News Release November 10, 2006

Local Fire Inspector Receives Prestigious Award

For Immediate Release Additional Information

Foster Gover, Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal

Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue District

West Central Director, Florida Fire Marshals Assoc. (941) 751-7675

On November 5-9, 2006, during an annual conference of the Florida Fire Marshals & Inspector Association in the Florida Keys, an award ceremony was held to honor outstanding fire service recipients. Honors were given for Fire Marshal, Fire Inspector, Fire Investigator & Public Educator of the year.

Fire Inspector Leslie A. Adent with Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue District was honored for the Fire Inspector of the Year.

Inspector Adent is currently assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau and performs in the capacity of Senior Inspector. Inspector Adent assists the Fire Marshal with the management and oversight of the Fire Prevention Bureau while maintaining responsibility for Plans Review and Construction Inspection section of the Fire Prevention Bureau.

Inspector Adent began her participation with Southern Manatee Fire Rescue as a volunteer member in 1990 and was hired as an Inspector in 1997.

Recently a Federal Grant was awarded to Southern Manatee Fire Rescue. This particular grant consisted of a program to install smoke alarms in all of the Mobile Home Parks and low income homes within the district. This was a tremendous undertaking and created many problems with scheduling, manpower and equipment. Inspector Adent played a valuable role in implementation of this program. Her organizational skills and determination to provide excellent service to her community made this program a complete success and when the program was completed over 4000 smoke alarms had been installed. As a result of this program one smoke alarm installed under this grant is credited with saving a life. The National Fire Academy has contacted Inspector Adent and is considering creating a pilot program using the guidelines Inspector Adent implemented.

Along with her other duties Inspector Adent is responsible for plans review for building and fire protection systems, inspection of buildings for certificate of occupancy and fire protection system acceptance tests. Inspector Adent also handles the majority of the public education duties which includes scheduling and ordering supplies for events and the organizing of the daily activities of the Fire Prevention Bureau.

Inspector Adent is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Safety Inspector I & II, Fire Investigator I and is one class away from her Fire Investigator II certification. Inspector Adent also has earned an Associates Degree in Fire Science. She is active in the local Juvenile Fire Setters Program and Safe Kids Coalition.

Inspector Adent continually monitors National, State and local regulations and initiatives for opportunities of improvement in assuring the health, safety and welfare of her respective community. Inspector Adent is always looking for ways to improve the quality of service in her Fire District and is quick to accept any challenge or task given.

Inspector Adent’s attributes and qualities to the Fire Service are many. It is because of her continued commitment to the Fire Service and her profession that she was chosen to be this year’s recipient of the 2006 Fire Inspector of the Year Award.

The other recipients were:

Fire Marshal of the Year:

Randall W Napoli, Director
Division of State Fire Marshal

Fire Investigator of the Year:

Dale R. Rush

Captain, Bomb/Arson Squad

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue

Public Educator of the Year:

Victoria Yeakley

Public Education Officer

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

2-Attachements:

FFMIA President Jon Pasqualone (right) presenting award to Inspector Leslie Adent

Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District, Fire Chief Thomas F. Hennessy (left) Fire Inspector Leslie Adent & Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal Foster Gover

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