands outside of the WMA system are now available!
Spring Turkey and Deer Hunters Asked to Participate in FWC’s Annual Harvest Surveys
We have contracted with Responsive Management, a survey research firm specializing in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues, to study Florida hunters’ participation in spring turkey and deer hunting. Beginning this May, deer hunters may receive a phone call from Responsive Management asking them to participate in a survey about their deer hunting experiences. Turkey hunters also may receive a phone call in May asking them to participate in a separate phone survey to learn more about their hunting satisfaction, effort and success. Depending on which carrier stakeholders use, the call will display as coming from Responsive Management or from area code 850 (Tallahassee). Stakeholders also may receive an email from Responsive Management requesting their participation in the survey. Please join us in encouraging stakeholders to consider participating in these studies. View the talking points to learn more about these harvest surveys.
 Alligator Harvest Permits: Phase 1 Application Period Runs May 8 - 18
The phase I application period for the alligator harvest permit random drawing begins Friday, May 8 at 10 a.m. Eastern time and runs through May 18. More than 7,000 harvest permits will be available this season. Get the talking points to help you respond to stakeholder questions about applying for alligator harvest permits.
WMA Finder and Phase I Application Period for Fall Limited Entry Permits
The Phase I of the application period for fall limited entry hunt permits runs May 15 through June 15. Many hunters will be searching for the FWC’s wildlife management area regulations brochures. To make it easier, the FWC recently launched WMA Finder, an online tool that lets hunters search for WMAs by location, season, species, and type of hunt (youth, family or mobility-impaired). See these talking points to find more details about applying for fall limited entry hunt permits and using WMA Finder.
Living With Alligators
Warmer weather means alligators are more active and visible this time of year. A new video with tips on co-existing with alligators is available now. Also, don’t forget about our living with alligators talking points to help you respond to stakeholder questions.
 South Florida Deer Research Project Findings Available Now
The South Florida Deer Research Project, which ran from 2014 to 2018 with a final report submitted in 2019, was conducted to provide more insight into how water levels, predation and hunting impact deer populations in south Florida. Find more about the research project, including details about why the research was needed, how field work was conducted, key findings and more by visiting our updated webpage and reviewing the talking points.
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OneNOAA no-cost science seminars are being scheduled even though most contributors and attendees are currently teleworking. Most seminars will be presented via remote access only. Seminars may be updated at any time; check the OneNOAA Science Seminar website for the latest seminar information.
Northeast US State of the Ecosystem: 2020 Overview May 19, noon – 1 p.m. ET
There are No Fish Storms – Marine Safety and Hurricanes May 20 2020, 11-12 a.m. ET
Secrets from a two-thousand year old marsh: blue carbon accumulation rates increase with sea level rise May 20, noon-1 p.m. ET
Radar Love – New Data, New Services, and the Rising Allure of SAR May 20, 3-4 p.m ET
CoastWatch Data Portal Demonstration May 22, 11-12 a.m. ET
Resilience insurance: a new way to finance coastal resilience trough nature-based solutions May 26, noon – 1 p.m. ET
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin Drought Assessment Webinar May 26, 1-2 p.m. ET
NOAA Eastern Region Climate Services: Phenology/Status of Spring May 28, 9:30-10:30 a.m. ET
Evolving Challenges in Fisheries Science (and How We Are Tackling Them) June 9, 2-3 p.m.ET
Testing approaches for early detection of marine ecosystem shifts June 10, 3-4 p.m. ET
Exploring National Marine Sanctuaries: Diving into Telepresence Education Programs and Resources June 16, 6-7 p.m. ET
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While many of us are working from home, our LE staff is out and working hard protecting our natural resources and the people in our state. Thank you for all your hard work!
 FWC uses Hi-Tech investigation tactics to apprehend wildlife law violators
In January, FWC officers arrested Walter Thomas Collins (DOB 03/15/1974) and Jamie Marie Collins (DOB 03/13/1986) both of Kenansville, on 24 felonies and three misdemeanors on illegal hunting charges.
