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FWC employees have some of the most interesting jobs ever! Here are some of our employees doing what they do best. Send your photos of FWC employees in the office and in the field to Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
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 Approximately 500 students at Palm Bay Charter School in Panama City were treated to a hands-on learning experience about FWC at the school’s Truck Day event. The annual program features trucks and other large vehicles used in a variety of industries and the opportunity to learn about the careers related to them.
 Officers Karl Hellett, Nicole Basford and Travis Basford educated the kids on boating safely including the importance of always wearing a life jacket when out on the water. They also had several wildlife exhibits and talked about the animals and resources that FWC protects.
 Southwest Regional officers, led by Lt. Dan Parisoe and Officer Specialist Keaton Hazelwood, recenty taught the State and Public Lands training at Myakka River State Park. Scenarios for damaging lands, fossil and artifact excavation, and illegal hunting were staged and officers tested their skills in identifying signs and evidence of criminal activity. The FWC Officer’s Association was kind enough to provide lunch as well.
  Officer Jason Rafter recovered a critically-injured female loggerhead sea turtle rescued in Card Sound. She appeared to have some serious vessel strike injuries and was transported to the Marathon Turtle Hospital where she will be in good hands.
 
 Southwest Region Officers John Salem, K-9 Officer Valerie Garcia with K-9 Jenny and Lt. Jonathan Ruggiero joined the reigning champions of the FWC High School Fishing Conservation Project Competition for an outreach event. Officers met with the Punta Gorda Middle School Fishing Team and discussed current fishing regulations, trends, boating safety and FWC law enforcement as a career. K-9 Jenny even put on an exhibition, sniffing out a hidden fish in a nearby backpack. Our officers were very impressed by the depth of questioning and community involvement the kids showed. The future is looking bright!
  Officers Karl Hellett, Hank Forehand, Travis Basford and Investigator Shelby Williams participated in FWC outreach at the Florida Riverfest Event in Blountstown on Feb. 25. They spoke with hundreds of visitors, handed out stickers and boating safety armbands to kids, and engaged with stakeholders about hunting and fishing regulations. Investigator Williams also brought his 5-foot ball python for visitors to interact with.
 
  The Southwest Region hosted the latest edition of the Advanced Conservation Academy in St. Petersburg. K-9 Officer Malachi Wilkins and Senior Officer Adam Brown coordinated training on Fish/Shark Identification, Gulf of Mexico fisheries management, red tide and commercial shrimping enforcement. Members were treated to some great hands-on training, a USCG boat ride across Tampa Bay, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Florida Aquarium, a Lightning hockey game and a great meal, compliments of Capt. Tracy Bontrager and Lt. Jared Cloud. All of this lead to a commercial bait-shrimping detail ending with six misdemeanors, three felonies and two physical arrests. A special thanks to several partner agencies that assisted and the local officers and supervisors who were integral in making this a success.
 Officer Ronald Washington supported and protected the local organization “Clean Miami Beach.” They picked up trash from the coastline of the Julia Tuttle Causeway and it was a very impactful cleanup - they picked up 1,132 pounds of trash!
 2. Officers Hudson, Padget, Madsen, Leon, Pridgen, Matthews, Norbrothen, Pecko, Castle, Hammad, Miano, Stone, Koger and Stiltner and Lieutenants Hayes and Warne spent a weekend in Dupuis Wildlife and Environmental Area with a group of first-time hunters for South Region Alpha’s First Annual Youth Turkey Hunt
 Southwest Region Officer Blyar and Senior Officer Eric Sierra were on patrol near Centennial Park Boat Ramp in Sarasota when they observed a vessel with two men and numerous fishing rods approaching the ramp. During a fisheries inspection, the two occupants were found to be in possession of 85 total vermillion snapper. The legal bag limit for vermillion snapper is 10 fish per person, per day, meaning the men were allowed to be in possession of only 20. Both men were charged with being over the legal bag limit of vermillion snapper.
 Officers Zach Dudas and Nick Giani spoke to the South Florida Spearfishing Club in Pompano Beach about all things boating and angling.
  Officers Zach Rice and Travis Basford represented FWC at Southport Elementary’s annual career day event on March 2. They spoke with 250 teachers and students in kindergarten through the fifth grade about what their jobs entail, including some of the animals and resources they get to protect as FWC officers. The kids also learned about boating safety, including the vital lesson about always wearing a life jacket when on the water.
 
 Southwest Region Senior Capt. Guy Carpenter, along with Lt. Jeff Goggin, Senior Officer Eric Sierra and Officer Esteban Blyar, responded to a call of a red tide distressed manatee in Venice, Sarasota County. FWC LE personnel were met with members of the FWC marine mammal rescue team and managed to safely capture a 9-10-foot female manatee having difficulty breathing. She was transferred to Sea World for further rehabilitation.
 Officers Michael Albert and Anthony Delatorre plus K-9 Raven met with a group of very excited students at Hialeah Gardens Elementary School where Raven stole the show!
 Officers George Reynaud and Ronald Washington brought local Miami Jackson Senior High School students to the City of Miami Historic Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum for a guided tour by retired MPD police Sgt. Jackson. Originally opened as a jail and courthouse for blacks in the 1950s, the City of Miami’s Historical Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum reopened as a museum in 2008 and remains the only building of its kind in the country.
 Lt. Sapp, Lt. Bulger, Officer Williams and Investigator Way participated in the Old Wooden Bridge Fish Camp, an annual event hosted by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office. Many of Big Pine Key’s youth came out and enjoyed a day of fishing with MCSO deputies and FWC officers while being educated on fishing and conservation.
 Officers Jerry Begera and Ronald Washington attended a career day at a local Miami Dade elementary school and shared their combined experiences to engage with the students about conservation, environmental stewardship and other core missions of the FWC. They answered questions about the journey to become an officer and the career opportunities in FWC.
 South Region Alpha officers took a field trip to the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center on Hutchinson Island as part of a Fish Identification Officer Specialist class.
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Welcome to the FWC Family!
Southwest Region Officer Joshua Arbogast and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed their second child! Kylie Jo Arbogast was born on March 2 weighing 7 pounds, 7ounces. Both baby and mom are healthy and happy, and big sister Emma is excited about the new addition. Congratulations Josh and Stephanie!
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