In October of 2019, Officer Nicholas Stelzer suspected a photograph of Jamie Collins posing with a large trophy white-tailed deer on a social media site called “Florida Hunters Network” showed an unlawfully taken deer.
Officer Stelzer’s ensuing investigation located an unlawfully baited and trespass area on Deseret Ranch in Osceola County. The site had been previously baited to attract wildlife, contained a tree stand for hunting and a game camera to monitor wildlife coming to the illegal bait. The game camera’s storage compartment was missing the storage card, which is used to hold photographs taken by the camera. Officer Stelzer was able to track footsteps from the illegal hunting location to a bordering property owned by the Collins. FWC officers interviewed the Collins and were told the trophy deer was killed on the Collin’s property, not the private ranch. Officer Stelzer obtained a search warrant for the Collin’s residence to recover all items of digital evidence including camera storage cards. The officers search warrant recovered 13 camera cards and the cell phones belonging to Walter and Jamie Collins.
The evidence was submitted to the FWC Digital Forensics Lab for analysis. Analysis of the storage cards recovered hundreds of hunting photographs, many depicting illegal activity. In fact, the game camera storage cards contained photographs of the Collins hunting and trespassing at the illegal baited site. The forensic analysis of the cell phones documented evidence clearly showing the trophy deer was illegally baited and killed while trespassing on Deseret Ranch. The evidence also showed that 11 minutes after Jamie killed the deer, Walter searched on his cell phone, “phone number to get Florida hunting license.” The evidence documented three incidences of Jamie Collin’s shooting protected hawks and six additional counts of armed trespass on private property.
In addition to protecting Florida’s natural resources, FWC officers also protect the rights of private property owners. Deseret Ranch is a 290,000 acre private ranch in Osceola and Brevard County.
Additional arrests are forthcoming as the digital evidence documented other individuals violating Florida’s laws protecting wildlife.
 
 On May 4, at approximately 11 a.m., FWC Officer Jeremy Foell of the Offshore Patrol Vessel program was conducting a routine check of the Vessel Monitoring System required by Gulf Federal Fisheries Permit holders. According to Wikipedia, VMS systems are used to improve the management and sustainability of the marine environment, through ensuring proper fishing practices and the prevention of illegal fishing, and thus protect and enhance the livelihoods of fishermen.
The check revealed a local commercial fishing vessel, “Twister” out of Big Pine Key, stationary inside Tortugas South Ecological Reserve. Tortugas South Ecological Reserve is a transit only area; prohibiting anchoring, fishing, snorkeling, and diving. VMS indicated the “Twister” had been inside Tortugas South Ecological Reserve for approximately 13 hours. Officers. Jeremy Foell, Jason Richards, Austin Cobb and Lt. Josh Peters immediately departed Key West on the OPV “Trident” to intercept the vessel.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. the officers located the commercial fishing vessel actively fishing by hook and line inside Tortugas South Ecological Reserve. While approaching the commercial fishing vessel, an undersized mutton snapper was discarded into the water by a crewman. The undersized fish was recovered by the officers. A marine fisheries inspection was conducted. The officers identified those onboard: Capt. Michael Conrad, 30, Cudjoe Key; Michael Hilliard, 28, Cudjoe Key; and Caleb Greenwood, 22, Lakeland.
The inspection revealed the commercial fishing vessel to be in possession of several hundred pounds of reef fish inside the closed, “no-take” area. In cooperation with FWC’s federal partner, the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, it was decided the vessel was to be escorted back to dock due to the numerous federal violations.
The following day the illegal catch, totaling 728 pounds, was offloaded and seized in Key West by NOAA OLE
The captain, crew, and federal permit holder face a litany of federal violations to include: Anchoring inside Tortugas South Ecological Reserve; Failing to remain in continuous transit through Tortugas South Ecological Reserve; Fishing inside Tortugas South Ecological Reserve; Possession of Undersize Mutton Snapper; Interference with Law Enforcement; and Commercial Harvest of Amberjack during the Closed Season (Gulf Federal Waters).
Investigators Adam Garrison and Mike Alvarez were dispatched to a dolphin entangled in trapline bayside of Layton. They arrived on-scene and met with the reporting party, biologists and the dolphin. Inv. Alvarez and a biologist boarded the reporting party’s vessel with his permission to easier and quieter approach the dolphin. The biologist entered the water and got a hold on the dolphin. Inv. Alvarez maintained a hold on the biologist and handed him a knife to cut the trapline. The trapline, buoy and trap were collected so biologists could obtain remaining tissue samples of the dolphin. The rescuers followed the dolphin at a safe distance after the trapline was removed to ensure there were no issues with its behavior.
Officer Ian Sweet received information that a deer had been killed before daylight in Lake County. Officers Casey Phillips and Jackson Teal assisted with the investigation. The investigation revealed that the subject had shot the deer well before daylight while it was standing on the road. The deer in question turned out to be an 8-point buck. The subject was issued the appropriate notices to appear. While assisting with that investigation, Officers Teal and Phillips observed a truck driving down the road with blood on the cooler and deer legs sticking out of the back. The officers performed an inspection and found two deer in the truck belonging to two subjects. That investigation revealed the individuals had been illegally hunting on private property where they shot the deer with a bow. Both were charged with trespassing.
On April 19, the FWC received information regarding an unmanned runaway vessel in the Intercoastal Waterway in South Venice. Officers from FWC, Venice Police Department and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded and found a small aluminum john boat operating on plane in a tight circular rotation in the center of the waterway. The operator had been thrown from the vessel after striking another boat’s wake and was picked up by a Good Samaritan who was passing by. The operator was uninjured. Through teamwork and great communication, the officers were able to use a line between two patrol boats to entangle the propeller and safely stop the vessel.
In February Officers Asa Dias and Mike Rice received information regarding several individuals who were possibly taking deer out of season. Throughout February and March the officers conducted surveillance on the subjects. Numerous times the subjects were observed with long guns and spotlights, on foot, hunting in the Ocala WMA during the night and early mornings. One early morning, the officers conducted surveillance on the subject residence. Shortly before daylight, the three subjects returned with a dead deer. The officers made contact and began their investigation. Lt. Robby Creech and Officer Wash Wear arrived to assist. The three subjects were in possession of two .22-caliber rifles, a dead deer, a homemade silencer, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Interviews were conducted and the suspects admitted to killing numerous deer, a trophy 9-point buck and numerous alligators, all of which were taken out of season and/or at night with a light.
L to R: Lt. Robby Creech, Officer Mike Rice and Officer Asa “Bo” Dias.
On Monday, April 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., the FWC received a call from Pinellas 911 regarding a capsized 12-foot vessel in Old Tampa Bay with occupants in the water. Maj. Young, Capt. Holcomb, Investigator Guerin, Officer Specialist Enos, Officers: Alvis, Conrad, Pettifer, Criswell and Lamoureux arrived on scene shortly after the call and were able to rescue all three occupants from the water, one of which had become entangled in a cast net that was onboard the vessel at the time it capsized. Thankfully, all three occupants were uninjured.
News article posted by WTSP
Captain Holcomb, Investigator Guerin and Officer Alvis bring the recovered capsized 12-foot vessel to shore.
FWC received a report of an alligator blocking the front door to a residence just before midnight. Officer Plussa and FWC-Contracted Wildlife Trapper Ray Simonsen responded to the scene to remove the large alligator. After almost two hours, Officer Plussa and Trapper Ray secured the alligator, which was an 11-foot bull with a 34-inch tail girth, weighing between 450-500 pounds. They required the help of five Collier County Sheriff Deputies who responded to the scene and helped lift and secure the large alligator into the transport cage.
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 Congratulations FWRI!
 On the Water Heroics
Earlier this month, Jessica Valek with the Marine Fisheries Management Lionfish Outreach team was on the water paddle boarding when she came across a little girl in an innertube who had been pushed away from shore. Jessica was about 400-500 yards out off Pensacola Beach when strong winds came up suddenly, forcing her to head back in. On her way, she saw the little girl had been caught up in the wind and quickly blown away from shore, where she and her family had been playing. Valek rescued the girl with her paddle board and brought her back in safely. Jessica went the extra mile this month and reminded us that we work with amazing people. Thanks Jessica, for being an FWC hero.
(Photo is not from the day she rescued the little girl.)
Going Beyond the Call of Duty
When the going gets tough, the tough keep going. That’s how we bring it here in the Northeast Region. We usually have our grounds maintained by state prisoners but with the COVID-19 shutdown, grass and weeds started taking over the complex. Without knowing when we’d get our next lawn trim, several folks from the RLT came together and formed a plan to get the job done. Before I knew it, Maj. Russel was on his lawnmower cutting the grass with Pete and Mindy following up with a weed trimmer and hedge clippers. The office never looked better. The hard work doesn’t stop there; we have three call center staff (Mindy Wagner, Jessica Cotton and Keri Owen) that remained working at the office (they actually begged to stay) and who assist every day with keeping operations running. They stay extra busy, in between calls, sanitizing the office twice a day. Together we make a difference and I commend their continued selfless efforts. This is just one of many examples of the teamwork associated with our Northeast Region Staff, Thank You,
Greg Workman
 
 Citizens and FWC customers were so impressed by the following employees, they told us about it through email on the "Praise an Employee" page of MyFWC.com/Contact. When your coworkers receive kudos, help share the good news by contacting Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
Lt. Whitney Chase
I am president of a HOA that owns property with a small beach area and dock on a lake for the enjoyment of residents. Recently, we have had a big problem with boaters and individuals trespassing on our property. This has led to numerous confrontations between the trespassers and our residents. Several weekends ago, we had several groups of boaters, jet-skiers and passengers (that totaled upwards of 40 people) that showed up at the beach/dock area and would not leave. They were very rude and disrespectful to our residents who were down there. I called 911 and Lt. Chase was sent out. She tried to call the boaters to her and, when they would not come, she called for a boat. When the boat arrived, she went out and dispersed the crowd of boaters and jet-skiers. That was on a Saturday and she came back the next day and had to disperse another crowd of around 25. Lt. Chase has returned several times since then to see if we were still having problems. Her persistent attention to our problem has not only helped decrease the number of trespassers but has also prevented a situation from getting out of hand. Most of the trespassers where teenagers/young adults. I want to Thank Lt. Chase for her professionalism and her dedication to her duty in handling our problem.
Officer Austin Cobb
Officer Austin Cobb has made a real difference in our community through his skilled and dedicated enforcement of FWC rule 68A-4.001 (Feeding of Pelicans is prohibited by law). As director of the Key West Wildlife Center, our permitted wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility, the feeding of brown pelicans bone-in fish carcasses is a major problem for us and a big time consumer for rescues and treatments. We have tried to raise awareness through the years with charter boats and marina fish cleaning stations by getting FWC signage posted. Officer Cobb's ability to work with us in targeting problem areas has significantly reduced the problem all around Key West and Stock Island. Thanks to Officer Cobb's efforts, the issue was reduced this past season to where we only had two carcass-related brown pelican rescues. Officer Cobb has a unique professional ability to raise awareness and educate first, then apply the law to those who don't follow it. He has made the biggest difference in protecting brown pelicans and educating the public about best practices that we have seen in our 10 years running the center. We appreciate all his successful efforts and we thought your office should be made aware of his dedication and effectiveness in responding in just the right manner to different situations to get the rules enforced.
Officer Russell Kiefer
One evening I met this officer under less than desirable circumstances. I had spent all day on the water providing water safety support for a shark week production on a PWC configured as a rescue water craft. My PWC ran out of fuel due to a faulty fuel gauge before sunset. I did not get fuel until well after dark and a fellow boater had to escort me the 1.5 miles from Bahia Honda bridge to the boat launch. As I limped into shore, the officer offered to help rather than scold me for being out after sunset. He was professional and very cool. Then we noticed our lights on the boat trailer were not working properly (a cascade of less than desirable events). The officer then followed us for 3 miles to make sure we made it home safe. This officer mitigated our risk for a traffic accident as well as a possible citation from other LEO. Although not a heroic act, he went above and beyond the call of duty. This officer demonstrated a high level of public service and was a darn good representation of your department.
Officer Michael Morrison
Officer Morrison called me as soon as he was notified that I had called to report an alligator in my yard and assured me he was 15-20 minutes away. When he arrived, he explained how he was going to capture it, and then gave a very informative tutorial on where it came from and possible reasons, as well as some interesting facts about alligators. He was extremely pleasant and deserves kudos!
Officer Jackson Mullins
I was kayaking on the Blackwater River with a buddy of mine. We had stopped for a snack on a small sandbar when we heard a motorboat approaching. It was Officer Jackson Mullins. When he got close, he slowed to an idle and shut down the engine. Officer Mullins waved to us and asked us where we put in that morning, how many people were at the landing, how was the river conditions, etc. We chatted for a few moments and he thanked us then motored on upstream. Later that day, Officer Mullins passed us coming back downstream. When we rounded a bend we saw he had pulled onto a sandbar and was talking to a group of people who had gathered there. In floating past, we could tell by his demeanor and the people's response to him being there that they understood the situation that drew his attention to them. Officer Mullins has a very kind demeanor and is very personable in his approach to the job. He was alert and vigilant but approachable. On this day on the river, Officer Mullins represented the FWC in the most positive light.
Officer Damon Pulaski
One evening, Officer Damon Pulaski explained to me the company that is digging nearby will have to get a permit to relocate a gopher tortoise This tortoise has more than one burrow. I believe having more than one burrow saved the life of the tortoise. I believe some of my two days of pictures are evidence that tortoise could have been killed.
Inv. Darral Thomason and Officer Ryan Crane
I and my wife, son and daughter were involved in an airboat. This was a life changing event for my family and myself as I ended up with multiple facial fractures as well as broken ribs, broken hand, a concussion, and numerous other cuts and bruises. My wife broke both of her legs in multiple places and to date has had six surgeries, is still in a wheelchair and unable to bear weight on either leg two months later and has another month before any rehab can start. We have had to make our house accessible to accommodate my wife's injuries. In short, that day changed my familiy’s course. With all that being said there was still an abundance of grace in the situation. My children, although thrown from the boat, were essentially unharmed other than the trauma of seeing their parents injured. Investigator Darral Thomason and Officer Ryan Crane were assigned my case and were at the hospital the evening of the accident plus two other times while my wife and I were still hospitalized. They have followed up with us professionally as well as personally to extend their thoughts, concerns and stay informed of our recovery. As officers they were thorough, professional, compassionate during a very difficult time for us. More importantly, they were human. Genuinely caring about my family and wanting to help in any way they could. I am deeply indebted to them both, seeing how gently yet professionally they treated my family. Out of something that was very tragic and is still unfolding, I, my wife, and my children are grateful that Thomason and Crane were on duty that day. I cannot thank them enough for being genuinely kind, caring, calming yet professional. Thank you Darral and Ryan, I am grateful for you both and consider you my friends. If there is ever anything my family or I could do to assist you or your families in the future we would be honored to help you in any way we could. How you treated us will never be forgotten and you both are a big part of the beauty that has shown itself in this life changing event for us.
Officer Edward Vazquez
My wife and I were boating on the Suwannee River when our boat motor developed a fuel related issue rendering the motor useless. Due to existing river level and swift currents my trolling motor was not effective against the current. Numerous deployments of the anchor to hold the boat in place were not successful. Eventually the anchor found something to grab and the vessel stopped just prior to crashing into the pilings of the new bridge construction at Dowling Park. Realizing that if the anchor released again, I had less than a minute to prepare for certain collision with construction site that would have surely destroyed our vessel with high risk of injury to me and my wife. I contacted FWC dispatch for assistance. Soon after, Officer Vazquez called back. I was immediately impressed with his concern about our safety and supplies (i.e. water, life preservers) on board. Officer Vazquez was over an hour away but didn't hesitate to change his plans and immediately head our way to remove us from the vessel while continuing to communicate with me regarding our situation. Fortunately, we were able get assistance securing additional lines from the vessel to shore vegetation to secure the vessel. Eventually Anderson Construction staff from the bridge project launched a vessel and towed us to the boat ramp. Officer Vasquez arrived about the time that we arrived at the ramp. He showed immediate concern about our wellbeing and comfort. He then volunteered to wade into the water to help me trailer the vessel with no propulsion (not an easy task with a pontoon boat). Officer Vazquez professional and compassionate demeanor were obvious and very much appreciated. FWC should be proud to have an officer of his integrity.
Tony Young
In this day and age, you should expect a high degree of professionalism from ANYONE connected to, or directly working for FWC. However, I must say that a new standard was set for me today. I spoke with many people on the phone and was bounced from one individual to the next. All were polite and willing to help but nobody seemed to be able to give me the answers I was looking for. I had a few select questions dealing with target shooting legality based on locations outside of a standard range. I eventually wound up on the phone with Tony Young. He contacted me directly after a colleague of his took my information at my request. From the very beginning, he had an answer to all of my questions and had the knowledge base to give me important information that I didn’t even know I needed. He was polite and succinct, as well as informative and patient. I am not originally from Florida so I had quite a few questions, and a relatively low understanding of what’s acceptable in this state as far as firearm laws are concerned. Tony was able to give me a “crash course“ so to speak on all things outdoors that I could think of to ask in dealing with this state. He most certainly is very good (maybe the best) at what he does. Great attitude, very nice guy.
Law Enforcement patrol
 Officers Jackson Mullins and Matt Land in Milton.
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Congratulations to the following employees for reaching 5-year milestones of employment with the FWC.
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40 Years
Joe Allen, LE
Lawson Snyder, HSC
35 Years
Douglas Berryman, LE
Judy Gillan, HSC
Paul Ouellette, LE
George Wilson, LE
25 Years
Juli Brown, LE
David Dipre, LE
Gregg Eason, LE
Mark Hollinhead, LE
Dwain Mobley, LE
Brian Smith, LE
William Stiffler, LE
Ken White, LE
Roy Williams, LE
15 Years
Derek Fussell, HSC
Sharon Stinson, HSC
Stoney Vickers, HSC
10 Years
Chris Bradshaw, FWRI
Katherine Collins, LE
Michael Graves, LE
5 Years
Eric Dennis, HSC
Gina Long, HSC
Bryan Phillips, HSC
Retired!
Jorge Pino, LE – 16 years, 8 months
Matthew Quarterman, LE – 32 years, 4 months
Catherine Royce, LE – 37 years
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(The FWC has a great many non-FTE employees, and they deserve recognition for reaching 5-year milestones too. Unfortunately, the system doesn't keep track of such statistics; but we don't want that to stop us. If you know of a non-FTE employee about to reach a 5-year milestone, please notify the Inside Job by email.) |
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The Inside Job is a monthly newsletter featuring
the employees and programs of the FWC.
Send your submissions, comments and questions to Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
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